Goodbye Vanilla Diet Coke, we hardly knew ye

by Deidre Woollard, Posted Nov 5th 2005 @ 1:23PM

Having a favorite soda can be a tricky business, just when you become fully addicted, it disappears off the market. I never liked the overly sweet Vanilla Diet Coke or Vanilla Coke but now Coke is pulling the flavors to make room for Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Coke and Black Cherry Vanilla Coke which are rolling out in January. They are also getting rid of Diet Coke with Lemon but somehow Diet Coke with Lime seems to be safe for now as does Diet Cherry Coke. It seems to me they might be alienating fans of flavored Diet Cokes by constantly tinkering with the flavors. As someone who hoards Tab just in case it gets pulled from the market, I feel the pain of the flavor fans. And yes, there is already a petition going.

Filed Under: Business

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-05-2005 @1:28PM alps said... those all really sounds gross, but then again I don't really drink soda, i'm still trying to get over the revoval of mr. pibb
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11-05-2005 @2:12PM karsh said... Black Cherry Vanilla Coke sounds awesome! Down here Coke Country (Atlanta, GA), you can get Coke with any flavored syrup in resturants, so maybe that could be a good alternative in places where Vanilla Coke's hard to come by.
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11-05-2005 @3:00PM humpty said... People, esp. Americans need to drinking less soft drinks (sodas) and more real fluids like water. The only thing natural about soft drinks is the water thats added (and the highly refined sugar for non-diet varieties), everything else is synthesized in industrial vats.
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11-05-2005 @3:14PM RogerS said... Diet Vanilla Coke was pretty good. I keep hearing rumors about a chocolate Coke coming. If it's like a Canfield's Diet Chocolate Fudge Soda it might be worthwhile.
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11-05-2005 @3:21PM ChemiKhazi said... I actually liked Vanilla Coke. Although diet vanilla coke does sound uhm.. blech-y. A cola flavour that I can't understand is Pepsi X.
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11-05-2005 @8:20PM Cliff said... Tab? I haven't seen Tab for years?!?! Where can you buy it?
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11-05-2005 @11:53PM Jill said... Buh Bye Vanilla Coke! Now that Coca Cola is not cornering the market on the worlds best vanilla beans, we can get back to baking!
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11-05-2005 @7:44PM Nikole said... Diet Vanilla Coke is like a heavenly cream soda, but better. Damn.
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11-05-2005 @9:03PM Fash said... Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper is the best soda ever. There's no need for Diet Coke to contribute their own inferior version!
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11-06-2005 @11:39AM The Spoonman said... Ugh, my fiance tried that Diet Vanilla Cherry Coke one day as they were in a local strip mall handing out samples. Easily the most distressing taste I ever had in my mouth. I felt bad because I spit it out immediately right in front of the promotional people handing it out. In all fairness, I think all diet sodas taste like death (and a) considering the well-documented deteriorating effects of Nutrasweet on the brain, I ain't too far off). I liked Vanilla Coke the first time I tasted it, but it's been replaced with Vanilla Pepsi as my choice to drink. Guess I should start hoarding that, just in case. Once one does it, the other usually isn't far behind.
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11-06-2005 @10:26AM Sir Not Appearing in this Blog said... I'm really unhappy about this. Vanilla Coke supplanted Coca-Cola as my beverage of choice almost as soon as it appeared. Guess I'll have to start making my own. Too bad Surfas is closed today, otherwise I could make a run and get some vanilla syrup.

*sigh*

Black Cherry Vanilla does sound good though. I'm disappointed with the Dr Pepper version. It leaves an off aftertaste in my mouth, and otherwise doesn't taste so much different from actual Dr Pepper.
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11-06-2005 @11:45AM Devin Lussier said... The last thing the world needs is more cherry soda. I like Vanilla Coke, I don't drink it all the time but I do enjoy it when I have it. I guess it's time to stock up - to the batcave err I mean to Costco!
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11-08-2005 @6:00PM Ed Richardson said... I'm sure glad that Diet Coke with Lime made the cut, but I'm also kinda surprised, as it is so hard to find in the 20 oz. plastic bottles. Stores get some in, sell it out, and they are out of it for 3-4 weeks before they get more in. It started out with a green cap, and then I think people got confused when Coke did a contest and ALL Diet Coke had green caps. Glad that's over with, and now only have to contend with Green or Purple (?) caps. Coke is the best at confusing consumers. Anyway, I'm stoked that Diet Coke with Lime will still be around. Maybe now it will be easier to find, since Coke is doing away with some other flavors.
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11-11-2005 @9:41AM virginia george said... I never liked the taste of coke, but when diet vanilla coke emerged i switched from a diet pepsi drinker to diet vanilla coke. My husband and i prefer this drink but if they are dumb enough to pull it i guess they will loose a faithful customer here. Stupid is as stupid does.
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11-27-2005 @8:47AM Rachael said... According to some site or another that I was reading earlier this year (The Beverage Manufacturers of America or some such org) Diet Coke with Lime was the most sucsessful new flavor soda launch ever. No chance they will pull it. As for Vanilla, well, like someone else said, a drop of Torani Vanilla Syrup and youre right back where they started. Mmmm.
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