News

Oct 14, 2023

The Generic Aldi Cereal That Customers Prefer Over Name

Aldi is, by all accounts, cheaper than most mainstream grocery stores.

Aldi is, by all accounts, cheaper than most mainstream grocery stores. Everything from pantry staples and snacks to meats and cheeses can be purchased at a more noticeable discount than at most other grocers. While there are many factors that contribute to Aldi's low prices, one of the biggest reasons the chain can remain relatively cheap is that the company avoids selling most major brand names in its stores.

Here's a good way to think about it: If you were selling a brand-name product like General Mills, you have to price it a little more because you have to pay more for the use of the brand's name and all the costs that come with it. If you were to sell a private-label or store-brand product that's manufactured just for your store (or is a brand your company owns), you can sell it much cheaper and keep the overhead costs down. That's how Aldi operates.

It's understandable to worry if these private-label products are as high-quality as the more popular brand names. But one type of cereal that Aldi sells has been enough to convince most folks that not all generic products are inferior. Millville's Marshmallow & Stars has been praised for its surprisingly high quality, but is it all it claims to be?

Marshmallows & Stars is the generic version of the popular Lucky Charms cereal, and it even has its own magical mascot, replacing Lucky the Leprechaun with a wizard. Although this Millville cereal looks like the real deal, some people praise it for its low price and its taste.

Rachael Johnston of the Aldi Reviewer explains that, in her area, cereals from Aldi can cost under $2, and Marshmallows & Stars costs only $1.29 per regular-sized box. Johnston noted that, although the Millville cereal didn't taste quite the same as Lucky Charms, for only $1.29, it's still good enough to be satisfying. Jailynn Taylor of Insider spends just $50 a week at Aldi for herself and notes that, in her area, Marshmallow & Stars costs $1.65 — just a bit more than Johnston pays, but still relatively cheap. Taylor also said that she found the Millville cereal's taste preferable over the regular Lucky Charms cereal.

Marshmallows & Stars is popular thanks to its low cost and good flavor. While it may not be the same as Lucky Charms, for under $2, you can't complain.

Millville's Marshmallow and Stars cereal has met with positive reviews. Perhaps this may be a testament that, although not name-brand, other products at Aldi can be a surprisingly good buy in both taste and price.

You may be familiar with Eggo breakfast waffles but haven't heard of Aldi's Breakfast Best Waffles. According to a taste test done by the blog Cheapism, although Aldi's frozen waffles had a more "raggedy" appearance to them when compared with Eggo waffles, Aldi's waffles had a "lighter, crispier, and more pleasant" texture. Cheapism also taste-tested Aldi's blueberry muffin snacks with the more common Hostess brand, noting that Aldi's version was not only cheaper but tasted the same as Hostess' muffins. Other Aldi products have been taste-tested compared to name brands, and several were deemed as good as, if not better, than the more expensive counterpart.

It's important to note that all of these rely on personal taste. We encourage you to keep in mind that just because Aldi's products are a generic brand doesn't necessarily mean they're bad. You could save some serious money while still enjoying your favorite snacks.