Six months into the start of the Commissary Value Brands program, patrons now have nearly 500 products available at savings comparable to low-cost private label items in commercial stores.

Since the emergence of the Value Brands' signature orange label in December, the Defense Commissary Agency has elevated the savings program from about 100 products in 33 categories to almost 500 items in 54 categories. This savings boost has patrons like Wayne C. Perry, a military spouse, even happier to use his commissary benefit.

"I love those value tags," said Perry, who lives at Joint Base Lewis-McChord with his wife, an Army sergeant, and their four children. "Value brands offer better pricing with often times the same quality and taste. And, it may even help train people to look for values wherever and whenever they shop. That really was a good move on the value tag. I like it. I like it a lot."

On average, Commissary Value Brands save patrons about 20 percent when compared to the store brand and private label items found in commercial retail stores. Some products approach as much as 50 percent savings.

The Value Brands lineup includes beverages such as coffee, soft drinks and juices; dairy products like several cheeses, butter, canned and powdered milk; lunch meats, canned tuna and salmon; canned and frozen vegetables; canned fruit and soup; hot and cold cereals, bread; dry pasta and rice; pizza and entrées; peanut butter, jelly, honey and condiments; ice cream; cleaning supplies, disposable bags, laundry bleach and paper towels; pet foods; batteries; health and beauty care and more.

DeCA's criteria for Value Brands is simple: DeCA's prices are guaranteed to be consistently equal to or lower than comparable store brand and private label products downtown.

"Many items will remain in the Value Brands program, and items that now meet the criteria have been added," said Tracie Russ, DeCA's sales director. "Our job is to ensure that products bearing that orange tag represent the best value - period."

That's welcome news for patrons like Amanda Gallagher, a military spouse at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. "For our family, the Value Brand program allows us to get really high-quality food at less cost than we would be able to at any of the stores off post or outside the gate."

In addition to the orange signs on the shelves, special displays are used to showcase Commissary Value Brands.

Shoppers can also cruise DeCA's website, commissaries.com, or visit the agency's social media outlets, especially Facebook and Twitter, to identify value deals before they hit the store.

Commissary patrons have many options for saving with Commissary Value Brands, biweekly promotions, and other special sales offering targeted discounts.

"The orange sticker has changed the way our customers shop," said Meralie Ervin, deputy store director at the Fort Belvoir Commissary, "because when they come in, they're expecting to see that orange sticker on our shelf with any item that's allocated to the Best Value program."