Life's Little Rants #1: Missing Food! (first in a series of many)
One of life's guilty pleasures is one that ties in directly with something absolutely necessary for our survival: Food. We have to eat to live, and most people on earth, including myself, like to eat things that taste good. Some of us like to eat those things that taste good to an extent that our middle sections begin to give us away, showing the world "this guy really likes his (insert decadent food-vice here)". Modern-day advances in technology and science have given us all sorts of food items whose flavors defy verbal description, especially when trying to pronounce all the chemicals and preservatives that provide those enticing flavors. "Mono...gluten...poly...fibro-what?!?" Wouldn't it seem that if you want to make something lemon-flavored, you would simply put lemon in it? Wow! What a novel concept!
I digress. To the point of my rant...
Since we've obviously been trained like so many Dogs of Pavlov to go and buy these convenient, semi-readily-prepared treats for our breakfasts, lunches and dinners (and all snacks in between), wouldn't you think the food companies would continually provide us with the things we love to eat, and have come to purchase on a regular basis? Silly question. Of course not! When we find something we like, it's usually something that very few people buy because of widely-varying tastes, or it was only intended to be manufactured, and subsequently sold, on a limited test-time basis, and will probably never be seen on any grocery shelf anywhere, ever again. The food companies are in business to make a buck or two, and if it costs more to make something than they would make selling it, they will stop making it. Simple supply and demand economics. Unfortunately, just because we, as a minority consumer, may demand something, it doesn't mean Joe CEO is going to pay much attention and supply it to us, because it's most likely our voice is merely a drop in the bucket, already filled with the silent opinions of the mindless lemmings who buy the company's ordinary, everyday bland, crap products by the station wagon load every week...and as everyone knows, the company is always gonna stick with it's faithful cash cows. Heaven forbid they actually make a good product and stick with it for once, regardless of whether it sells millions of pieces a day or not! Maybe they could perhaps just manufacture less of the product, as demand suggests! Perhaps I think a little too simply. After all, I'm no business major, and certainly not the head of any company who decides what gets sold and what doesn't. If I were, I would quickly put back into circulation the following list of my favorite products, which rest here in peace as the basis of this frustrated rant:
Royal Crown Draft Premium Cola
Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Pepperoni
Post S'mores Cereal
Betty Crocker Tuna Helper Pot Pie
Marquez Chili Dog Burrito
Marquez Pizza Burrito
Dean's Rewards Ice Cream - Orange Sherbet with Nerds Candy
Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream - Kaberry Kaboom
Uncle Ben's Broccoli Almondine Rice
Kool-Aid Orange-Pineapple
Creamsicle Oranges 'n Cream Twists
Pringles Salsa flavor
...and I'm finding more, seemingly every day!
Some companies even manufacture food items for sale in other countries, and apparently never even consider selling them here! While visiting Canada a couple years ago, I discovered two things I would love to see down here in the States:
Quaker Tomato & Basil Rice Cakes
Sprite Ice (if I recall the name correctly...it had a nice mint flavor!)
Fortunately, someone very close to me who is a Canadian resident keeps me supplied with a semi-regular shipment of the delicious rice cakes...I can live without the soda.
In conclusion, I say if we want something from these food companies, tell them about it, and don't let up!!! Everyone set up your emails to automatically send an email...no, 10 emails a day to each company that discontinued a food item you liked, and send the message that WE WILL NOT GO HUNGRY!!!
Of course, they know you're not gonna go hungry and will probably purchase something else they sell...but you don't have to tell them that.
I digress. To the point of my rant...
Since we've obviously been trained like so many Dogs of Pavlov to go and buy these convenient, semi-readily-prepared treats for our breakfasts, lunches and dinners (and all snacks in between), wouldn't you think the food companies would continually provide us with the things we love to eat, and have come to purchase on a regular basis? Silly question. Of course not! When we find something we like, it's usually something that very few people buy because of widely-varying tastes, or it was only intended to be manufactured, and subsequently sold, on a limited test-time basis, and will probably never be seen on any grocery shelf anywhere, ever again. The food companies are in business to make a buck or two, and if it costs more to make something than they would make selling it, they will stop making it. Simple supply and demand economics. Unfortunately, just because we, as a minority consumer, may demand something, it doesn't mean Joe CEO is going to pay much attention and supply it to us, because it's most likely our voice is merely a drop in the bucket, already filled with the silent opinions of the mindless lemmings who buy the company's ordinary, everyday bland, crap products by the station wagon load every week...and as everyone knows, the company is always gonna stick with it's faithful cash cows. Heaven forbid they actually make a good product and stick with it for once, regardless of whether it sells millions of pieces a day or not! Maybe they could perhaps just manufacture less of the product, as demand suggests! Perhaps I think a little too simply. After all, I'm no business major, and certainly not the head of any company who decides what gets sold and what doesn't. If I were, I would quickly put back into circulation the following list of my favorite products, which rest here in peace as the basis of this frustrated rant:
Royal Crown Draft Premium Cola
Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Pepperoni
Post S'mores Cereal
Betty Crocker Tuna Helper Pot Pie
Marquez Chili Dog Burrito
Marquez Pizza Burrito
Dean's Rewards Ice Cream - Orange Sherbet with Nerds Candy
Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream - Kaberry Kaboom
Uncle Ben's Broccoli Almondine Rice
Kool-Aid Orange-Pineapple
Creamsicle Oranges 'n Cream Twists
Pringles Salsa flavor
...and I'm finding more, seemingly every day!
Some companies even manufacture food items for sale in other countries, and apparently never even consider selling them here! While visiting Canada a couple years ago, I discovered two things I would love to see down here in the States:
Quaker Tomato & Basil Rice Cakes
Sprite Ice (if I recall the name correctly...it had a nice mint flavor!)
Fortunately, someone very close to me who is a Canadian resident keeps me supplied with a semi-regular shipment of the delicious rice cakes...I can live without the soda.
In conclusion, I say if we want something from these food companies, tell them about it, and don't let up!!! Everyone set up your emails to automatically send an email...no, 10 emails a day to each company that discontinued a food item you liked, and send the message that WE WILL NOT GO HUNGRY!!!
Of course, they know you're not gonna go hungry and will probably purchase something else they sell...but you don't have to tell them that.
posted by aboynamedjimmy at 4:12 PM
4 Comments:
OK, I just gotta put in my two cents: the execs at Royal Crown Bottling Company will burn in a special hell for getting rid of Kick. OK, that'll probably be the last damnation-oriented sermonizing from me for 2005!
Kick was good... Does anyone remember the Moonshine Soda Pop? Same basic thing as Kick/Mt. Dew...
I think the soda known as "Moonshine" (don't think that was the complete name) was a store-brand soda, like from IGA or Sam's or some place like that.
"Kick was good"... Morgan, that's an understatement. You lookin' to start a fight?!?
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