From: Pibb Lover
To: coca-cola.support@na.ko.com
Subject: Coca-Cola Web Form
Sent: 6/9/2010 12:30:49 PM
Good morning!
I wonder if you can help me. I am originally from England, but I moved to San Diego last year. In December, I went to Florida, and I tried Pibb for the first time, while I was there. I fell in love, and I couldn't wait to stock up on it as soon as I got back to San Diego. However, when I got back, I was devastated to find that Pibb is not stocked in any stores here. I can not find any bottles or cans of Pibb ANYWHERE. This is awful! Is there anything you can do about this? And could you tell me why this is? I am desperately hoping that you will be able to help me find some Pibb in the San Diego area. Many thanks!
Just a few minutes later, I received this reply:
From: Coca-Cola Support
To: Pibb Lover
Date: Wed, Jun 9, 2010 at 12:41 PM
Subject: RE: Coca-Cola Web Form
Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company. We appreciate your interest in Pibb Xtra and apologize for the difficulty you have had finding it in your area.
Regarding availability, local bottling companies choose which brands to sell and the size of the packaging that will be available in their territories. These decisions are based on consumer demand and other market factors. The bottling companies then distribute our brands to retail outlets and restaurants. You see, consumer demand determines the optimal menu of Company product offerings. Consumer demand can vary from one locale to another and can change over time within a single locale.
Our current information shows that Pibb Xtra is not available in your area. We know this is disappointing, but we hope you will understand. Please know that your loyalty to this brand is certainly appreciated and your comments have been shared appropriately.
Should you have additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact us again.
Jeffrey
Industry and Consumer Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company
I was ecstatic! I had a contact at Coca Cola! An insider! Perhaps Jeffrey and I would become friends; bonding over our shared love for Pibb. I envisioned us spending Christmas together with our families; exchanging huge boxes of Pibb as gifts, and Pibb ornaments hanging all over the Christmas tree. This was exactly the contact I needed to help me on my quest for Pibb!
Still, Jeffrey had responded quickly, but he hadn't provided me with a very reassuring answer, and he hadn't explained why Pibb isn't available here. I thought I'd better write back.
From: Pibb Lover
To: Coca-Cola Support
Date: Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 7:32 AM
Subject: Re: Coca-Cola Web Form
Good morning Jeffrey!
Thank you so much for your quick response to my query, I really appreciate it.
I do, however have some further questions, and was hoping you might be able to dispel a few myths for me:
1. I was wondering if you could elaborate more on the difference between the original Mr Pibb, and Pibb Xtra? What constitutes the "Xtra"? There are rumours on the internet that there is added cinnamon, but these are all unconfirmed. Could you explain?
2. There are also rumours on the internet that the availability of Pibb in certain areas is connected to whether Coca Cola or Pepsi own the distribution rights for Dr Pepper in that area. Is this true? It seems odd that this situation might affect Pibb, as Dr Pepper is clearly just Pibb's poor-excuse cousin. This leads on to my third question...
3. I was excited to read this news announcement, earlier this week, stating that Coca Cola may start to distribute a larger variety of drinks in more areas. However, my excitement soon turned to despair when I read further rumours that the inclusion of Dr Pepper in Coke's new freestyle fountain dispenser might mean that Pibb gets left out! Could you please offer me some reassurance that this won't happen? As I said before, Dr Pepper is clearly just Pibb's poor-excuse cousin,. I am desperately hoping that this news will mean that I can finally obtain Pibb, here in San Diego. Is there a chance of this happening? All I want is to be able to buy a can or bottle of Pibb and enjoy it in the comfort of my own home, as I am sure you can understand. Is that too much to ask?
I look forward to hearing from you.Thanks again!
P.S- Working for Coca Cola must be very exciting. Do they have unimited bottles of Pibb in their HQ, and do you get to see it being made? I can't even imagine what that would be like!
Again, the reply came quickly:
From: Coca Cola Support
To: Pibb Lover
Date: Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 7:42 AM
Subject: RE: Coca-Cola Web Form
Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company. We appreciate your interest in our brands.
