Why Is There No Coke Zero In Cm?

[paulian]

Not just Coke Zero, but many places and eatery's have no Pepsi or Pepsi Max.

[bonobo]

Pepsi Max is and Coke Zero are available at the JUSMAG Cafe, so I wonder how they get theirs while none of the grocers and convenience stores seem to be able to get theirs delivered.

[chiang mai]

Most modern manufacturing models assume a production facility and a distribution warehouse where the latter is used to store the finished product and to await transhipment to distributors, the OP will know these things by virtue of having been employed in such an environment. If the production facility suspends operation the distribution warehouse will likely have inventory that can be distributed to distributor outlets although this may be constrained where flooding has occurred. It is therefore likely that some retail outlets will continue to receive supply whereas others will not by virtue of inaccessibility - it also likely that some end retail central storage facilities continue to have inventory whilst others do not.

[tartempion]

I went out this week not to find any zero coke around Udon Thani.

Did find plenty of the normal coke in plastic bottles and cans. Thus logistics must be OK, inventory not.

My best guess is production ran out of aspartame (due to lack of supplies, due to flooding....) , required ingredient to produce the zero sugary variety.

Hope this helps understanding the problem

[msg362]

Most modern manufacturing models assume a production facility and a distribution warehouse where the latter is used to store the finished product and to await transhipment to distributors, the OP will know these things by virtue of having been employed in such an environment. If the production facility suspends operation the distribution warehouse will likely have inventory that can be distributed to distributor outlets although this may be constrained where flooding has occurred. It is therefore likely that some retail outlets will continue to receive supply whereas others will not by virtue of inaccessibility - it also likely that some end retail central storage facilities continue to have inventory whilst others do not.

Agreed, but here in CM there is no flooding and plenty of the 'local ( retail) ' vehicles delivering from a warehouse I know no where. That is the conundrum

In the UK turnover was pretty swift, weeks only and the PET bottles had a shelf life of around 6 months before they degassed to much. I suspect here, where it is hotter, the shelf life will be shorter.

[msg362]

I went out this week not to find any zero coke around Udon Thani.

Did find plenty of the normal coke in plastic bottles and cans. Thus logistics must be OK, inventory not.

My best guess is production ran out of aspartame (due to lack of supplies, due to flooding....) , required ingredient to produce the zero sugary variety.

Hope this helps understanding the problem

Now thats a good thought!

Edited December 7, 2011 by msg362

[Travel2003]

Indeed, curious to understand why the OP thinks that the flooding does not account for the non-availability of his/her favorite pop.

Try thinking!! If the factory is working it can make and distribute sugary pop. It's simple to change to making Zero ( I know I used to work for them) So somewhere someone is making a decision not to make Zero and Light. That is the question I'm asking WHY?

Agree

It was basically impossible to get Zero here in "The Elphants Graveyard" (Khon Kaen that is) as well.

Other beverages were delivered.

But then again, when people use the good old traffic and rain as an excuse to not show up (or come very late), I can only imagine how many took the opportunity to use the flooding as an excuse.

Just in case:

I feel for the people really affected by the flood, of course.

[NanLaew]

And what about my favourite milk, Chokchai? I haven't seen it anywhere for months now, not Bangkok, not Pattaya, not Surat.... nowhere. Now Chokchai has a pretty big dairy operation and it was well outside the flood areas but I can accept that maybe their processing or distribution plants were not so lucky. Possibly they can't get the bottles because of the floods? But.... the cows are still there and they are still giving milk so what on earth are they doing with it all? Are they selling it to Meiji? There's always loads of bloody Meiji milk.

Answers on a post card to...

[BuddhistDruid]

From what I have been able to find out regarding the unavailability of Coke Zero, it has mainly to do with the flooding at Thai Pure Drinks Rangsit Klong 13 plant. Essentially this is the only plant that bottles Coke Zero for Thai Pure Drinks. They have another plant capable of bottling the sugar based product which is running flat out and has no spare capacity available to be retasked.

It will likely be at least 1 month after the factory becomes dry before production can begin again. As of today, this factory is still closed and flooded. I can only guess when it will reopen. My house is in a different area of Pathumthani and still under 1.2 meters of water. I would not be surprised if Coke Zero remains essentially unavailable until the end of February.

Thai Pure Drinks has the license to bottle and sell Coca Cola throughout the entire northern and central areas of the country. A different bottler Haad Thip, has responsibility for the southern provinces of the country, and they should still have the capacity to produce Coke Zero. There is no connection between these 2 companies however, so it is not possible to divert product from the south to the northern and central areas. But if someone wanted to make a trip to Had Yai logic suggests it should be possible to purchase Coke Zero in large quantities.

Edit: Haad Thip has the world's most annoying website, but according to their map the northern most province where they are allowed to sell is Chumphon. If anyone is coming back from that area to the Pattaya/Chonburi region and can pick me up several cases I will pay a premium for it.

