The latest "Colbert for Thought" has disturbing news, weird news, and actually good news in the world of food.
"Snackify" and "drinkify" are not words, but in the land of PepsiCo, these are buzz words to sell Tropolis from Tropicana, fruit puree in a squeezable pouch.
Colbert mocks the concept by pointing out that "fruit, in its current form is impossible to eat." He shows us how to open a banana with a hammer and wonders if PepsiCo can design an "apple snack encased in some sort of edible skin."
Fruit is cheaper than these alternatives, and even though PepsiCo says Tropolis is a "good source of fiber" — real fruit has way more fiber and has the extra pleasantry of tasting like fruit.
The weird news is devoted to this relatively new media phenomenon where an ad that never was intended for air gets leaked, and is labeled as "controversial." The ad, stemming from a fan submission in a contest, infers that the Catholic Church changes the wafers to Doritos (also a PepsiCo product).
We have saved the good news for last. 7-11 has slightly reduced the size of the Super Big Gulp from 44 oz. to 40 oz. Shrinking packaging has been prominent on grocery store shelves to reduce content without having to raise prices.
If a 16 oz. box of spaghetti is $1.49, a 12.75 oz. for $1.49 might not look like a price increase, but in a breakdown per ounce, the cost is higher.
Colbert mocks the obsession over huge drinks in a way that is better seen on video than described. Promise that it is funny.
40 oz. is still way too much high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweetener, but somehow, a 4 oz. reduction — however symbolic it might be — is welcome.
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