Week 3 Part: 1
Machine parts in my
coconut chips?
In an ongoing and often failing effort
to eat at least a little healthier I tend to snack on more healthy
quick-grab items such as baked edamame because I think that I hate
flavor for some unknown reason. It is hard to find a balance between
a snack food that hits the right notes of flavor and texture while
not causing my arteries to harden and clog after the first bite.
Often the balance is stuck by a company that produces an item that is
more Styrofoam with a sprinkle of salt. Yes, if you eat it you will
live but it living worth the price? I thought so when I bought a
brand of coconut chips that were rather good and came in salty and
sweet varieties. The first bag I opened was good until I crunched
down on a small chunk of metal that was in the bag. I was a little
shocked and taken back and kinda mad. I attempted to email the
company with the issue and after a few days of not receiving any
response I decided to post on there twitter and facebook pages and
include picture of the metal. The response took under an hour which
is pretty impressive for a CRS team based in the Philippines where it
was well after midnight on a Monday morning. They requested the lot
codes and such from the packaging and some high def pics of the chunk
of metal in order to identify what plant and machine it came from. I
couple weeks later I received a large box full of coconut chips and
coupons for coconut chips. I did eat them because they are indeed
delicious and even with the threat of stray bits of steel still safer
to eat then a cheeseburger.
I fact they they were concerned with
the potential for loose metal to be in their food products is not at
all surprising. Any company that liked not being sued is likely to do
the same thing. What did surprise me was the response time from the
local team. It was impressed.
I agree with your synopsis, there is delicate balance between tasting like Styrofoam, and eating greasy delicious cheese burger. There must be a happy medium, and I think you hit the head of the nail,with the coconut chips example. You could have taken legal ramifications with the metal piece found in the snack. You made decision to inform the company of there defective product. I believe you saved other consumers lives, or grave illness by reporting this flaw to the company. The company was direct, and eager to respond to your concerns, and that's really all you can ask for.
ReplyDeleteYour story was very interesting and funny, I can't believe there was metal in your chips. It's crazy that people won't reply to an email but will right away be on the look for a story like this on their social media and make sure to make you happy by sending you free chips. I agree that that's what makes people happy with their business.
ReplyDeleteI deal with a company oversea, social media and email responses are instant. I have to say that the metal shaving you found inside your bag of coconut chips sounds like equipment malfunction. I wonder how many more cases similar to your's?
ReplyDelete