Cumberland Packing Corp.

Cumberland Packing Corp. is tied to the sweetener aisle rather than the rest of the grocery shelf, and that narrow lane is both its point and its limit. By our assessment, the obvious strength is focus: the name is associated with tabletop sweeteners and related food products, which is a simple, durable role in everyday shopping. The downside is that this is not a broad food company with a wide menu of categories, so its public profile stays fairly specific. In practice it is the kind of maker people encounter through small packets and familiar substitutes, not through a huge flagship line. Against larger packaged-food companies, Cumberland Packing Corp. feels specialized and old-school, which can be a virtue when the job is consistency. The rating stays modest because the company is known in a narrow way rather than as a big, varied consumer brand.