Coke Confronts Its Big Fat Problem

[MachineGhost]

Across the country, Sevan Curukcu, who owns and runs a BP station in Lodi, N.J., has noticed the same thing. When Curukcu moved his family to the U.S. from Turkey in 2001, he opened the BP franchise and quickly found that all anyone ever wanted to buy was a Coke or maybe a Snapple. Today? “It’s all Red Bull or water.”? In his gas station, Curukcu has relegated Coca-Cola and its carbonated competitors (Pepsi, Dr Pepper, and all the decaffeinated, low-calorie iterations thereof) to one refrigerator in the corner. The rest of the store is stocked with iced tea, juices, and lots of water and energy drinks. “See what I mean?”? he asks as a 20-year-old waitress walks up to his counter and purchases two liters of water and two 20-ounce cans of Red Bull.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/20 ... r-relaunch

[Reub]

If they changed from sugar to stevia they would make a real killing! Why haven't they done it?

I read further and they are experimenting with stevia elsewhere but say that it doesn't taste as good.

[l82start]

if they switched from corn syrup to sugar (the original recipe, now only available in bottles from Mexico) they might not make a killing but it sure would taste better, and probably be slightly better for you..

[clacy]

I find all Coke products to taste pretty nasty. As far as soda goes, I strongly prefer Pepsi products.

[l82start]

personally the only reason i prefer coke is the amount of carbonation, a just slightly flat Pepsi is pretty much equal to coke...

[MachineGhost]

If they changed from sugar to stevia they would make a real killing! Why haven't they done it?

I read further and they are experimenting with stevia elsewhere but say that it doesn't taste as good.

Stevia has a bitter aftertaste when not extra processed to remove it.  I think the best solution would be some sugar or dextrose and stevia.  It would provide the necessary sweetness, mouth feel and body without the calories.  I don't know why the food chemistry idiots they must have in their HQs can't figure that out?

In the meantime, soon I'm going to buy an ice cream maker and make my own low-sugar, dextrose-only and stevia version of Breyer's which I find too sweet now.  I like to have ice cream on workout days sometimes since dairy juices up IGF-1 in the muscles.

I haven't had a Coke or a Pepsi in over three decades but you guys hit it smack on the head.  Just from taste memory, Pepsi does have more carbonation and it does taste more "refined" than Coke due to the citrus flavors.

There's no difference between high fructose corn syrup and sugar.  It's probably a mouth feel issue.

[l82start]

it probably is a mouth feel difference to some degree, i think the switch to corn syrup is a cost thing for the company, they get more sweet at less cost.
I also suspect some food chemistry voodoo took place at the same time as they made the switch to corn syrup, it is impression based on personal experience since i occasionally drink both sugar based and modern coke, and a 20 oz modern coke leaves me wanting ...more coke...  a 12 oz sugar coke leaves me satisfied, its a strange difference..