Monday, December 05, 2011

Iced Coffee and Hoarding ... a Rant.

I was so happy to find this wonderful iced coffee mix at The Dreaded Walmart.  It's quick and easy, it's delicious, and it's zero-fat and low calorie!  When you mix it with milk, as the directions state, the resulting iced coffee is 110 calories.  But I discovered that I liked it even better when mixed with plain water ... for a cleaner taste and a grand total of 20 calories per 8-oz. glass!

It comes in other flavors too ... French Vanilla is my favorite.
Now, why am I creating a whole big blog-post about an iced coffee mix?  Because it's NO LONGER AVAILABLE at Walmart or anywhere else!

Oh, there are other iced coffee mixes, all right ... Maxwell House, for instance, at a higher price, higher calorie-and carb-count, and less flavor.  Why Walmart would discontinue carrying the superior product, when every time I went to buy it, it was nearly sold out, is not really a mystery.  I have accosted the food manager at my local store, and the answer is always the same ... "we don't control purchasing, the orders come from on-high".

In other words, it doesn't matter that the product was more popular in this particular store ... someone at the head office took an average count from some anonymous numbers, and picked Maxwell House as the winner. Why there can't be a choice for customers is something I'm getting used to in San Antonio, Texas, the home of  "you live here now, you don't have a lot of choices ... get used to it".

For instance, HEB several years ago ran all the other grocery stores out of town (Randall's, Krogers, Safeway) by severely undercutting their prices; then once they folded, raised their prices right back up again.  There are literally no other supermarket choices in San Antonio (the ONE and only thing I hate about this town!)

So, back to the North Sea Iced Coffee Mix (which I discovered, by the way, was formerly known as Frappe' Creme Iced Coffee Drink Mix).  I looked and searched and combed the internet for more sources of this wonderful product.  I finally tracked down the parent company (not easy) ... Sturm Foods ... and begged to be able to buy directly (in bulk) from them.  No such luck.  I received a very nice response to my request, which stated that Walmart is no longer carrying their product, and that it is currently no longer being carried in any other store.  And that they can't sell to individuals.

I guess I wouldn't be so bent out of shape about this if it didn't seem to be the norm instead of the exception.  Favorite lipstick color?  Not made anymore.  Best diet soda?  Discontinued.  The only hand cream that works on my super-dry skin?  No longer available.

My paternal grandfather ("Papaw") was what some might call a hoarder.  You would never have known it, because he was very neat and tidy, and everything was stacked neatly behind cabinet doors.  But when he found a product he liked, he bought mass quantities of it, because he never wanted to run out.  He blamed his hoarding on The Great Depression.  I blame mine on The Dreaded Walmart.


22 comments:

  1. Maddening, I know how you feel, when things that you have grown to like indeed love, disappear often for good. Here in Uruguay it happens all the time and we do shamelessly buy up several of certain things when they appear because you know they won't be there next time you want them. But believe me, wherever you live and shop in the USA, even with jsut one supermarket in town, you do have far more choice than shoppers in most other parts of the world. Can't wait, actually, going up for the holiday season!

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  2. I hear ya. So tired of buying something, finding out we really like it, only to go back and it's no longer being carried anywhere.

    That happened to me yesterday at AC Moore.It was easy to run over and get a few dyeing related items whenever I wanted, until fairly recently. Now all they carry are tie dye kits and Tulip style fabric paints. Ugh.

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  3. I feel your pain! I have had this experience more than once myself. You'd think in this day and age that things would be different. Our freedom of choice is turning into a freedom of being controlled by the corporate giants. Not a freedom at all.

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  4. Did you also notice that all those Wal Mart brands that were of good quality and much cheaper, are harder to find. They got people into their grocery stores with these cheaper brands and now they are gone. I made a complaint, and went back to the usual super markets.

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  5. I want to know how Sturm Foods is staying in business if it isn't sold anywhere OR to individuals...isn't that how you make money???
    This is the reason we buy 5-8 pizza dough balls at a time at Walmart and the cashier always make the same statement:
    "Someone is having a party?" or "You sure do like Pizza."

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  6. Something similar happened to me at my local Walmart. I live all of two blocks from Walmart, so I do all of my shopping there. I love hummus but am very picky about the texture and flavor. I had found that the best hummus to be had within a 30 minute drive of my house was the Walmart Marketplace brand of hummus. About a month ago, I went into the store to purchase it and it was gone. Not really anything unusual - it was often sold out. But this time, there wasn't even space on the shelf for it anymore! I asked and was told that they would no longer be carrying it. But they don't have anything as good. Even if I beg to pay more for the same product, I can't.

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  7. Alison, you're right, we're spoiled here in the States. Happy shopping when you get here!

    Terri - "controlled by corporate giants" - too true, and so frustrating!

    Thanks for the support, all - nice to know I'm not alone!

