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Soft Drinks in UC

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 17:36
by wraf137
Will I be able to get Coca-Cola in UC, or will they still only have Virgin Cola [:$] like in PE and Economy?

I can manage with the 'P' word if real Coke isn't available, but I cannot abide the Virgin stuff.

If necessary I'll take my own supplies so as not to spoil my flight. But it does seem crazy if after paying the UC price I have to provide my own drinks!

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 18:11
by Nottingham Nick
I would assume that it is still Virgin Cola, there seems little point in having your own brand of a product, and then serving someone else's on your airline. [?][?] There also seems little point in loading one brand for some pax, and another for UC.

The reason I am not sure is that when Nick Jr. had a diet cola on our flight, it was already in a glass, and I must confess that it wasn't all that high up on our list of priorities for the TR. ;):D

Nick

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 18:32
by mike-smashing
I believe that all the soft drinks and mixers served onboard are Virgin branded.

Regards,
Mike

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 18:42
by BelfastFlyer
I love virgin cola!!

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 18:52
by mcmbenjamin
Onboard is VCola :( but normally in the CHs there is Coke products. I have taken proper Diet Coke from the JFK CH only to consume onboard. But now Diet Pepsi is my drink of choice as it taste less like cancer.

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 20:40
by Richard28
Originally posted by mcmbenjamin
But now Diet Pepsi is my drink of choice as it taste less like cancer.


Lol [:0]

I'm normally a Diet Coke person at home, but dont have a problem with Virgin Cola on board, once it's mixed with Jack Daniels, it's more difficult to taste the difference anyhow!

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 22:39
by Mutley
I've only sampled Virgin Cola twice, it reminded me of Panda Cola, which was always sold in my local fish & chips shop when I was a kid - I'm sure the 35+ VF Brit's will remember it.

Mutley.

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 22:42
by preiffer
Nowt wrong with Panda Cola - OR Rola-Cola for that matter ;)

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 22:42
by Littlejohn
Panda with Pucka pies and chips - happy days. :)

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 22:44
by Mutley
I liked Panda Cola, until my parents road-tripped me to Butlins with 50 cans of the stuff. [:$]

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 22:57
by Littlejohn
Oh that sort of thing can scar a child for life ;). They still do Panda pop BTW.

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2006, 23:10
by mike-smashing
Maybe it's all part of the "Best of Britain" menu? SRB remembers Panda Cola from his childhood? ;)

Cheers,
Mike

PostPosted: 04 Apr 2006, 14:26
by wraf137
Originally posted by Mutley
I've only sampled Virgin Cola twice, it reminded me of Panda Cola, which was always sold in my local fish & chips shop when I was a kid - I'm sure the 35+ VF Brit's will remember it.


I'd forgotten about Panda Cola. I wonder if drinking that [:$] as a child is why I now only drink Coca-Cola? To me, Virgin Cola is like Panda or Dayla or Sodastream or any of the cheap imitations of the 'Real Thing'. Because I don't mix it with anything, I really do taste the difference.

And I get very annoyed [:(!] if I ask for Coke (a brand name) and am given something which isn't Coke. After all, if someone asks - and pays - for Guinness they don't expect to get a generic own-brand stout. I once reported a pub landlord to Pepsi for selling some grotty cheap draught cola as Pepsi; turns out it wasn't just the Pepsi he was fiddling, but it was my complaint which sent the brewery people in to investigate.

Does anyone know if they have Coca-Cola in the Escape Lounge at Manchester? I like mcmbenjamin's idea, but unfortunately [n] there isn't a CH at Manchester.

PostPosted: 04 Apr 2006, 15:46
by Richard28
Originally posted by wraf137
And I get very annoyed if I ask for Coke (a brand name) and am given something which isn't Coke


I'm quite the opposite, I always find it amusing when I ask for a Coke, and the staff apologise and ask if Pepsi is okay!

makes no difference to me, always makes me giggle! [8D]

PostPosted: 04 Apr 2006, 15:50
by FV75
There are so many drinks and foods that formed the basis of our youth. I loved soda streams. There was also a lorry that visited our street selling fizzy drinks, Corona I think it was called, we then used to get money back on the bottle, those were the days.

PostPosted: 04 Apr 2006, 16:56
by milehigh
I think Panda drinks are still available but maybe not the cola? Hall and woodhouse make the brand in Blandford Dorset. All the Mixers on Virgin Aircraft are Virgin Drinks Company (though the licence has been sold to princes foods)

http://www.princes.co.uk/brands/virgin.php

Though sometimes when there are shortages at the carterers they will sometimes put Other well known brands onboard. currently mixers consist of V Cola, Diet V Cola, Ginger Ale, lemonade, Tonic, Diet Tonic and Bitter Lemon.

Water however is alwasys changeing as it has a long shelf life just gets sent back on next flight so is pot luck though generally EX UK is BUXTON and S Pelagrino EX USA normall Crystal Geyser

PostPosted: 04 Apr 2006, 17:57
by Littlejohn
Originally posted by milehigh
I think Panda drinks are still available but maybe not the cola? Hall and woodhouse make the brand in Blandford Dorset.

I can confirm that I regularly see the little bottles in newsagents around here [y] including the cola I believe.

PostPosted: 04 Apr 2006, 20:38
by MarkJ
Sorry - here comes the boring "caterer" bit!!

Virgin Cola is manufactured by Cott - a Canadian based compnay that tried a few years back to get into the UK market in a big way and break up the dominance held by Coca- Cola (Coca-cola and Schweppes Beverages CCSB in the UK) and Pesi ( Britvic run in the UK) They worked hard and make a number of own label brands for the supermarkets including Sainsbury's cola.

However - and I apologise for not knowing his name - but the CEO of Cott was taken to court for "business irre3gularities" a few years back - he always claimed that Cott was getting too close to Coke and Pepsi and it was a smear campaign by them - but who knows

You can see cott at http://www.cott.com if you are interested

Also - just out of interest - guess how Coke measure their market share - not in litres ,pints, gallons, or any other tyoe of measurement - but in "share of throat" - they do not see their competitors as Pepsi and other soft drinks - but as ANY drink!!

As a caterere I find them arrogant to deal with - but when youre number one I guess you can be!!!!
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