Dublin Dr. Pepper is no more

[ISUAlum2002]

Dublin's tearful farewell to Dr Pepper | wfaa.com Dallas - Fort Worth

This cuts me deep. Real deep. Dr. Pepper has always been my favorite carbonated beverage, and I have had at least a few Dublins on hand at all times for the past 7 years or so. I don't drink them all the time, only when I have time to savor them, as they are so good. This hurts.

 

[alarson]

Wow, that sucks. I always grabbed some whenever i was tx.

 

[HFCS]

As someone who has worked in branding, I can see the mentality that splintering brand identity is usually very bad. In this case it seems to me that the splinter enhanced the overall mystique of the brand though. I wouldn't be surprised if amping up marketing and national distribution of the splinter brand wouldn't have had a net positive affect on the whole brand.

Beverage companies are going nuts searching for something unique and the next trend, with the tide turning against HFCS (not me) and toward cane sugar it seems Dr. Pepper already had a very cool premium line they could have amped up instead of demolishing.

Fancy food stores all around me in Chicago charge $1.50 to $3.00 a bottle for cane sugar premium sodas. Dublin Dr. Pepper would probably have served Dr. Pepper better by being on those shelves (places like Whole Foods) more than shutting it down.

 

[Clonefan94]

As someone who has worked in branding, I can see the mentality that splintering brand identity is usually very bad. In this case it seems to me that the splinter enhanced the overall mystique of the brand though. I wouldn't be surprised if amping up marketing and national distribution of the splinter brand wouldn't have had a net positive affect on the whole brand.

Beverage companies are going nuts searching for something unique and the next trend, with the tide turning against HFCS (not me) and toward cane sugar it seems Dr. Pepper already had a very cool premium line they could have amped up instead of demolishing.

Fancy food stores all around me in Chicago charge $1.50 to $3.00 a bottle for cane sugar premium sodas. Dublin Dr. Pepper would probably have served Dr. Pepper better by being on those shelves (places like Whole Foods) more than shutting it down.

They definitely should have went the route of the "Throwback" Pepsi line. The biggest issue, from what I understand is that most of the companies don't want to give the impression that the cane sugar is somehow better. The profit margins aren't there on the sugar versions in the US like they are on the HFCS. I think a lot of companies are starting to fear the switch back to sugar and what that might do to their profits.

 

[jbhtexas]

As someone who has worked in branding, I can see the mentality that splintering brand identity is usually very bad. In this case it seems to me that the splinter enhanced the overall mystique of the brand though. I wouldn't be surprised if amping up marketing and national distribution of the splinter brand wouldn't have had a net positive affect on the whole brand.

Beverage companies are going nuts searching for something unique and the next trend, with the tide turning against HFCS (not me) and toward cane sugar it seems Dr. Pepper already had a very cool premium line they could have amped up instead of demolishing.

Fancy food stores all around me in Chicago charge $1.50 to $3.00 a bottle for cane sugar premium sodas. Dublin Dr. Pepper would probably have served Dr. Pepper better by being on those shelves (places like Whole Foods) more than shutting it down.

Dr. Pepper Snapple (DPS) claims they will still be making a cane-sugar based product:

Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Dr Pepper Bottling Co. of Dublin, Texas, Settle Their Disputes | Dr Pepper Snapple Group Newsroom

DPS will now distribute Dr Pepper sweetened with cane sugar throughout Dublin’s former territory, and continue to sell it in other areas of Texas, including Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and Waco. It’s the same product Dublin sold. It will still be bottled and canned in distinct, nostalgic packaging. The only difference is it will not reference Dublin on the label.

This move by DPS does seem odd, and sure seems to be creating a lot of short-term ill-will towards DPS prodcuts. Perhaps DPS has plans to bring a cane-sugar based product to general market, and for some reason needed the Dublin plant out of the way to proceed with that.

 

[marothisu]

Wow, that sucks. I always grabbed some whenever i was tx.

Wait, what? Am I missing something? Why did you have to go to TX to get it?

 

[aeroclone]

They definitely should have went the route of the "Throwback" Pepsi line. The biggest issue, from what I understand is that most of the companies don't want to give the impression that the cane sugar is somehow better. The profit margins aren't there on the sugar versions in the US like they are on the HFCS. I think a lot of companies are starting to fear the switch back to sugar and what that might do to their profits.

Dr Pepper actually does this already, though maybe in a more limited capacity. They have been selling Dr Pepper Heritage made with natural sugar on and off in my area for over a year. It seemed to appear shortly after the Pepsi Throwback line. I purchase it whenever it shows up in the stores and I really enjoy it.

 

[CycloneJL]

Wait, what? Am I missing something? Why did you have to go to TX to get it?

Because the Dublin bottling plant only distributed in limited areas around their plant. Sugar sweetened Dr Pepper is an icon in Texas, which is why DPS is still going to distribute it there. I just wish they'd bring it north. I almost exclusively drink Throwback Pepsi. It reminds me of what it tasted like when I was younger.

 

[marothisu]

Because the Dublin bottling plant only distributed in limited areas around their plant. Sugar sweetened Dr Pepper is an icon in Texas, which is why DPS is still going to distribute it there. I just wish they'd bring it north. I almost exclusively drink Throwback Pepsi. It reminds me of what it tasted like when I was younger.

GOtcha. I had always thought they distributed to other areas but maybe not..

 

[jbhtexas]

Because the Dublin bottling plant only distributed in limited areas around their plant. Sugar sweetened Dr Pepper is an icon in Texas, which is why DPS is still going to distribute it there. I just wish they'd bring it north. I almost exclusively drink Throwback Pepsi. It reminds me of what it tasted like when I was younger.

One of the supposed issues in the lawsuit brought by DPS against the Dublin Bottling Works was that DBW was selling the cane sugar product outside of their distribution area via phone/Internet orders. Those sales were rather miniscule, yet it apparently ticked off other bottlers.