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  8. Walmart will probably be Strums downfall. I had heard they strong arm smaller companys into cutting and cutting thier prices...until it all tips in Walmarts favor---deeper and deeper discounts-more qty until Walmart makes it apparent that if they dont get it even cheaper- they will stop buying it- smaller companys have been charmed by the possible sales...but the corporate greed is the factor...and Walmart cares for no man.....sorry...Dreaded is mild in my book.

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  9. Peg, I've heard this before, from other small dealers. Walmart is the devil incarnate, as far as I'm concerned ... and yet am sometimes forced to shop there due to circumstances. Believe me, it's not from choice, but that doesn't matter to The Big W ... the nickels and dimes spend just the same, whether the customer is happy or not.

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  10. I know what you mean.
    I went on a recent rant about Joanns and they operate the same way. When I asked what happened to my favorite (for dyeing) bamboo/cotton fabric, I was told that they don't have any control over products.
    Someone, somewhere, completely removed from the store(s)decides what the store needs to carry. And when someone in my dyers list contacted the manufacturer of this really lovely fabric, she was told that the fabric was only made for Joanns and they simply quit ordering it. Never mind that it always sold out.
    "Too bad customers -- we don't care what you want". (insert evil laugh)
    Nutz :(

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  11. Gisela ... yeah, that's why these chain stores only carry the lowest common denominator of products ... the cheapest or most common (i.e., mass manufactured) ... whatever gets them the best profit margin. No more servicing the customer. Grrrrr!

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  12. Two years ago my favorite Tent and Awning store had the most perfect jeans for me, finally. I could only afford one pair. I went back last week and they had completely changed their selection of jeans and now I buy by 'style' not depth of crotch measurement! Makes no sense. The 'style' that fit me needs a belt. I have not worn a belt in 40 years! Now I have to leave for the loo three minutes earlier to give me time to get out of these jeans! It is seriously cutting into my sewing time.

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  13. Thanks Dianne, I loved your Comment, and had to laugh at your last line! NOTHING is worth cutting into our sewing time ... unless it's a pair of jeans that fit! ;^)

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  14. I too have been arguing with Walmart about discontinuing this coffee milk mix! I used it to take some powdered meds because it was sugar free...the others are not! Walmart and Sam's are discontinuing lots of items...my poor 100 lb lab is having withdrawal because Sam's no longer carries his favorite rawhide chew bone! I don't understand...

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  15. I really miss the North Sea Iced Coffee Mix. It was great stuff. Nothing else compares to it. I agree that choices are getting fewer and fewer. Why cut the price to the point that they kill the product? I am more than happy to pay a reasonable price. Getting something good is worth a few extra pennies. I could care less if the product they "substitute" is cheaper. It's not as good so I'm not going to buy it. We can only hope that good products like this find their way to smaller specialty stores.

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  16. I recently started looking for the North Sea Iced Coffee mix in grocery stores, first in Walmart and then all other grocery stores as you did. Today, I decided to search the internet and discovered your rant. I too am outraged, but I appreciate all the work you did to track it down. You saved me a lot of work. I guess I will have to learn to live without it. I vow to hoard when I find something good- like the episode of Seinfeld with Elaine hoarding the birth control sponges.

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  17. I loved that Seinfeld episode ... "is he spongeworthy?" LOL!

    I did finally figure out a cheaper way to make my own iced coffee. For my huge 32-oz. insulated mug, I use 2 Tbs. (1/8 cup) instant coffee granules, an equal amount of NesQuick chocolate mix(sugar free), and sweetening to taste. (I like 2 packets of Stevia for this volume.) Put all ingredients in the big mug, add just enough hot tap water to dissolve, stirring. Then fill the rest of the way with cold water and ice. YUMMY, and much cheaper than those iced coffee mixes!

    Take THAT, Walmart! ;^)

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  18. I'm bummed, too, because I loved it and have scoured the internet looking. It's been discontinued by the company so that's why we can't get it anymore. Not WalMart's fault because they can't buy it if it isn't made. I bought 4 boxes the last time and am rationing it out. Only a half a packet is enough. I wish someone else would come out with an equally good product. Try making your own with instant coffee, in particular Starbuck's Via because it dissolves just fine in cold, and Splenda. It's not as good but at least no extra calories and a good coffee flavor.

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  19. I bought the iced coffee mix about a year ago and enjoyed it last summer This year I happened across it at Big Lots and bought a couple of boxes. I wish I had known I wouldn't be able to find it anymore. I would have bought all they had! OK -- I'll try making my own.

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  20. Very sad state of affairs when we have others controlling everything, even to the extent of iced coffee. I too have been in search of the North Sea Iced Coffee at the local Wally World as well as ever other Waaly World, Big Lots, and any other store that may carry it in hopes of them having a few boxes (or more) left. No luck. What a shame when a great product is discontinued. :(

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  21. I just read your comments because I was on the computer trying to find another distributor for the No.Sea. Iced coffee mix. When Walmart stopped carrying it, I was lucky enough to find boxes and boxes in our local Big Lots....my sister and I bought them out and now I'm down to my last few packets. One more favorite thing that is taken away.....just like some excellent t.v. programs.

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  22. I know what you mean.......

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Talk to me, Y'all!