Picking up where we left off yesterday discussing brand valuation, I’ve recently taken great interest in the branding of fresh fruits and vegetables — they seem to be the ultimate commodity, a perfectly ripe environment for branding, don’t you think?

When I grew up, the only branding I recall of fresh fruits was for Chiquita and perhaps Dole and/or Del Monte bananas, now almost every fresh fruit is branded and many vegetables too, but how many of the brands are memorable while not being too corporate or boring?

Maybe it’s just me, but there is something very special about the Cherubs, Cuties, and Halos brand names — owned by three different and apparently unrelated companies, but each one, at least to me, has created some branding magic by inviting a whimsical personality, allowing for valuable emotional consumer engagement and loyalty:

To the point of the value of a brand, I regularly place each of these little gems in the grocery cart, at least when I’m part of the shopping experience, and full disclosure, I’ve never bothered to compare price, I simply know from experience they are winners.

Having said that, just to complete the experiment to help make the business case for branding, I’ll probably compare prices between these little gems and the unbranded varieties, on my next visit, and I’ll get back to you on the premium price each probably enjoys.

What kinds of commodities do you experience and/or enjoy seeing as branded?