Noca Cola

The "super" Wal-Mart opened in Fairmont a few days ago. Today I went, not so much shopping as a scouting expedition to see what all was there and such. Two things were of special interest, since they are things that had earlier meant a trip to Mankato or Sioux Falls. They still do. This store does not have wasabi peas. It also, like the other places in town, lacks Diet Coke with Lime in 24 packs.

They have Diet Coke with Lime, but only in 12 packs like the other stores. What's special about 24 packs? The empty box can be readily used as a receptacle for other (non-corrugated) cardboard for recycling. While other products are available in 24 packs, jmaynard's soft drink of choice is Diet Coke with Lime. I very rarely drink pop anymore so his preferences are all that matter in that area.

The timing of my reconnaissance was fortuitous in one way: I found out that it isn't the stores that are imposing the limitation. It's the bottler/distributor. A fellow was re-stocking one of the island displays of 24 packs of Coke (Regular Coke, Diet Coke, Caffeine Free Coke, and Sprite) and I asked him about 24 packs of Diet Coke with Lime. I was told such was not made, which struck me as strange as I had darn well seen such. It depends on the location, and Fairmont is in the Spirit Lake service area. Spirit Lake doesn't make 24 packs except of the four products listed earlier. I don't know when change took place, as the 24 packs of Diet Coke with Lime were available in Fairmont a couple years ago.

So it looks like there's still reason to shop out of town, even with a "super" Wal-mart. The thing is, Mankato is outside the Spirit Lake service area and so Mankato stores (including Wal-Mart) have Diet Coke with Lime in the desired 24 pack. The Mankato Wal-Mart also has wasabi peas.