Among the most popular blogs I’ve managed to write during my time with Connect-Bridgeport involve things no longer with us. In particular, traffic on the Web site saw a significant spike on blogs that were written about a couple of topics involving extinct products.

 

A recent blog about products once offered by McDonald’s and an older blog on candy that is either no longer available or only available in special locations or by mail both drew heavy numbers and plenty of comments. I thought of that recently when I noticed another product that I had become extremely fond of appears to have made its way – or is making its way – out of the market.

 

With that in mind, I thought it was time to not only talk about that product, but several others that have come and gone in recent years and not-so-recent years that I’ve come to love only to see it removed from the shelves. So what was it that triggered my idea for this blog where I hope to see plenty of input from others on products no longer with us?

 

Probably a year or so ago, Pepsi introduced us all to Pepsi Next. It was advertised as having just 60 calories per serving and 30 to 40 percent less sugar that standard Pepsi. Since I like pop or soda if you prefer, and drink a lot of diet drinks that my friends say are just as bad for me, I figured this was a great alternative.

 

I could drink a few cans a week, get my fix and do so with standard sugar and none of the diet drink and the multitude of artificial ingredients I’ve been warned about (Pepsi Next does have limited artificial sweeteners). In relatively short order, it was about the only pop I would drink. In fact, I even occasionally brought 12 packs of it and put in the office to drink in case the urge hit me.

 

A few months ago, I noticed it wasn’t available at Bridgeport Sheetz as a single bottle purchase. Then, it was gone from the Bridgeport Go Mart on Johnson Avenue. Then, it was gone just about everywhere. I saw a friend who works for Pepsi and said they weren’t stocking it because they weren’t selling it.

 

It’s not a Kroger. It’s not at Wal-Mart, Shop n’ Save or Food Lion. Heck, it wasn’t to be found at Myrtle Beach or any gas stations along the way.

 

Panic set in. I found two 2-liter bottles at CVS in Clarksburg a month ago and took them. This past Saturday, I found three 2-liter bottles at Target and was relieved until the cashier told me she didn’t think they were going to stock the product any more. I will go back and check, but not the news I want to hear.

 

As for the Internet, there are no answers; only a ton of people asking where Pepsi Next is at. And I’ve got no official response from Pepsi on their Web site after I fired off a scathing email to them. Even a Pepsi locator store says it’s available locally. It isn’t.

 

Now, I’m left wondering if I’ll ever enjoy that taste again. Understand that this comes on the heels of Simply Orange Orange Juice with Banana suddenly disappearing. It, too, is supposed to be on the shelves, but I can’t find it anywhere.

 

It joins the ranks of many others such as NesQuick Cereal, which was chocolate milk in a cereal bowl that faded a few years ago after just my first box. And what about Jell-O Pudding Pops? Loved them, and they were banned long before their pitchman Bill Cosby came under fire.

 

Even worse, some of these products – with or without Cosby’s involvement – are actually still available in England. The same was the case on my previous blog on extinct candies, which were readily available either in England or various parts of Europe.

 

By the way, although it’s not a single food item, does anyone miss Wendy’s Super Bar? You could make a pile of Nachos as high at Mount Everest and the blue cheese dressing, honestly, was as good as any upscale joint I’ve been to (and that means with menu items over $10). Granted, the pasta on it wasn’t too tasty, but the Mexican food choices and the salad allowed for a $4 investment to pay off all day long.

 

Unfortunately, all this writing about things no longer with us has made me sad and a bit thirsty. I’m going to go drink a can of Hubba Bubba soda.

 

What? They don’t make that anymore.  All this tells me is that the end of the world is at hand.

 

And now the ball – or food – is in your court. Let me know what you miss in the comment section below.