College Inn has been offering some premium lines of upscale and up-market
soup broths for a while, which I really have been enjoying.

One line is called 'Culinary Broth' and it features a White Wine and Herbs
broth and a Thai Coconut Ginger broth, both of which have lots of flavor.
They make it remarkably easy to throw together a delicious and complex soup
in very short order, which, with a little care and planning, taste like I've
slaved over a hot stove for hours. ;-) These are labeled as 'College Inn
products, but only in the small print, IIRC.

They also have another premium line of 'Bold Stocks', marketed under their
own 'College Inn' label. One is a 'Bold Roast Chicken' and the other is
'Bold Sirloin Steak'. Each of these have very flavorful stock, which make
these products standouts among the very bland general chicken and beef
stocks, which make up most of the general soup stock shelf space, in the
supermarkets in these parts.

Both of these product lines are sold in those 'block-shaped', soft-sided
containers, with the little plastic flip-top, resealable spout in a top
corner.

My problem is that they seem to have all but disappeared from any and all of
the major markets, within my home area. I've had great difficulty finding a
reliable source for these impressive broths (to my taste buds, anyway,) in
the northeast portion of Massachusetts, or southern New Hampshire, near the
seacoast. For a few months, I could find them, here and there, with some
patience, or by phoning around in advance. The 'Market Basket' chain of
stores, (formerly 'DeMoulas Market',) claims to be able to special order the
Bold Stock line, if one will commit to buying a case at a time, but this has
only worked once for me, over the past six months...

During the run-up to this holiday season, College Inn has been airing a
mini-flood of television ads for all of their soup stocks and broths, and
they mention both of these premium-priced lines of products, but the problem
is that the stores know nothing about them, other than that they are
getting lots of questions about availability from shoppers, who are trying
to buy them, having seen the ads. Very odd! I've even checked Amazon,
which used to carry them for mail orders, but even Amazon seems to be unable
to produce any for delivery!

Does anyone know what might be the problem? Has anyone else tried the items
I've mentioned, and did you find them superior to the flavorless chicken
squeezings and cow dribbles, which crowd the shelves these days? I suspect
that these products were developed to compete with the growing success of
soup base products in jars, which have had considerable growth within our
markets for the past few years, by simply offering substantial flavor. What
do you think? Are these products available in other sectors of the USA?
I'd really like to hear from others, who are familiar with these stocks. I
have no connection with College Inn, nor with any supermarket. I just wish
I could buy the products, which seem to be head and shoulders above the
generic stocks crowding the aisles.

Paul, in Massachusetts

On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:18:57 -0500, "Paul O'Neill"
> wrote:

>College Inn has been offering some premium lines of upscale and up-market
>soup broths for a while, which I really have been enjoying.
>
>One line is called 'Culinary Broth' and it features a White Wine and Herbs
>broth and a Thai Coconut Ginger broth, both of which have lots of flavor.
>They make it remarkably easy to throw together a delicious and complex soup
>in very short order, which, with a little care and planning, taste like I've
>slaved over a hot stove for hours. ;-) These are labeled as 'College Inn
>products, but only in the small print, IIRC.
>
>They also have another premium line of 'Bold Stocks', marketed under their
>own 'College Inn' label. One is a 'Bold Roast Chicken' and the other is
>'Bold Sirloin Steak'. Each of these have very flavorful stock, which make
>these products standouts among the very bland general chicken and beef
>stocks, which make up most of the general soup stock shelf space, in the
>supermarkets in these parts.
>
>Both of these product lines are sold in those 'block-shaped', soft-sided
>containers, with the little plastic flip-top, resealable spout in a top
>corner.
>
>My problem is that they seem to have all but disappeared from any and all of
>the major markets, within my home area. I've had great difficulty finding a
>reliable source for these impressive broths (to my taste buds, anyway,) in
>the northeast portion of Massachusetts, or southern New Hampshire, near the
>seacoast. For a few months, I could find them, here and there, with some
>patience, or by phoning around in advance. The 'Market Basket' chain of
>stores, (formerly 'DeMoulas Market',) claims to be able to special order the
>Bold Stock line, if one will commit to buying a case at a time, but this has
>only worked once for me, over the past six months...
>
>During the run-up to this holiday season, College Inn has been airing a
>mini-flood of television ads for all of their soup stocks and broths, and
>they mention both of these premium-priced lines of products, but the problem
>is that the stores know nothing about them, other than that they are
>getting lots of questions about availability from shoppers, who are trying
>to buy them, having seen the ads. Very odd! I've even checked Amazon,
>which used to carry them for mail orders, but even Amazon seems to be unable
>to produce any for delivery!
>
>Does anyone know what might be the problem? Has anyone else tried the items
>I've mentioned, and did you find them superior to the flavorless chicken
>squeezings and cow dribbles, which crowd the shelves these days? I suspect
>that these products were developed to compete with the growing success of
>soup base products in jars, which have had considerable growth within our
>markets for the past few years, by simply offering substantial flavor. What
>do you think? Are these products available in other sectors of the USA?
>I'd really like to hear from others, who are familiar with these stocks. I
>have no connection with College Inn, nor with any supermarket. I just wish
>I could buy the products, which seem to be head and shoulders above the
>generic stocks crowding the aisles.
>
>
You don't mention the price, by sin of ommission I suspect you're a
troll, a spammer for College Inn. I'd think the product you describe
is probably too expensive for the average consumer and so it didn't
sell very well in the test markets. This doesn't sound like a very
economical method for folks who use stock by the gallon. From
perusing the price of canned soups lately I'd imagine this stock costs
as much if not more per liter as Crystal Palace. And the truth is
that the vast majority use the typical canned broth strictly as a
seasoning ingredient in recipes and only very occasionally, mostly at
holidays. I don't know of anyone who uses College Inn canned broth as
a sole base for a pot of soup. And in most recipes where folks use
College Inn a boullion cube works exactly as well... and in fact
College Inn is indeed a bouillion cube, only already reconstituted and
in a can, you're paying mostly for water, the tin, the label, and of
course 90% of the price covers marketing, shipping, and profits... the
original version is pretty costly already, for a gimmick. And so now
we have the gourmet version for the pinheads, made with artificial
flavorings from out of a lab, and likely at triple the price. I'm
sure it's far less expensive and the results immeasurably better when
one buys a chicken and makes stock themself... I don't make stock from
trimmings and saved trash now, I'm certainly not going to pay a
premium price for College Inn stock made from premium trimmings and
premium saved trash.

