VN AfterTaste

Dear Del Monte,

I do not require my sliced peaches to come with “Rasberry Flavoring.” It is not necessary for my fruit to taste of other fruits. Just so there is no confusion, I did not ask for this.
I fear your focus group study may have been conducted amongst only people who either hate the taste of peaches or love the taste of rasberries, perhaps some mix of both.
Whether this is the result of lobbying from the makers of “Natural Flavorings” is likely a matter that will never become fully clear.

In 1998 I was outraged when Tropicana added artificial sweetner to fruit juice. It is with some distaste that I must also now inform you I do not require my fruit to be so sweetened. I find that fruit comes pre-sweetened. It generally requires no additional sweetening. In those instances when it does (rare though they are) I would prefer non-artificial sweetening. Adding artificial sweetner to fruit is akin to mixing real fruit with waxed. It does not fool anyone and only serves to make you (Del Monte, Inc.) look like a fool.

I wrote a similar letter of concern to Tropicana at that time. I do not think I have to remind you that eleven years later their stock prices plummeted. I am not suggesting that correlation implies causality. I’m simply asking you to stop trying to make one food taste like another food. It will come to no good.