Edited December 8, 2011 by BuddhistDruid

[chiang mai]

Are you saying that the floods are responsible for the lack of supply of Zero and Light, I'm shocked.

[BuddhistDruid]

Are you saying that the floods are responsible for the lack of supply of Zero and Light, I'm shocked.

Actually everyone already knew the floods were responsible. What was unclear and what I have been trying to uncover is when we can expect production to resume. My research suggests it is not going to happen any time soon.

[Valjean]

Asked a friend today who used to work for Coke about this. Coke and Pepsi both have factory flood and supply chain issues. It's floods folks, it's all messed up. And there's also an assumption that people are afraid of water and drinking more soda and things in cans. I guess an X drop in production with a Z increase in consumption can only make things worse. Today at work it was decided that the big bottles of water are now really just flood water. No one will drink. There you go.

by the way I am addicted to Coke Light. I don't want help, I'm happy the way I am. Just give me my Coke Light. Please do not try to grab a can off the shelf in front of me. I'm addicted and dangerous. I found two cans in an ice chest at a park and counted the entire day a success. I buy every can I see. Or is that; every can I can see?

Word on the street this should be better someday.

[msg362]

From what I have been able to find out regarding the unavailability of Coke Zero, it has mainly to do with the flooding at Thai Pure Drinks Rangsit Klong 13 plant. Essentially this is the only plant that bottles Coke Zero for Thai Pure Drinks. They have another plant capable of bottling the sugar based product which is running flat out and has no spare capacity available to be retasked.

It will likely be at least 1 month after the factory becomes dry before production can begin again. As of today, this factory is still closed and flooded. I can only guess when it will reopen. My house is in a different area of Pathumthani and still under 1.2 meters of water. I would not be surprised if Coke Zero remains essentially unavailable until the end of February.

Thai Pure Drinks has the license to bottle and sell Coca Cola throughout the entire northern and central areas of the country. A different bottler Haad Thip, has responsibility for the southern provinces of the country, and they should still have the capacity to produce Coke Zero. There is no connection between these 2 companies however, so it is not possible to divert product from the south to the northern and central areas. But if someone wanted to make a trip to Had Yai logic suggests it should be possible to purchase Coke Zero in large quantities.

Edit: Haad Thip has the world's most annoying website, but according to their map the northern most province where they are allowed to sell is Chumphon. If anyone is coming back from that area to the Pattaya/Chonburi region and can pick me up several cases I will pay a premium for it.

Thank you for this very complete reply, answers almost all the questions and time to stop I think. ( but just to stir it a little, there was Coke light in several small places in Chiang Mai, some ordered as recently as last week.)

Mai Pen Rai, this is Thailand

Very sorry to hear you are still flooded, what a mess and for so long, just incredible

Edited December 8, 2011 by msg362

[msg362]

Asked a friend today who used to work for Coke about this. Coke and Pepsi both have factory flood and supply chain issues. It's floods folks, it's all messed up. And there's also an assumption that people are afraid of water and drinking more soda and things in cans. I guess an X drop in production with a Z increase in consumption can only make things worse. Today at work it was decided that the big bottles of water are now really just flood water. No one will drink. There you go.

by the way I am addicted to Coke Light. I don't want help, I'm happy the way I am. Just give me my Coke Light. Please do not try to grab a can off the shelf in front of me. I'm addicted and dangerous. I found two cans in an ice chest at a park and counted the entire day a success. I buy every can I see. Or is that; every can I can see?

Word on the street this should be better someday.

Where are you? if in CM 'Butter is Better ' had some Coke light in their cafe on Chang Klang road

[travelmann]

Asked a friend today who used to work for Coke about this. Coke and Pepsi both have factory flood and supply chain issues. It's floods folks, it's all messed up. And there's also an assumption that people are afraid of water and drinking more soda and things in cans. I guess an X drop in production with a Z increase in consumption can only make things worse. Today at work it was decided that the big bottles of water are now really just flood water. No one will drink. There you go.

by the way I am addicted to Coke Light. I don't want help, I'm happy the way I am. Just give me my Coke Light. Please do not try to grab a can off the shelf in front of me. I'm addicted and dangerous. I found two cans in an ice chest at a park and counted the entire day a success. I buy every can I see. Or is that; every can I can see?

Word on the street this should be better someday.

Where are you? if in CM 'Butter is Better ' had some Coke light in their cafe on Chang Klang road

Oh oh Oh I got the last word, in the shop by me today, id love to tell u but its a seekwit :lol:

[bonobo]

I finally was able to drive to my factory yesterday for the first time since all this started. And we still had a couple of cases of Pepsi Max there. I eagerly opened a can to bring to my desk, and, well, it wasn't so good.

