Curry brand relaunches old flavor after social media backlash
Consumers complained after Patak’s UK changed its signature (and popular) flavor. Brand managers quickly got the message.
Indian food company Patak’s messed with its lime pickle recipe, and—like Coca-Cola circa 1985—learned a harsh lesson about tampering with a classic product from its devotees.
The new recipe took out some of the oil and added in more lime and kalonji seeds. Customers hated it.
Fans of the original took to Facebook, Amazon, Twitter and other social media platforms to express their disappointment in the change. They called it “foul” and said it tasted like “toilet cleaner”—among many other negative superlatives.
Brand managers heard the criticism loud and clear. The original recipe is back, and many call it a case study in smart social listening.
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