I’ve already explained my relationship with Dollar General in a previous review. Basically, I equated it with trash, so I avoided it like the plague. There’s just something about their small stores that has always felt…cramped. There’s generally loads of unstocked merchandise on the floor (at least at our store), the aisles feel small, and the place just looks gross. There’s nothing appealing to the eye whatsoever. Call me prejudiced, or unfair, or a dick, but I don’t care; I do not like their stores.
Well, I didn’t. My above opinions still hold true, but sometimes you just have to cross the line for convenience. (That explains why Walmart stores are popular, while simultaneously feeling like waking nightmares.) Even though we live within two miles of virtually everything, Dollar General manages to be the closest store to us. And while we have ignored its pull ever since it was put in a few years ago, lately it’s become our go-to destination for quick stops.
I had never really looked at their inventory, because we generally go with one or two things in mind. But I did end up perusing on one visit, discovering that they have their own private label brand. Gadzooks, why had I never thought of that possibility before?
Actually, like Aldi, Dollar General has a variety of different brands, each one belonging to a certain product category. For example, Studio Selection covers health and beauty products, while foods are covered under the Clover Valley moniker. This one is released under the Good & Smart label, which continues the trend of brands receiving vague, asinine names. (Hell, I’d accept “Wonderful & Intelligent” instead. At least that would mean one of those marketing morons would have had to reach for a thesaurus.)
In this bottle, we have juices from not one, not three, not even five, but SEVEN different fruits and veggies. They are black cherry, strawberry, sour cherry, pomegranate, grape, black carrot and black mulberry. That’s quite a lineup for such an affordable price. Now, they are all from concentrate (with added water) so that’s a slight ding. But still, it fits the FDA’s lax requirements for 100% juice, and there are no added sugars, so those are both highlights.
Taking a sniff…and I have to admit that my senses are kind of overloaded. It smells like prune juice, but not quite as “dry”. It’s slightly more inviting, but not too terribly so…at this point I have to say I’m a little bit nervous. Nevertheless, I dive headfirst right in…
And that’s what it tastes like: a more palatable prune juice. I don’t like prune juice (who does, except for old people) but this somehow rises above that flavor profile and crosses the line into “good” territory. It’s got a touch of sweetness – but not too much – and it goes down relatively smooth. Actually, I did pucker a couple of times thanks to the sour cherry, but once you get used to that, then it goes down smooth. I would also compare the flavor to a cold-pressed juice, as there’s a hint of earthiness in there (courtesy of the carrot, perhaps).
Now, the bottle’s size is underwhelming, coming in at 8.5 oz. (well, technically 8.45). However, these come in at $1 each. That’s some pretty excellent value. Not even Dollar Tree can hang, what with their prices raising a quarter across the entire store and all. That means other retailers are going to have a chance to undercut them, at least on certain products, and this appears to be one of them. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
Anyway, random rambling aside, this is a great juice at an excellent value. If you see these in your local Dollar General (I found them at one in Tennessee), then you would be wise to scoop one up. Or a few. You won’t regret it.
Overall: 8/10. A great juice at a fantastic value. The flavor is akin to a prune juice, only with tartness and a touch of sweet. Assuming you can handle the sour cherry, this goes down nice and easy. The fact it’s 100% juice, while coming in at a buck, is pretty solid value, putting it above similar offerings from Dollar Tree. I wouldn’t hesitate to get these again, although I must say availability must vary: I found these at a DG in Tennessee and haven’t been able to find them at our local store. If you find some, grab them. You can’t go wrong.
I actually ran across this a couple nights ago looking for cran/grape… Now me and pomegranate and strawberries is a definite NO…. but I thought give it a try gez there is 5 other fruits in it… Have to say it’s a 10 for me!!!!! Checking my local store tomorrow.
Glad you liked it, too! Maybe it’s just our store, but they were sold out the last couple times I went. Or maybe word is just spreading on how good it is…
Thanks for the comment!
Would love to buy this by the case online please direct me to the website. Thanks
Amazon has an organic drink called Super Fruit 7 from the Smart Juice brand that would probably be pretty similar. They sell 6-pack cases for $55, at the time of this writing. Other than that, I don’t see anything else available online; they aren’t even available for delivery from the DG website. Honestly, your best bet would be to inquire about it in-store. At our location, they had several unopened cases along the top shelf for restocking purposes. Obviously, every store is different, but if yours is the same way, I’m sure they’d be more than happy to sell you one.
Dollar General in Johnstown NY says they will no longer be carrying it.. I’ve been buying the larger $3.00 bottle for years. At least 2 a week.. my grandkids love it.. it is super healthy and tasty. Dollar General please keep 7 Super Fruits Juice in stock!! I bought out the last 10.
Well that’s some BS! This is definitely one of the best things they carry. I’m hoping this won’t be a nationwide decision, but I’m sure it will be. And that would be a shame.
Having to stick with a very healthy diet, I gave this juice a try because it was on clearance. I love it! It is likely a very healthy drink and full of anti-oxidants, vitamins, & minerals. It was on clearance for $2.70 per 32 oz. bottle. I thought this was an awesome price. I went in today and bought all that they had on clearance.
Man, I’m not happy about this! You’re the second person to insinuate these are no longer going to be carried by the store. That’s a damn shame, because I agree that these are excellent. Hopefully they’ll replace these with something similar.
Doubt it, but one can always hope!