Diet sodas have a very short shelf life, usually 90 days or less. And I guess these cans must have been close to that. I still drank them, but they were certainly not as good as usual.

(I did bring a can of Coke Lite and Pepsi Max from a recent business trip to the Philippines, and they are sitting there with some cans of Diet Dr. Pepper I've been hoarding. One of them will be opened tonight. )

[Travel2003]

Sorry to keep this one alive.

I was in BKK recently, and could NOT have Gin Tonic in several bars, due to no more Tonic water.

Seems like bars with a big stock (or good replenishment system) survive.

[GreenSnapper]

Sorry to keep this one alive.

I was in BKK recently, and could NOT have Gin Tonic in several bars, due to no more Tonic water.

Seems like bars with a big stock (or good replenishment system) survive.

Villa was full of Tonic yesterday.

[HardenedSoul]

If anyone's still interested, there's a wholesaler on Sukhumvit soi 23 just before the 2nd 7-11 coming from the main road who has crates of Coke Zero. THB144 for 12 3000ml bottles

[Sakeopete]

What is really sad is they stopped producing Sprite Zero, that stuff tasted great and no caffeine. Very nice with Gin :-)

[bunta71]

OP is right, no coke zero anywhere in Thailand, when it should be the only one legal and available in this world...

Still wondering why educated people still drink the original one...

http://aspartame.mercola.com/?e_cid=20111209_DNL_HTL_aspartame

Might want to continue your education...

[Travel2003]

Sorry to keep this one alive.

I was in BKK recently, and could NOT have Gin Tonic in several bars, due to no more Tonic water.

Seems like bars with a big stock (or good replenishment system) survive.

Villa was full of Tonic yesterday.

This was the 20th.

Guess distribution is getting back on track soon.

[Sam Drucker]

Here in Khon Kaen on January 10, Coke Zero and Coke Light continue to be sporadically available. Maybe 5% of the time you might see some in a store, but where ever you do find it, it doesn't last long. Yet, regular Coke seems to have filled the pipeline to excess. I see store shelves in filled up with Coke in the normal shelf space and shelf space previously used for the diet drinks. And it's also promoted on pallets elsewhere in the store too.

My friend was in a Tesco Express yesterday and told me he saw some cans of Coke Zero (in several 6-packs) there. I went a few hours later last night and there were none. However, they did have some 1.25L bottles in the cooler so I did get a few of those.

BuddhistDruid's post (#69) seems to make the most sense of this continued shortage situation, EXCEPT that the supply is not shut off completely; we are getting a trickle of Coke Zero / Coke Light. If only that one plant produces it for North and Northeastern Thailand, you'd think by his explanation there would be NO Coke Zero. At any rate, the situation does not seem to be improving at this time.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Possibly something to do with the sweetener, seeing it affects Pepsi Max too? AND I don't see any Equal sweetener anymore.

How long can we all last do you think before an air-lift / repatriation home becomes unavoidable? Has anyone been in touch with their embassies? Surely they have emergency plans on the books you think.

[kkerry]

In Bangkok my local Tesco and Jusco have had plenty of Coke Zero in cans and 1.25 litre bottles for a week or two. Even the corner shop across the road from me and 7/11 have stock now and it's all newly produced. Haven't seen any Coke Light or Pepsi Max though.

[Travel2003]

Since this thread is kept alive, I went back to BKK, and other bars had experienced the same problem after I left.

I see some members still have the problem in KKC.

Well, here in the "Elephants graveyard" (KKC) the only thing we have plenty of is old bar girls and a shit load of katoeys in more or less very bar.

So, at least we have good supply of something................... for some.

;-)

[chiang mai]

Possibly something to do with the sweetener, seeing it affects Pepsi Max too? AND I don't see any Equal sweetener anymore.

How long can we all last do you think before an air-lift / repatriation home becomes unavoidable? Has anyone been in touch with their embassies? Surely they have emergency plans on the books you think.

Airlift Coke Zero/Lite in or evacuate addicts out, which? Where's the seventh fleet currently, maybe they could help?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Possibly something to do with the sweetener, seeing it affects Pepsi Max too? AND I don't see any Equal sweetener anymore.

How long can we all last do you think before an air-lift / repatriation home becomes unavoidable? Has anyone been in touch with their embassies? Surely they have emergency plans on the books you think.

Airlift Coke Zero/Lite in or evacuate addicts out, which? Where's the seventh fleet currently, maybe they could help?

Wasting time in the Persian Gulf, while the real emergency is in Thailand.

[Wedemeyer]

today i go to maxvalu pattanakarn and i see coke zero in bottle

[Ricardo]

Tesco-Lotus Kantiam had about 20 1.25L bottles, plus a few 6-packs of cans, of Coke-Zero at lunchtime today, but I got 2 bottles for myself !

There's mostly the Quick and the Thirsty at-present !