On Dec 29, 8:18 pm, "Paul O'Neill" > wrote:
> College Inn has been offering some premium lines of upscale and up-market
> soup broths for a while, which I really have been enjoying.
>
In other words, higher priced.

> One line is called 'Culinary Broth' and it features a White Wine and Herbs
> broth ....
> ....They also have another premium line of 'Bold Stocks', marketed under their
> own 'College Inn' label. One is a 'Bold Roast Chicken' and the other is
> 'Bold Sirloin Steak'. Each of these have very flavorful stock, which make
> these products standouts among the very bland general chicken and beef
> stocks, [snip the rest of the commercial]

I wouldn't go near any of these. If I buy stock/broth for the pantry
I want the bland, neutral kind that tastes only of chicken. I want to
add herbs and spices to suit whatever I'm using it for. I don't want
to start from some already flavor-boosted point that may not suit.
Same thing when I make stock. If it's just for future as yet
undefined purposes the stock will be made with very minimal
flavorings--chicken, salt, one thin slice of ginger, one small splash
of sherry. On the other hand, if I know I'm using the stock for
chicken soup, say, I'll include other things while making it--onion,
garlic, celery, carrot, parsley, bay leaf.

> My problem is that they seem to have all but disappeared

Sounds like your problem is they didn't sell well.

> What
> do you think? Are these products available in other sectors of the USA?

Don't know. I buy stock at Trader Joe's and don't recall seeing this
brand. -aem

In article >,
"Paul O'Neill" > wrote:

> College Inn has been offering some premium lines of upscale and up-market
> soup broths for a while, which I really have been enjoying.
>
> One line is called 'Culinary Broth'
snip
> They also have another premium line of 'Bold Stocks',
snip

> My problem is that they seem to have all but disappeared from any and all of
> the major markets, within my home area.
snip

> During the run-up to this holiday season, College Inn has been airing a
> mini-flood of television ads for all of their soup stocks and broths,
snip

> do you think? Are these products available in other sectors of the USA?

I'll check when I go to the supermarket this morning.

> I could buy the products, which seem to be head and shoulders above the
> generic stocks crowding the aisles.
>
> Paul, in Massachusetts


Consumer Contact Information for Del Monte (owners of College Inn) -
from their web site:

€ Complete and submit our online Contact Us Form
(<http://www.delmonte.com/contactus/contact.aspx>)
€ Call us at 1-800-543-3090, Mon Fri 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Time
€ Write to us at: Del Monte Foods Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 80,
Pittsburgh PA 15230-0080

I would do all of the above ‹ cut and paste parts of your post that
apply to ordering and lack of availability. Mention all the ads you've
seen in your area.

Just some thoughts.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller 12/28/2009

On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:17:16 -0500, brooklyn1 wrote:

> On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:18:57 -0500, "Paul O'Neill"
> > wrote:
>
>>College Inn has been offering some premium lines of upscale and up-market
>>soup broths for a while, which I really have been enjoying.

