Walk down almost any food aisle and the word premium appears on packaging of every size and price. It promises something exceptional without explaining what that might be. Eventually the term loses its usefulness, particularly when the product inside is ordinary.
We use ultra-premium in describing Zombie Spice Rub, and that gives us a responsibility. We should be able to discuss ingredient choices, flavor development, packaging durability, consistency and what makes the blends useful beyond a novelty purchase. A label cannot do that work alone.
The part that matters
An independent company has an opportunity to show the details rather than hide behind a slogan. Customers can ask why a blend tastes the way it does, how to use it and what makes the product different. We should welcome those questions because they help us get sharper.
The best expression of quality is a customer who understands the product, uses it repeatedly and decides it belongs on the shelf. A fancy adjective should be the beginning of the explanation, never the entire explanation.