What happened to Coca Cola?
I apologize to any reader of this blog for the lack of content over the last few months but I have been doing the change of job and country thing and as any expat knows, moving is hell.
I am settled and will now be able to spend more of my time and effort into developing this blog into something that I hope will benefit franchisees everywhere.
So, I am back in the US after many years away and I have a burning question that must be answered.
What happened to Coke? It tastes different and I am not talking about old Coke / new Coke, I am talking about something fundamentally different about the taste.
Rumors abound regarding substitution of sweeteners, is this true, have the powers that be found a new way to sweeten coke and not told anyone about it.
Did they slowly change from one form of sweetener to another over several years, slowly adding more of the new stuff and less of the old stuff so no one would notice the change!!
The word “Corn” has been mentioned!!
I have tasted Coca Cola in several countries over the last decade and it all tastes the same, except for the US. Can someone please tell me what happened? Please!!
I am also hearing rumors of secret trips south of the border where real Coke is still available and of smuggling attempts gone wrong as “The Coke Police” swoop on unsuspecting travelers checking luggage and cars for “non corn Coke”
Is it also true that if you follow a Mexican around they will eventually lead you to the store in your area where the real Coke is sold, smuggled in by uncle Juan who used to run illegal aliens across the border but now just concentrates on cans of coke.
I have been following this poor Mexican family around for weeks hoping to find their stash but to no avail. They have even taken out a restraining order on me!!
Please help me!!! Or at least can someone please explain what happened and why before I do the unthinkable and buy a (yuk) Pepsi.
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Hi “R”,
Found your blog through the testimonial on Jim Edwards latest email.
I’m not in the restaurant biz, but interesting stuff here. Where were you an expat?
Switching to Pepsi would be harsh indeed! I always see Pepsi & Coke as apples & oranges—-too different to simply substitute one for the other. I would sometimes get a yen for a Pepsi, but it had to be a fountain Pepsi (and usually from one pizza parlor near where I worked. We won’t even get into that fountain vs. bottled/canned debate—-each fountain is so unique they might as well be different beverages entirely!! ).
Last year I had something called Pepsi Throwback, which my girlfriend’s brother brought up to NY from Virginia. It was made with cane sugar instead of corn syrup, and packaged in a very 1970′s looking can. White can with the old “yin yang” Pepsi logo, not the current abomination! It was a limited edition, Xmas time thing, I believe.
I have heard that the Coke in small glass bottles (when you can find it) is “old formula”. Made with sugar, not HFCS. You might try looking for that.
We have a large Hispanic population here on Long Island. I will now search the bodegas and see if I can turn up any of this illicit cola
that you mention! (Oy! Another quest!! If I could harness half this
energy for something productive…….. Oh well, maybe that’s why they put the caffeine in it!!)
All the best,
Phil
Thanks Phil,
Thanks for visiting my blog and your comment! I hope you have some good success with Jim Edwards stuff. He is pretty awesome (even if he does wear funny shirts!). I was an expat in Taiwan, Thailand and Europe.
My teenage daughter came home the other day with a 500ml bottle of Coke from a Mexican restaurant which has a small shop. It was manna from heaven! We fought over it actually and she finally gave me about 2 oz! She spent most of her childhood in Spain and is also a fan of “real” Coke! I am sure if you have a look in some of the Hispanic shops you too will hit pay dirt! Rumor has it Costco sells the real deal. My quest continues!