COCA COLA AND ITS "FAKE" STEVIA

Today I am not going to write about wine, beer or any other drink. The purpose of this entrance is to make you think and judge by yourself. To my mind, customers should know the truth and have information about it. I am going to talk about a plant called Stevia and how some big multinationals, such as The Coca Cola Company, are taking advantage of this sweetener using that name.

First of all I am going to introduce you a little bit what this plant is. Stevia rebaudiana is a plant species in the genus Stevia commonly known as sweetlead or sugarleaf, which is grown for its sweet leaves, the source of sweetener products known as stevia. Stevia is a sweetener and sugar substitute. Its taste has got a slower onset and longer duration than sugar and some of its extracts may have a bitter aftertaste. Moreover, stevia is much sweetener that sugar and it is becoming more popular due to the rise in demand of low-carbohydrate and low-sugar sweetener. What is more, stevia has got a negligible effect on blood glucose it is attractive to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets or with sugar problems (it acts as a sugar regulator).

Stevia by itself does criticise the unethical business of the aspartame, which is a chemical and artificial carcinogenic sweetener and it also would reduce the consumption of some medicines if people took stevia instead of other sweeteners.

For marketing reasons and to improve the brand image The Coca Cola Company has launched a product called Coca-Cola life which according to this company is produced with Stevia. This product was launched in the UK last September. So, in theory this product should be healthier than the previous Coca Cola’s products. However, what Coca Cola does not say is that this product contents an ingredient called Truvia (20% Stevia and 80% Erythritol). Erythritol is a polyol that increases blood glucose of diabetics. In addition, the absence of more information by the company itself, must be assumed to be added flavors addictive as we have already used in their products. It is also important to say that from this 20% of  Stevia, 0% is Stevioside, the only component of the Stevia sweetener with medicinal properties.

Here you have an example how Coca Cola hides all this information said above: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNs9gIyUiEw Another example how Coca Cola lies is when on its webpage says that is not an unhealthy drink http://preguntasyrespuestas.cocacola.es/respuesta/bebidas-para-deportistas (it is in Spanish, but you could translate the answer on Google Translator).

You are what you eat. So, as a consumer you should get information. Now it is your choice if you would like to continue drinking Coca Cola. At least, you have got the information. But, do not be scammed.

To sum up, be a responsible consumer!

Cheers!

RUDE WINES

Do you live in the UK and you are a wine lover? If the answer is yes, I totally recommend you to buy wine online on Rude Wines’ webpage. A box of 12 bottles of remarkable wine for just £49.99 (free delivery)! So, the unitary cost is £4.16. You can choose between a red wine box, a mixed box (white, rose and red) and just a white wine box.  For this offer you cannot choose the wines that you want, but believe me the wines are all good and especially I really liked the Argentinian Malbec. Regarding the white wines, to my mind, the best ones are the African Bonnievale and the Chilean Santa Alba Sauvignon Blanc. Apart from this offer you can also buy other offers but they are a little bit more expensive. However, the quality of the wines is much better.

If you just want to buy one bottle or independent bottles instead of a box you could also do it. Rude wines have a selection of worldwide red, white and rose wines and sparkling wines (prosecco, champagne and cava).  You will find all unitary prices between £7 and £28. So, the box offer is worth it. The only misdeed of the boxes, as said above, is that you cannot choose the exact wines that you want.  Another drawback in general is that is compulsory to buy 12 bottles minimum. Moreover, the delivery costs £7.99, except if you buy the offer box, which in that case, the delivery is free.

So, what are you waiting for? Check the following webpage http://www.rudewines.co.uk/, order a box and you will have wine for value for money for a long time. By the way, drink in moderation. I hope you will enjoy Rude Wines and its bottles!

Cheers!

VI BARAT AMB UN LOOK MODERN: CASA MARIOL

Casa Mariol fa vi barat presentant-lo amb un look modern.  Gràcies a això s’ha convertit en un cas d’èxit que recupera i reposiciona el vermut en el mercat. Aquí en teniu la seva filosofia segons Casa Mariol”:

“EL SECRET DE L'ÈXIT = L'HONESTEDAT. Nosaltres som una família treballadora i austera. I d'això n'hem fet UNA BANDERA.

SABEM FER VINS BONS A BAIX PREU.

EL DISSENY I LA IDENTITAT del nostre PRODUCTE HA SIGUT CLAU PER AL SEU POSICIONAMENT.

HEM REFORMULAT EL VERMUT = I SÍ, QUALSEVOL PRODUCTE ÉS susceptible de ser REPENSAT = TOTS.

TOTS ELS PRODUCTES t'han de fer SENTIR BÉ.

PUC AGAFAR EL MÓN LADY GAGA I PORTAR –LO AL MÓN DELS VINS. L'IMPORTANT ÉS DESCONTEXTUALITZAR.

ELS LÍMITS SÓN ULTRACREATIUS = NO VULL ANAR A BUSCAR INVERSORS.

Cal REIVINDICAR l'estructura PETITA = L''SMALL THINKING'.”

Amb una història de més de 100 anys dedicada el vi i a la terra, Casa Mariol va néixer com a societat l’any 1945 a Batea (Terra Alta) amb el nom de Casa. Als anys 60 es va construir una nova bodega ja més modern i es van deixar de produir els vins a Casa. Casa Mariol, tot i que té les bodegues a la Terra Alta prop de la Sagrada Família, a Barcelona, concretament al Carrer Rosselló 442. A més a més de ser una botiga també disposa de servei de taula, on es  pot gaudir d’un bon vermut o d’un bon vi juntament amb tapes com formatges, pernil, embotits… molt a prop del  temple de la Sagrada Família. Entre els seus productes hi trobem vermut, vi jove, vi criança, vi reserva i finalment, cava.

Pel que fa al vermut negre de Casa Mariol, el seu producte estrella, és un vermut elaborat des de fa 60 anys amb macabeu. És un vermut artesanal en clau moderna. La seva ampolla directa i amb un petit tot de sentit de l’humor deixa clar que contingut del seu interior, que val la pena tastar.  I tot per 6,60 euros l’ampolla. 

A part de vendre pel mercat local i pel mercat espanyol  l’empresa ha crescut a través de la internacionalització. Actualment els seus productes els podem trobar als Estats Units d’Amèrica, a la Xina, Polònia, Andorra, Dinamarca, Suècia i al Regne Unit. 

Com ha aconseguit l’empresa aquest look modern? Doncs molt senzill, fent una etiqueta senzilla, moderna i fins i tot m’atreviria a dir divertida. Tradicionalment, els vins, fossin cars o barats, bons o dolents, tots tenien una etiqueta seriosa que s’emblava que fos un vi car, com si es tractés d’un vi reserva francès amb un alt cost. I un dia en Miquel Àngel Vaquer, tot reincorporant-se a l’empresa familiar va plantejar-se el per què un vi no pot tenir un tret diferenciador en el disseny de l’etiqueta. A partir d’aquí en Miquel  Àngel es va posar en contacte amb la firma de disseny gràfic Bendita Gloria, la qual la clava: reformula la imatge del vi de Casa Mariol i li dóna una imatge molt diferent, fet que canvi el posicionament del producte. 

Doncs, Casa Mariol ha aconseguit capgirar el món del vi i del vermut, ja que des d’una empresa familiar ha sabut introduir un nou estil de comunicació tot redissenyant l’estètica del producte. El resultat? Una historia d’èxit fent les coses ben fetes. En resum, Casa Mariol és una barreja de qualitat, creativitat, innovació i exteriorització.

Salut i bon vi!