An old product quietly disappears
A reader just called to say she had been to two grocery stores looking for Postum. When she couldn't find it, she called Kraft, the manufacturer. They told her they had discontinued making the caffeine-free drink, which comes powdered and apparently has a roasted flavor that makes it a nice substitute for coffee.
I knew all this because I heard NPR's Scott Simon on the subject one Saturday morning last month. Postum, made from wheat bran and molasses, was invented more than 100 years ago by C. W. Post.
The Adventist News Network reported that Kraft stopped Postum because the demand was too low. But if you look at Kraft's online message boards, you'll see that consumers have other ideas.
A Swiss drink called Pero may fill in the void. It's made from barley, malted barley, chicory, and rye.
Here's the promotion from their site:
I remember drinking a cup of Postum years ago and thinking it tasted nothing like coffee. I imagine Pero doesn't either, but if you can't tolerate coffee, and you want something hot and milky in the morning, this may be just the thing.
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i never liked postum but first encountered pero in britain (or, rather, its sister product, caro) ... tastes like a slightly malty mocha, not really coffee or chocolate like but suggestions of both. it's awesome with milk (i use soymilk) and a little sweetener.
CW Post made lots of crazy ad claims for postum, for which he was often sued by coffee companies. he had to retract most of his ads but pioneered the one featuring a poor office schlub whose career is irreparably damaged by the 'caffeine shakes.' pretty funny stuff.
This item prompted a whole spectrum of emotional reaction in me. On the one hand, I have a strong nostalgic feeling for Postum, which I haven't had in years, because my dad used to make it for us when we were small -- sort of a "kiddie coffee" to have in the morning.
On the other hand, the stuff tasted nasty. Blech! We'd cry when he'd set cups of it down in front of us on cold winter mornings. But apparently, his mother gave it to him, and he somehow had the notion that it was good for us. (She also convinced him that if you drink milk with fried fish, you'll die of food poisoning. So consequently, we loved fried fish night, because we got to drink iced tea.)
It's a wonder I ever even gave coffee a chance when I got older. ("If it tastes like Postum, no way!")
I grew up with Postum in the cupboard. It reached as far as Jamaica, W.I., and I am sorry to hear that it is gone. Contrary to the other posts above, I happened to like it, and since we didn't drink coffee, we thought it was fine.
I tasted coffee, and quite frankly, I was not impressed with it. Decaf actually tasted better to me (strange tastebuds that I have), but it is not necessarily healthy. I imagine that I will soon taste this Pero drink, if I haven't already. WE will see how good it is.
Why take something off the shelf after 100 years and offer a substitute! I never liked Pero why substitute the flavor? I do not understand!
Kraft makes plenty of income to allow a limited supply for people who love the stuff! Let's make a deal! I will purchase a case if it were available! I have been searching for Postum and can't find it! Help me somebody!
Please start production immediately!
Thank you
Loyal Customer
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