Part I: Product Comeback Stories!

We’re here to Save TaB!   If you’re reading this, you may be wondering “how likely is it that Coca-Cola will change its mind and bring it back; what are our chances of saving it?”  You’re not alone—we wonder that too.

And while we can’t know for sure—we do know that many companies have brought previously discontinued products back due to consumer demand.  This blog post is part one of a three-part series all about products that made a comeback!

This first article introduces a handful of products that have made a comeback!  Let them serve as inspiration for our cause 🙂

Onto the comeback stories:

The McRib Sandwich:

One of McDonald’s most interesting menu items, the McRib, is a boneless pork sandwich slathered in barbecue sauce and topped with pickle and onion on an obolong bun. It was introduced in 1981 and discontinued in 1985. It was then brought back due to consumer demand–but eventually removed from the menu altogether once more. 

But consumers wouldn’t have it! Now it’s regularly brought back on a limited time basis in select restaurants—and consumers wait all year for the announcement to get their McRib value meal. 

Necco Wafers:

The disc-shaped candies wrapped in waxed paper were discontinued when the factory that produced them went out of business in 2018.  (If you’ve ever tried a conversation heart around Valentine’s day–you know what these taste like, because they’re made by the same company).

Nearly two years later, the candies were brought back into production by the firm that purchased the intellectual property.  Now consumers everywhere can get their old-timey candy fix with the re-released Necco wafers.  The candy that lived from 1847-2018 gets a second chance in the spotlight!

Crystal Pepsi:

Pepsi introduced Crystal Pepsi during the 1990s when ‘clear’ meant healthy in consumers’ eyes.  Taking the caramel color out of regular Pepsi seemed like a no-brainer for the company to sell more sodas and gain market share from their competitors.  Unfortunately, consumers didn’t really fall in love with the clear cola, and it was discontinued.  It was brought back for nostalgia reasons (or as Pepsi called it “overwhelming fan demand”) for a short time in 2016 for consumers to get another taste!  We’ll see if this one comes back again, or if soda fans have had enough!

Cheez Balls and Cheez Curls:

These iconic 1990s snacks were off store shelves for 12 years until being brought back into the spotlight by the Kraft-Heinz company in 2018 for a “limited time only.”   As recent as today—they’re still for sale on Amazon! Three years is a long “limited time,” let’s hope they keep them around for the consumers who love the products!

Surge:

This is our favorite comeback story, and the most relevant for TaB drinkers!  Coca-Cola’s soda designed to compete with Pepsi’s Mountain Dew was released in 1997.  The “Mountain Dew Killer” in all its green glory was available in stores nationwide until its discontinuation in 2003.  During those six years, it acquired a fanbase unlike many other sodas (with loyalty similar to us TaBaholics!)  And the Surge drinkers weren’t prepared to let it disappear without a fight.   Our next blog post is about the fanbase who worked together to save Surge from the history books….

Continue to Part II….

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