<snip>
>>
> You don't mention the price, by sin of ommission I suspect you're a
> troll, a spammer for College Inn.

fruitcake.

blake

On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:17:01 GMT, l, not -l wrote:

> On 29-Dec-2009, "Paul O'Neill" > wrote:
>
>> College Inn has been offering some premium lines of upscale and up-market
>> soup broths for a while, which I really have been enjoying.
>
> In me experience, College Inn broths cost more and don't taste nearly as
> good as the alternatives I generally have. I only buy, therefor see,
> College Inn products when desperately in need and no alternative is
> available. Regardless, I wouldn't buy concoctions such as those mentioned,
> no matterwhose name was on the label. If I needed such a concoction, I'd
> want to choose the quality and quantity of the extra ingredients to match my
> taste, not some generic "one-size-fits-none".

well, recall that paul did say:

One line is called 'Culinary Broth' and it features a White Wine and Herbs
broth and a Thai Coconut Ginger broth, both of which have lots of flavor.
They make it remarkably easy to throw together a delicious and complex soup
in very short order, which, with a little care and planning, taste like
I've slaved over a hot stove for hours. ;-)

....not that he wouldn't ever do what you advise. i wouldn't knock him for
seeking once again a shortcut to what he things is a better-than-acceptable
result.

your pal,
blake

In article
>,
Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> In article >,
> "Paul O'Neill" > wrote:

> > do you think? Are these products available in other sectors of the USA?
>
> I'll check when I go to the supermarket this morning.

No College Inn. Cub has Emeril, Progresso, Swanson, Kitchen Basics, and
Wild Harvest brands in boxes and/or in cans. No College Inn. I tried.
:-) By the by, I'm in Meen-ah-sota
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller 12/28/2009

On Dec 30, 9:55*am, Melba's Jammin' >
wrote:
> In article
> >,
> *Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
>
> > In article >,
> > *"Paul O'Neill" > wrote:
> > > do you think? *Are these products available in other sectors of the USA?
>
> > I'll check when I go to the supermarket this morning.
>
> No College Inn. *Cub has Emeril, Progresso, Swanson, Kitchen Basics, and
> Wild Harvest brands in boxes and/or in cans. *No College Inn. * I tried. *
> :-) * By the by, I'm in Meen-ah-sota
> --
> -Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJhttp://web.me.com/barbschaller12/28/2009

i believe i've seen this brand at the .99 cent store here in socal.

harriet & critters in azusa.

On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:05:15 -0800 (PST), aem >
wrote:

>Same thing when I make stock. If it's just for future as yet
>undefined purposes the stock will be made with very minimal
>flavorings--chicken, salt, one thin slice of ginger, one small splash
>of sherry. On the other hand, if I know I'm using the stock for
>chicken soup, say, I'll include other things while making it--onion,
>garlic, celery, carrot, parsley, bay leaf.

My view is the opposite when it comes to flavoring broth/stock.
Onion, carrot and celery are musts (no bay - and parsley, why
bother?). Ginger and sherry are specialty flavorings that I add only
when making certain dishes.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Hi Paul,

I also live in Massachusetts and have used and enjoyed the Culinary broth with white wine and herbs as a flavorful additive when making my favorite soup that includes tons of vegetables, such as onion, garlic,mushroom,carrots, zucchini and spinach, sometimes snap peas also. Because I normally try to limit the sodium content,I often add on a 2:1 or 3:1 radio with other blander low sodium broths on the market.

Due to chronic pain, I am not one of the folks who is going to tell you how I couldn't live with myself if I used a premade broth for convenience..to each his own. Some folks are healthier and good for them.

I agree you are also NOT a troll as I found this item to be no more expensive than most regular broths, usually could purchase (2) 32 oz. for about $4 if memory serves me correctly. I think they were great and was very pleased to find with ease at Stop and Shop until recently. My mother lives in New Jersey and was unable to find in her local market. I bought her (4) cartoons in mid August and none for myself as I usually don't make soups until the weather is cooler. Went to S&S last week, it no longer appears as an available item..they have replaced its spot with some store brands, they say culinary, but no mention of white wine..I was so disappointed, I didn't read the rest of the label. I assumed I would be able to Google or Amazon and find a source somewhere I could have shipped. I am willing to buy a full carton if necessary. It is soup season..I cannot find anywhere..I plan on checking Big Lots and Dollar store as I sometimes find newly discontinued food items or other products there if it is done soon to discontinuation. If I get any results, I will be happy to let you know..I would appreciate the same if you come across. I checked College Inn website and they are still showing as item is still available,they just don't say where. Best of luck to both of us.

Sincerely,
Tracy