The life and death of Coca-Cola C2
Last year, when Coca-Cola launched C2, I converted. Like any consumer afraid of too much sugar, but also appaled by Diet Coke, I welcomed the mid-road beverage. I was dissapointed with the marketing campaign and the 8-cans packages that cost as much as the regular 12-cans, but I stuck with it.
Soon enough, Coca-Cola C2 became a grocery store mainstay and was packaged and priced like the regular Coke brands. A little over a month ago, I noticed C2’s presence was sparse in the Brooklyn supermarket I shopped at. A new Coke, Coca Cola Zero started taking up more shelf space. The new no-calorie drink sucks; its name, Zero, is well deserved.
Now, C2 is nowhere to be found. All the Washington, D.C. supermarkets I checked don’t stock it. So I did the next best thing to switching to Pepsi (against whom I have a personal grudge): I called e-mailed Coca Cola. Excerpts from their first reply is below:
Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company. We are glad to hear from a fan of Coca-Cola C2 and apologize that you have had difficulty 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. We believe they are in the best position to make those decisions.
Your loyalty to Coca-Cola C2 is certainly appreciated.
That was not enough information. On the Coca-Cola Web site, C2 is no longer listed among the brands available in the U.S., which leads me to believe they’re going to kill it. I called 1-800-GET-COKE and they told me it’s still manufactured, but it’s up to stores to order it from the local sales
center. Regarding C2’s dissapearance from the Web site, the representative said: “good question. I don’t know why it’s not there anymore.”
Naturally I called the local bottling company in Columbia, Md. They referred me to the Washington D.C. sales center, where I was told to go and complain at the grocery store, which would make them order it. But, she added, we do try to push new drinks when they come in.
“So Zero pushed C2 off the shelves?” I asked.
“Yes,” she told me.
I am yet to get a final answer from Coca-Cola regarding C2, but I suspect it’s dead. More evidence to suggest that is that the Coke C2 official Web site, www.cokec2.com now re-directs users to the company’s main site. The Way Back Machine has only captured this as a reminder of the C2 days.
While in Brooklyn, I thought of holding on to my last C2 bottle and its metal-gray cap. I decided against it, arguing C2 will live on. It looks like I was wrong.
Update (Aug. 25, 5:00 PM): I received an e-mail from a Coca-Cola media representative who gave me a couple links to their C2 brand page, along with a link to Coke’s Virtual Vender, which still shows the drink. My question was more targeted though; I had asked if C2 was off the market or not. Their non-response was similar to the earlier comment I heard on the phone that the beverage was still manufactured. Shouldn’t one be able to tell if a product is being made by coming across it in a store?
Technorati tag: Cola
February 16th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
okay, if C2 is gone, and we can keep trying to get it back, as a new diabatic, what is there out there that does not have the terrible diet after taste . I ahve not found anything that has lower sugar and a good taste.
Anyone have any ideas?
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I live in Windsor, Ontario Canada, and I have always been a die hard Coke Classic drinker, then I tried C2 and couldn’t believe how good it was, with so few calories….Now the heartbreak of not being able to find it in stores. Bring it back there are a lot of loyal customers out there.
March 7th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Leave feedback for Coke at this website.
http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/contactus/cokefeedback/index.html
March 22nd, 2008 at 5:01 am
Was lied to by a Coke merchandiser for Walmart. I told him I was still ticked they cut C@. He said he had good news, that Coke was to reintroduce C2 in Walmarts in AZ on Feb 18th, in 6pks, fridge pks & 2 liters. If it sold well, they would unroll it to supermarkets. He stated that Coke recvd 135,000 complaints from C2 fans.
I’ve been to my local Walmart twice since, the one he stocks, none!! Lies, Lies & more lies.
Guess I continue splitting a can with my wife for our version of C2
April 11th, 2008 at 6:08 am
Man, didn’t know that I wasn’t alone in how much I miss C2! I thought I’d found the perfect product: pretty much coke classic taste and half the bad stuff! It sure made it easier for me to go have a coke… because I wasn’t being so bad!
Wonder if it will ever come back… Man, I really hate diet Coke and I really don’t like Zero that well. Ugh…
Keeping my fingers crossed…
April 24th, 2008 at 1:40 am
I too miss C2 – so made my own – take a Coke Classic & a Coke Zero – mix the 2 together (I use a glass milk bottle) and you have C2……. well almost !!
……….
April 28th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
C2 is still available in some stores in Toronto Canada.
June 10th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I miss C2 so much. It was great. I got completely hooked on it. To the point where Coke was too sweet. I almost didn’t go back to regular Coke. Diet Pepsi is almost better.
