Share a Coke with...Amtrak

[Qapla]

Since the mandate is to raise profits ... perhaps they should have changed to RC Cola products ... or even a generic brand instead of exchanging one "name brand" for another.

 

[PVD]

I carry a couple of little packs that add to a 16.9 oz water bottle. There are plenty of brands and flavors, I use the ones sweetened with stevia rather than aspartame so I can get some flavor without a heavy calorie count or aspartame. The Dollar Tree near me has them in boxes of 5 for a dollar (aspartame brands they carry are mostly 10 or 8 in the box)

 

[MikefromCrete]

Years ago, I would have been right in the middle of this discussion. I loved Diet Coke, drank three or four a day when I working. But a few years ago, my cardiologist told me to cut out cafeine. So, it's been mostly water or lemonade since then, with a Sprite or a Sierra Mist or ginger ale as an occasional treat. And quite frankly, there's not much of a difference between Sprite and Sierra Mist to get worked up about.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Years ago, I would have been right in the middle of this discussion. I loved Diet Coke, drank three or four a day when I working. But a few years ago, my cardiologist told me to cut out cafeine. So, it's been mostly water or lemonade since then, with a Sprite or a Sierra Mist or ginger ale as an occasional treat. And quite frankly, there's not much of a difference between Sprite and Sierra Mist to get worked up about.

I’m still waiting for Coke to put its Caffeine free cola in smaller bottles. I’ve only seen it in the 64 oz bottles.

 

[PVD]

It is available in 12 oz cans, although I can not say that every Coke regional bottler is shipping it. It is shown on the coke website.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

It is available in 12 oz cans, although I can not say that every Coke regional bottler is shipping it. It is shown on the coke website.

I don’t like canned sodas. Taste and the fact that I don’t always drink that much soda at one time, unless maybe with a meal. I like bottles because I can close them and if I can keep it cold I can drink it later.

 

[JayPea]

I’m still waiting for Coke to put its Caffeine free cola in smaller bottles. I’ve only seen it in the 64 oz bottles.

We have had Coke products, including caffeine free diet Coke, available in 6 packs of 1/2 liter bottles for a few years now at the grocery store where I work, here in the hinterlands of the Land Where the Empire Builder Joins and Splits. That doesn't do much for you on the opposite side of the country, but perhaps it will be available in your area some day. Ironically, we sell any kind of Coke product imaginable in the 2 liter bottles--except caffeine free. I remember when we first started carrying the 6 packs, there was a promotional offer of $0.99/6 pack on them. As you can imagine, those sold well. I bought seven of them myself, and that lasted me a couple of months.

Personally I am glad to see this change. I much prefer diet Coke to diet Pepsi. And my uncle who is my traveling companion on many of my trips will like it even more. He usually buys a couple of 6 packs of the bottles and carries them with him on his trips. As I say, I much prefer diet Coke...but not THAT much.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Ok, guess I wasn’t specific enough. [emoji57]

I’d like to see Caffeine Free Coke Classic in the 12 oz & 16.9oz bottles in my area.

 

[Thirdrail7]

C'mon Sprite Zero!!

 

[PVD]

I've never seen it in a small bottle, which I agree is better than a can. Just the ability to drink half and put the cap back on so it doesn't go flat is a big plus. I see caffeine free diet coke in 16.9 bottles all the time but that's a different product.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I don’t like canned sodas. Taste and the fact that I don’t always drink that much soda at one time, unless maybe with a meal.

I'd agree that glass bottles taste better than cans, but I honestly can't taste a difference between plastic bottles and plastic coated aluminum.

As a Pepsico shareholder, this is not good news.

I try to judge a company by how it treats the rest of the world, rather than judge the world by how it treats my favorite companies.

Coke will probably push their "Mr. Pibb" brand. If Amtrak has any sense they will push back. I'm not optimistic. Minute Maid lemonade would be a great addition to the inventory...even if canned.

I can't even remember the last time I saw Mr. Pibb. My guess is that it's either Dr. Pepper or nothing. As for Minute Maid "Lemonade" they can keep the measly 3% juice content.

 

[RichardWSnow]

I feel sorry for the folks who run the little convenience store in Grand Junction CO. They sell Coke products. When the California Zephyr arrives, there is typically a rush of Coke lovers eager to make a purchase.

