Yesterday, a doctor, sugar planter, chef, and golfer gathered at a famous restaurant to chat. The doctor ordered a coffee, the sugar planter ordered a tea by C2, the chef ordered a lemonade, and the golfer ordered a Coca-Cola. The server informed the golfer, “Sorry, sir, we do not serve Coke, the owner is boycotting.”
When pressed further, the server said she did not know why and were only told, “Coke is not available anymore.”
This exchange ignited a discussion among the group.
The doctor noted it was sugar planters that rallied in front of the Coca-Cola bottling plant that influenced restaurants to stop serving the beverage. The golfer questioned the rationale, pointing out, “The Coke factory in Bacolod City is only using local sugar, what’s the problem?”
The golfer called it “a sign of patronage,” and that to dictate how a company should operate seems out of order.
The sugar planter said Coca-Cola needs to stop using high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and use local sugar in place of that, claiming the current inclusion of HFCS in their product is negatively impacting the sugarcane industry. However, the chef replied, “If I bake a cake and the recipe calls for the use of HFCS, will planter demand I use sugar?”
The golfer added, “Other products include HFCS, why only boycott Coke?”
The doctor asked, “If Coke buys sugar at the company’s desired price, would sugar planters agree?” To which the chef noted, “A company looks at what is best for their business, not their suppliers.”
The doctor also pointed out, a boycott will never grossly impact the company as they can always find ways of making up losses from the boycott elsewhere.
He added, if Coca-Cola complies with the demands of the sugar industry, do they then have the right to mandate all sugar workers to drink Coke for the rest of their lives?
“This is a free country, there is free trade, why must they dictate on what material to use?” the doctor asked.
In line with the justification expressed by those boycotting, the chef proposed sugar planters petition against the artificial sweeteners used for coffee, since that also lowers the consumption of sugar.
It was a good thing for the beverage producer to invite the media on a tour of their facility, where reporters saw the use of local sugar – something planters should see for themselves, the golfer noted.
The chef states sugar planters should appreciate Coca-Cola using local sugar. If it’s not appreciated, the company can easily switch to artificial sweeteners since planters have already expressed they won’t believe them anyway.
He continued, “No one has the authority to tell me what sweetener I use for my cakes.”
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This column greets Nathan Pugales, Junjun Martir, Manny Parroco, Cris Constantino, Ariston Miñez, Jr, Alex Pastor, Joseph del Rosario, Jayson Tupas, Ovie Villaflor, Chard Oquendo, Ismael Algara, Boy Villavacencio, and Gus Cabansag./WDJ