You may be interested to know that during 2002, Pibb Xtra completely replaced Mr. Pibb.
Pibb Xtra was originally developed as a local brand in Texas in response to Texans’ preference for a bolder-tasting Mr. Pibb. Consumer feedback to the introduction of Pibb Xtra in Texas was so positive that we decided to make it available to a broader audience.
Regarding availability, local bottling companies choose which brands to sell and the size of the packaging that will be available in their territories. These decisions are based on consumer demand and other market factors. The bottling companies then distribute our brands to retail outlets and restaurants. You see, consumer demand determines the optimal menu of Company product offerings. Consumer demand can vary from one locale to another and can change over time within a single locale.
Therefore, we are unable to speculate on which brands will be offered. We wish we could respond more positively.
We hope this information is helpful. Should you have additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact us again.
Jeffrey
Industry and Consumer Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company
I started to become suspicious. Not only was Jeffrey replying VERY quickly to my emails, but he was also ignoring many of my questions, and phrasing most of his responses in exactly the same language. I began to wonder if "Jeffrey" was even a real person at all, or just someone sending out form letters, as an automated reply to my queries. It was all very disheartening, but I decided to have one last try:
From: Pibb Lover
To: Coca-Cola Support
Date: Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 7:52 AM
Subject: Re: Coca-Cola Web Form
Hello again Jeffrey,
Gosh, that was a quick reply, thank you!
I am grateful for that Pibb information, thank you. Do you have any more? Is there a Pibb factsheet available? I would love to know as much about it as possible!
Also, seeing as Pibb is only ever available as a fountain drink here in San Diego, I never get to check the ingredients, as I could if I had a bottle or a can. Could you let me know what these are?
Lastly, could you please let me know if the rumours about cinnamon are correct? Is that the "Xtra" ingredient that provides the bolder taste which Pibb now offers?
Thanks again.
Here's the reply:
From: Coca-Cola Support
To: Pibb Lover
Date: Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 10:51 AM
Subject: RE: Coca-Cola Web Form
Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company again. We appreciate your interest in Pibb Xtra.
You may be interested to know that nutritional information for most of our brands in the U.S. is available via our website at: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/us_nutrition.html
I have attached the fountain nutrition chart for your review.
We hope this information is helpful. Should you have additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact us again.
Jeffrey
Industry and Consumer Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company
(Here is the Pibb information taken from the fountain nutrition chart which was attached to the email - click to read):
While I was pleased to see that Pibb was relatively low in calories (less than 100), my suspicions were confirmed: "Jeffrey" was nothing but a hoax, a sham. I felt dejected. I needed to speak to someone else; an expert.
From: Pibb Lover
To: Coca-Cola Support
Date: Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 11:22 AM
Subject: Re: Coca-Cola Web Form
Thank you Jeffrey. Once again you seem to have avoided my question about cinnamon, though. Is there someone else I should speak to about this? Perhaps a Pibb specialist, who might know more about the origins of the drink?
All the best.
I got this back:
From: Coca-Cola Support
To: Pibb Lover
Date: Fri, Jun 11, 2010 at 3:58 AM
Subject: RE: Coca-Cola Web Form
Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company.
We are not able to disclose or comment on the flavor composition of Coca-Cola brand products; this information is proprietary to The Coca-Cola Company.
What we can tell you, as indicated on the product label, Pibb Xtra in the U.S. contains the following safe and suitable ingredients, which are common to many other foods and beverages: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup And/Or Sucrose, Caramel Color, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Phosphoric Acid, Potassium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Caffeine, Monosodium Phosphate, Lactic Acid.
You may be interested to know that nutritional information for most of our brands in the U.S. is available via our website at: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/us_nutrition.html
We hope this information is helpful.
Jeffrey
Industry and Consumer Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company
Pathetic. It's clear that "Jeffrey" was of no use to me now. I was all alone on my quest, once again. A renegade. A rebel. One man, fighting for his right to Pibb.
1 comments:
I found it for sale at ruralking.com and they'll ship it to you
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