Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Tinkering With Food And Whatnot



I'm not sure how *new* this variation of the classic candy bar is....but it is at least new to me. AND I'm really enjoying it!

But I'm wise enough to not get too excited. Surely, they will pull this one - as they do with all these iterative new products. Oh how I miss Bud Ice, the McRib sandwich, and Crispy M&Ms!

I'll enjoy the Nestle Crunch Crisp while it lasts. Though I've been buying them at three a clip....I'm not about to start stockpiling like Elaine did with her discontinued birth control!



Is he *Sponge-worthy*?

But getting back to the fits and starts of Big Food innovation...

After decades of trying to float countless new products, I'm no *brand expert*, but I believe the record of success from these behemoths is quite poor. I once read that McDonalds hadn't had a new product really stick since Chicken McNuggets in the early 80s. And consider all the billions spent by Microsoft in hopes of carving out new ground. What do they have to show for it - XBox? Bing.com?

The fact remains that the vast majority of successful people and successful businesses merely got *lucky* with a single product and, of course, with timing.

But, as that airhead Mark Cuban wisely says - an entrepreneur only has to be right ONCE!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen to that, C-nut-
I never go for any food or drink or limited edition product, esp. around the holidays for fear I may like it and then watch it disappear. That Seinfeld sponge episode was in repeats the other night haha.. classic. By the way, on that note, when I was too lazy to make or buy REAL bruschetta, I was working at a place in Hingham where I'd stockpile these things from the co. vending machine: [cheaper by the case from Amazon.com; manufacturer link here: http://www.snakkingstore.com/br5pa.html]
Another terrific post!
-Rich

CaptiousNut said...

Rich,

Do you have cases of Zima stockpiled in you garage - as I do?

Anonymous said...

Hehe thought about it - never tried the stuff, so I can't disparage it or be a closet drinker, either way. Seemed kind of a shame when they cancelled it last year seeing as how that singlehandedly launched the sweet malt brand(s).
-Rich