Why Some Reddit Users Are Super Confused By This Sam's Club Soda Machine
Sam's Club and Costco are popular retailers that have managed to impress many shoppers across the country. That said, Redditors can't help but talk about some of the unexpected things that they've occasionally spotted while shopping: For example, some folks recently noted that a vending machine at Sam's Club has the Coca-Cola logo but not a single Coke product. This appeared to confuse several commenters on the thread.
The Redditor who found a photo of the vending machine was trying to make a different point, though. They posted the picture in the r/Costco subreddit and wrote that the food court at Sam's Club has more options than Costco. This prompted someone to write, "Yeah, this only applies if you drink soda which I don't. And who in their right mind would go to Sam's Club just because they have better drinks?" The conversation turned to Costco, and users pointed out that the wholesale store did not have Coke products in their food courts either and purportedly faced trouble with Coca-Cola in the past. A Redditor wrote, "They used to have Coke, but if I remember correctly Coke tried strong-arming Costco and they dropped them."
Coke and Costco were at odds in 2009
According to a report by NPR, Costco decided to get rid of Coca-Cola items in 2009 after a dispute. Apparently, the two companies were arguing over the prices of the beverages and were struggling to resolve their differences. Costco even put up signs that read, "At present we are not carrying Coke products because we cannot provide the value our customers deserve." Later that year, the two companies managed to figure out a solution and Costco decided to add Coca-Cola to its shelves again, per Reuters. A spokesperson for the beverage company said in a statement, "Our program aligns Coca-Cola's brand and package offerings with the needs of Costco's members in a way that is fair and equitable for both Costco and Coca-Cola."
And in 2013, Costco announced that its food courts would offer Pepsi instead of Coke products at all its outlets, according to a BevNET report (via Business Insider). The move was especially relevant to the popular hot dog combo offered at Costco. The retailer insisted that this change wasn't related to the 2009 controversy — Alan Bubitz, the company's VP of fresh foods said, "It's a big shift ... they're the only vendor we've ever had for the majority of the business locations." Bubitz added that the company was merely focusing on preserving "the integrity of the price point."