Can Coca-Cola do anything right?

CerberusIV · August 13, 2003, 07:45

After reports of dangerous pesticide levels in the drinks and cadmium in the waste at their Indian plant, Coke have now admitted rigging a marketing test and misleading Burger King.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3145947.stm

Quote:

Coca-Cola has apologised to Burger King for a rigged marketing test that led the chain to try to sell Frozen Coke to its customers.

Coca-Cola has agreed to pay Burger King $21m (£12m) in compensation after admitting that it faked tests in 2000 that led to the widespread adoption of Frozen Coke machines at the hamburger chain.

The settlement will resolve the ongoing dispute between the two companies, according to news agency reports, quoting a letter from Burger King head office to its local branches.

In June, the world's biggest soft drink company acknowledged that some of its employees undermined the test of Frozen Coke three years ago at Burger King restaurants in Virginia and said the workers had been disciplined.

Burger King franchise owners have been angry that sales of the slushy beverage have been disappointing.

Now each franchise which bought a Frozen Coke machine will receive $1,000 from Coke and up to $500 in repair costs.

Coke will also ensure that no franchise has lost money on their investment, and pay Burger King's head office $6.4m to advertise the brand.

Burger King, which reportedly invested $10m in promoting Frozen Coke, had threatened to abandon it in January after disappointing sales.

Burger King chief executive Bradley Blum said that the settlement was "fair and equitable" in a letter to franchisees, and urged them to approve the deal.

More than 80% of the franchise holders must agree to the deal in order for it to be approved.

Burger King operates 8,000 restaurants in the United States.

Last year it was sold to a private US equity firm for $1.5bn by its parent company, UK drinks giant Diageo.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta is still investigating the allegations of a rigged test, first made in a whistleblower's lawsuit.

Skanky Burns · August 13, 2003, 07:48

In their defence:
Coke mixes well with alcohol

Pepsi had higher levels of pesticides at their Indian plant.

Imran Siddiqui · August 13, 2003, 10:10

Of course they can... look at the market penetration of Coke. That's pretty damn 'right'

.

Drogue · August 13, 2003, 10:14

I don't have a problem with Coke, it's nice stuff

Frozen Coke (I'm presuming like a Coke Squishy or Slush Puppy to us Brits?) sounds quite nice actually. And nothing beats Coke, rum, a load of lime and a dash of lemon juice

CerberusIV · August 13, 2003, 10:22

I like Coke, especially when it is diluted with something containing alcohol. I am just curious why several unfavourable stories about the company have surfaced in the last few days?

Harry Seldon · August 13, 2003, 10:50

Coke's the best cola on the market. They could be strangling kittens on live tv and I'd still drink the stuff.

chequita guevara · August 13, 2003, 12:10

This is fraud, pure and simple. Theben's and my father had to purchase one of one of these machines for each store. I remember them talking about how promising the test results were. Coming as this did during a business downturn, I wonder how many franchises were forced out of business.

Oerdin · August 13, 2003, 12:16

From around 1950 through the mid 1990's Coca-Cola was one of the fastest growing major Corporations in the world. I mean it was like they invented the magic money machine.

mrmitchell · August 13, 2003, 12:17

Didn't see that coming. I thought they were pretty good.

In Coke's defense, their drink DOES taste better than Pepsi, and Pepsi had 36x pesticides whereas Coke only had 30x pesticides.

Also in Coke's defense, some of their bottlers bottle Dr. Pepper too. Pepsi bottlers might do this too--it's up to the bottler--but anyone who helps me get Dr. Pepper is, by definition, good.

The Templar · August 13, 2003, 12:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Harry Seldon
Coke's the best cola on the market. They could be strangling kittens on live tv and I'd still drink the stuff.

Strangling kittens is the Senate Majority Leader's fetish.

Soft drinks - all of them, not only Coke, rot your teeth and leach calcium from your bones. Mmmm, have another tasty glass of osteoperosis!

ixnay · August 13, 2003, 13:07

Well, at least they never attempted to sell "Coke Blue". Now that would be a stupid move on their part.

Hakkapeliitta · August 13, 2003, 13:29

Quote:

Originally posted by The Templar
Mmmm, have another tasty glass of osteoperosis!

Hell no! Drinking coke from glass is waste of time!

Harry Seldon · August 13, 2003, 13:58

Quote:

Soft drinks - all of them, not only Coke, rot your teeth and leach calcium from your bones. Mmmm, have another tasty glass of osteoperosis!

I drink a gallon of milk a day so I have it covered.

Chemical Ollie · August 13, 2003, 14:27

If there were no pesticides, would there be pest instead?

Oerdin · August 13, 2003, 14:28

This says more about the quality of drinking water in India & the Indian bottling company then it does about Coke or Pepsi.

Az · August 13, 2003, 15:32

coke, and some cheese spread to cover for the evil calcium loss.

Nubclear · August 13, 2003, 16:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
This says more about the quality of drinking water in India & the Indian bottling company then it does about Coke or Pepsi.

Wrong thread

And Indian drinking water....Is *HORRIBLE*. Trust me.

jdd2007 · August 13, 2003, 20:29

Quote:

Originally posted by ixnay
Well, at least they never attempted to sell "Coke Blue". Now that would be a stupid move on their part.

Amen.

Pepsi Blue was just awful.

Dis · August 14, 2003, 02:28

coke tastes better than Pepsi.

not that I drink either

David Floyd · August 14, 2003, 02:31

Pepsi Blue isn't that bad - much better than regular Pepsi, IMO.

Of course, all soft drinks bow down in deference to Dr. Pepper.

JohnT · August 14, 2003, 10:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
From around 1950 through the mid 1990's Coca-Cola was one of the fastest growing major Corporations in the world. I mean it was like they invented the magic money machine.

1950? Try from 1886.

Over the course of the 20th century, Coca-Cola was the best performing stock in America.

Dis · August 14, 2003, 13:14

they had opium to help them sell coke back then

JohnT · August 14, 2003, 13:26

Huh?

Oerdin · August 14, 2003, 13:43

Quote:

Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar

Wrong thread

And Indian drinking water....Is *HORRIBLE*. Trust me.

The Coke with high pesticides came from an Indian Coke factory and was sold in India.

Chemical Ollie · August 14, 2003, 14:56

Quote:

Originally posted by Dissident
they had opium to help them sell coke back then

No, they had cocaine. Hence the name: Coca-cola.

orange · August 14, 2003, 15:14

Quote:

Of course, all soft drinks bow down in deference to Dr. Pepper.

So you like carbonated prune juice?

Zero · August 14, 2003, 15:39

i love the burger king frozen coke.

David Floyd · August 14, 2003, 16:15

Quote:

So you like carbonated prune juice?

Hey, call it what you want, it's badass

Charlemagne120 · August 14, 2003, 16:17

I drink a coke every morning before school, at lunch, and after school. I have my entire room in coke stuff...im a walking talking drinking coke billboard

The Andy-Man · August 14, 2003, 16:23

uck. mixing alchohol with coke.

Drink it neat! Drink it like a man!