 

[RSG]

As for Minute Maid "Lemonade" they can keep the measly 3% juice content.
View attachment 15372

Not that I drink packaged lemonade anyway, but I'd rather they leave any amount of juice in the product and keep the "glycerol ester of rosin" and similar ingredients which sound more at home in a chemistry lab than a grocery or foodservice operation.

I feel sorry for the folks who run the little convenience store in Grand Junction CO. They sell Coke products. When the California Zephyr arrives, there is typically a rush of Coke lovers eager to make a purchase.

Sounds like it might be soon be time for them to contact the Pepsi vendor in town and make a deal.

 

[Qapla]

In all honesty ...

I like Cherry Coke better than Cherry Pepsi - but, I like Pepsi better that Coke

With the change to Coke products, I hope they offer Cherry Coke

 

[KnightRail]

Coke/Diet, Sprite, Seagrams, Dasani Sparkling, Powerade, Minute Maid, Gold Peak, & adult grape juices Barefoot and Line39 all before Thanksgiving, nationwide. There will be state-supported exceptions.

 

[PVD]

Because of the bottling agreements covering certain regions, Mr Pibb is not nationwide, and in many areas Dr Pepper is distributed by Coca Cola. So it will likely be an issue of which regional Coke bottler supplies a commissary.

 

[RSG]

Coke/Diet, Sprite, Seagrams, Dasani Sparkling, Powerade, Minute Maid, Gold Peak, & adult grape juices Barefoot and Line39 all before Thanksgiving, nationwide. There will be state-supported exceptions.

Say goodbye to Schweppervescence and Tropicana---and most likely Starbucks bottled beverages (since that is a partnership between Pepsico and Starbucks).

Barefoot is an interesting choice; that tells me they are catering more to the younger and "wine mom" demographic.

 

[Dakota 400]

Say goodbye to Schweppervescence and Tropicana---and most likely Starbucks bottled beverages (since that is a partnership betwee

Isn't Coke's OJ brand Minute Maid?

Minute Maid is #3 of my preference for OJ brands with Tropicana being #2 and Florida's Natural being #1.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Isn't Coke's OJ brand Minute Maid? Minute Maid is #3 of my preference for OJ brands with Tropicana being #2 and Florida's Natural being #1.

I'm also a fan of Florida's Natural and have seen it exported as far as the Asia-Pacific region. Tropicana Pure Premium is pretty tasty (but poor value) and I'd put the taste of Minute Maid above generic non-premium Tropicana. Coke owns Minute Maid, Odwalla, and Simply Orange for starters. If you want the full list of Coke products it stretches into hundreds of brands and territories...

 

[RSG]

Isn't Coke's OJ brand Minute Maid?

Minute Maid is #3 of my preference for OJ brands with Tropicana being #2 and Florida's Natural being #1.

Yes...the Coca-Cola Company has owned Minute Maid since 1960, hence the rollout of that label with the other products in the corporate family.

I would share your ranking of OJ brands. I didn't realize that Simply Orange, a competitor to Florida's Natural, is actually a Coca-Cola created product. So perhaps that may be a menu item stocked at some point in the future. (I could see it being featured on the Acela.)

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I doubt we'll see Simply Orange on Amtrak's LD network, in much the same way that we never saw Tropicana Pure Premium, possibly due to the fact that it requires constant refrigeration.

 

[PVD]

Minute Maid (Coca Cola) wanted to compete in the "not from concentrated" market segment, and felt a separate identity would be the best way to do it....

 

[RSG]

Minute Maid (Coca Cola) wanted to compete in the "not from concentrated" market segment, and felt a separate identity would be the best way to do it....

That was a smart move, marketing-wise. Particularly for those of us who grew up with frozen OJ and likely would associate Minute Maid with reconstituted juice, no matter what it said on the label.

 

[juanee]

Since the mandate is to raise profits ... perhaps they should have changed to RC Cola products ... or even a generic brand instead of exchanging one "name brand" for another.

That is exactly what I was thinking...

 

[AmtrakBlue]

That is exactly what I was thinking...

Might that reduce sales if people avoid drinking generic sodas?