b'ultimately led to Howards success, especially alongbrand, and the latter of which is a direct match to the border. In 1928, he moved his family and thePace Picante Sauceand both of which cost at least companys headquarters to Harlingen, and during20% less than the national brands. A rare few, in the first years of the Great Depression, Butts Pigglyour experience, are quackersHEBs Ritz Cracker Wiggly business expanded, even renovating storesknock-off is a fail because they crumble too easi-whilemostoftherestofthecountrysretailersly, and their Coffee Mate try is too damned vanil-contracted and closed. In one, very sweet, article inla-tasting. For just about anything else, the HEB the Kerrville newspaper praising the local familysbrand is just as good and always costs less.success, the company was referred to as the PigglyThe investment that the company makes in develop-Top/Left: Butt family photo in Kerrville, 1900s.Top/Right:Wiggly-Butt Grocery Company. ing and manufacturing thousands upon thousands Inside the second C.C. Butt Grocery Store in Kerrville,In 1935, then with 31 stores, Howard dropped theof national-brand alternatives of equal quality is a Florence and son Howard.Above/Middle: The Piggly WigglyPiggly Wiggly brand and renamed his company H.E.major key to HEBs success. Almost anywhere else self-service grocery store model.Above: Butts Piggly WigglyButt Grocery Company, with plans to take his busi- you shop, the knock-off, store brand is what you buy Harlingen store damaged in 1933 hurricane.Below: Mainness in a new, vertical direction. The next year, hewhen the in-laws are visiting, the paycheck is short, bakery and distribution center off Agnes St., built in 1936. purchased a canning company and built a massiveor the end consumers wont know the difference. bakery facility off Agnes Street in Corpus Christi,At HEB, first, the store brand product is good, and his first major move into store-branded products.second, it costs much less. The formula sometimes Therein,aprimesecrettoHEBssuccessisre- backfires for shoppers, who are left with pricey na-vealed: no grocery chain has succeeded in the pro- tional brands when their favorite HEB product is duction and marketing of its in-house products likesold out. Bagged Splenda is $2 more than HEBs ex-HEBits not even close. act match, which is often impossible to find!It is a far less-taxing effort to list the product linesItshouldberecognized,however,thatbecause sold in HEB stores for which in-store options are un- much of the shelf space at HEB is taken up by its available, than to list those that are. Some of thoseown products, variety can, on some aisles, be con-products, like Texas-shaped HEB white corn chips,siderably less than what you find at IGA stores, for have drawn a cult-like following, but on a practicalexample, and to some extent, even at Walmart.level, there is virtually (that word again) nothingIn 1940, four years after opening the bakery facili-you consume on a regular basis that is not availablety, Howard moved the H.E. Butt Grocery Co. head-under an HEB brand. To us, the very best are thequarters to Corpus Christi, and in 1952 the compa-brewed diet tea in jugs and medium chunky salsa,nys first, true supermarket of over 25,000 square the former of which is unmatched by any nationalfeet,whichincludedanin-storebakery,butcher 42THECOASTALBENDMAGAZINE TheCoastalBend.com'