The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THERE has been a widespread uproar over the change in taste of the Mazoe brand, a product of Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited with consumers demanding that the company reverts to its previous recipe which they say tasted better.
A social media war erupted on Twitter and Facebook as consumers feel the Mazoe brands now taste like “sweet aid” and “jollie juice”.
A post on Facebook read: “Anyone else notice that Mazoe Blackberry tastes awful…yak” from one Medina Manual.
This was followed by a number of comments with people concurring that the taste has indeed changed.
“It’s true I have two bottles with me right now which I bought weeks ago. The first tasted funny I abandoned it then I bought the second one at a different town but still the same I think the manufacturers need to know,” said George Viyazha.
“You are so right, I was wondering what is going on, it is seriously horrible right now. I won’t be buying for the foreseeable future. And Minute Maid Pulpy is also now dodgy,” said another consumer.
However, after seeing the wrath of consumers, Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited issued a statement on their website explaining why the country’s most preferred brands had suddenly changed their taste.
“The Coca-Cola Company has taken a global decision to do more when it comes to the issue of obesity. Around the world, eating and drinking less sugar is an increasingly important issue for many people. Sugar in both foods and beverages can be part of a balanced lifestyle if people don’t have too much.
“We support the current recommendation by several leading health authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO), that people should limit their intake of added sugar to no more than 10 percent of their total energy/calorie consumption. We’ve begun a journey towards this goal, including reducing the sugar in our Mazoe Syrups and Mazoe Orange Crush,” said the company.
The company said the new formulation has less sugar and contains low calories/non-nutritive sweeteners. They said the sweeteners that they now use are some of the most thoroughly researched ingredients in the world, with scientific studies consistently confirming their use and safety.