June 28th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I have not read all the blogging , but can only confirm that C2 has also disappeared here in Western Canada.
We have tried everything we can to get it – there is only one COKE bottler in Western Canada and they refuse comment and even hung up one time telling me my complaining was pointless. So much for customer relations in Canada.
Needless to say my wife and myself are very disappointed , it was the only COKE product we have purchased for almost a year. As a result we have decided not to buy any mainline soda products, there are plenty of colas. We have found a locally made product here that is OK , but not calorie reduced and of course – not COKE. This means we drink less – period. Maybe a good thing EHH !
Have a nice COKE-less day.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
I am from Honduras and taste C2, while in vacations at Houston.
Big Fan of Classic Coke and love the taste of C2. Coke Zero is sold here but hate it.
Bring Back C2
July 18th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
According to the New York Times, Coca-Cola posted a $3.17 billion second quarter loss on Thursday, 7/17/08. The article goes on to say Coca-Cola will be raising prices after Labor Day due to high commodity costs and DECLINING AMERICAN SODA SALES!!! Of course, C2 drinkers cannot assume full responsibility for this loss and the declining American soda sales; however, it would be nice to think we were a major contributing factor. Personally, my household was going through a 12 pack a day when the C2s were available. I have completely QUIT purchasing any Coke products. I now make 1 to 2 gallons of tea a day sweetened with 1/2 a cup of sugar and supplemented with Splenda. It has been almost 2 years now and my family and I have become quite acclimated to life without C2! Of course, if Coca-Cola should decide to bring these back, I would buy the C2s. In the meantime, life goes on! I think it is a shame that this company tries to accommodate so many people with so many of the brands they offer – diet, zero, caffeine free, lemon, lime, etc., etc., etc. The really missed the boat on the MAJORITY! The majority of us want what only C2 delivered…ALL THE TASTE WITH 1/2 THE CALORIES AND CARBS!
July 26th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
I am So THRILLED to find this site! Like so many others, I thought I was alone in my quest. C2 is the perfect compromise for those of us that despise the taste of diet drinks. I always cleared the store shelves when I bought it. In fact, C2 seemed to be the only soft drink that did sell out – CONSISTENTLY!. I had to give up Coke completely after they took C2 off the shelf due to weight gain! We can still win this battle! There is a petition at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/bringbackc2
Be sure to tell all your friends!
November 4th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
I haven’t been here in a while now. It’s been so long since C2 was pulled in SW Florida – and I ceased buying coke products – I had to find my old posts and realize it has been just over two years now! I signed Sandra’s petition mentioned above, it appeared that there were perhaps a few more there on topic but felt that one was enough. I went with –
“I support this petition. And would like to state that I have not purchased a coke product since C2 disappeared from SW Florida. Atlanta LIED to me, “it is your distributor who decided to remove it from shelves,” but tell me now that it’s not available anywhere are you still making the syrup?”
It appears to me here that no more markets carry C2, Kellee points out a $3.17 BILLION second quarter loss and I would have been good for at least a 6 pack a day. Though I did attempt to blend other coke products I found none to be worthwhile. However, Dr Pepper is a Pepsi product where I live and I make my own mix, 2 diet to one regular, just 50 calories per 12 oz serving down from C2s 70 calories! I refer to it as D3 or my own FU2 to the liars in Atlanta.
Now coke and Pepsi have reduced 12 packs to 8s and cases to 18s and prices remain nearly the same, tsk tsk, though Pepsi does have a reasonable local sale this week. I used to pay whatever asked for C2 but am not sure that I would ever go back even if rereleased, it would have to be a much better buy to get me back, perhaps begin by sending me a handful of those freebies like you tried while lying through your teeth to me a few years ago, you still have my sddress somewhere, I had been a coke customer for some 30 years, ciao!
December 10th, 2008 at 8:16 am
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Keep adding to this petition:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/bringbackc2
pass it on.
Let’s create a group and together petition coca-cola to bring C2 back to the mass market. Let’s all call on the same day. Someone please post a number where we can call and email coca-cola.
June 8th, 2010 at 4:55 am
Glad I found this site. I really miss Coke C2. When I contacted the Coca-Cola company, they were very up front and told me they discontinued it and that I should try Coke Zero. Pahleeze! Diet soda SUCKS, no matter if it’s made with Splenda, Stevia, Aspartame, whatever. I loved the Coke C2 because it was a great way to still drink good soda and cut my sugar. There’s no difference between Coke Zero and Diet Coke or any other diet sodas on the market. Why can’t anyone produce a half-sugar version of their soda? I posted the petition to Facebook and e-mailed the company that they should bring it back. Maybe we should all go plead with the PepsiCo???