Customers mourn discontinued Coca-Cola flavor as soda maker says ‘many factors go into the decision’ to ax drink
BUYERS are begging for a comeback of an iconic, discontinued Coca-Cola flavor but there are currently no plans for the product to return to stores any time soon.
Since Coca Cola was first invented by an Atlanta pharmacist, the popular soda has undergone many changes over the years.
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Today there are more than 100 flavors, but not all of Coca-Cola’s creations have withstood the test of time.
Some of these flavors were popular when they were released in grocery stores, but mysteriously disappeared from shelves and were never seen again.
One such lemonade was Vault.
The sweetened drink first went on sale in 2005, but by 2011 the drink had all but disappeared.
Each drink had a strong citrus flavor and the company marketed the product as a hybrid energy soda.
With the slogan “Drinks like a soda, kicks like an energy drink,” shoppers were eager to get their hands on the item and see what Coca Cola’s energy drink game is all about.
In the years following its departure from stores, customers turned to Coca Cola to see if the popular item would ever return.
“@Coke Can you please bring Vault back?” One fan wrote further X (formerly known as Twitter).
Coca Cola then offered an explanation as to why products sometimes disappear from supermarkets.
“Many factors play a role in the decision to discontinue sales of a particular product,” the company said.
“Usually it’s a question of consumer demand. If consumer interest in a particular product is not sufficient, retailers will stop offering it. We will share your request with the team.”
With the company pointing out that low sales could be to blame for the soda’s demise, it’s unlikely that Vault will make a comeback in the near future.
However, many other shoppers share the opinion that Vault was one of Coca Cola’s best sodas available.
“This was a godsend when I started high school,” one customer said on Reddit. “I continued when I started playing football and lifting weights. Coca-Cola was so stupid that it did it.”
Another fan wrote: “This is my favorite soda I’ve ever had. I’ve never had anything that tasted like this! I miss it so much.”
COCA COLA NEWS
While the exact recipe for the Vault may rest in Coca Cola’s symbolic soda vault, the brand is trying out new flavor profiles with shoppers.
This includes the new Y3000 flavor, which was developed using artificial intelligence to identify the exact flavor profile consumers are looking for.
There is also a sugar-free version of the drink.
Y3000 was “created to show us an optimistic vision of the future where people and technology are more connected than ever before,” Coca-Cola said.
MORE DISCONTINUED ITEMS
Coca Cola isn’t the only company to disappoint customers with a controversial product discontinuation.
Sweet tooths were mortified when Bake House’s salted caramel chocolate chip cookies were removed from Aldi store aisles.
After a customer asked if the product was coming back, Aldi delivered bad news.
“It doesn’t look like the Bake House will be available, but we will be offering salted caramel cookies under a different brand,” Aldi said.
The chain also eliminated its Italian soda product, which was a shocking development for those who considered it their favorite drink.
“Kroger, hello, I haven’t seen your Simple Truth Italian sodas in a while. “Is my location just no longer carrying them or has Kroger stopped selling them altogether?” asked a customer on X.
The store replied, “Hello! Thank you for your question. Unfortunately, Simple Truth’s Italian sodas have been discontinued. We will share your feedback with our product teams. I wish you a nice day!”
Shoppers are also hoping a popular Popsicle product will make a return.
Plus, these are four after-school snacks you’ll never see in stores again.