A Breakfast and a Boycott

Hello everyone, it's Carla here again! As I promised you, I'm here to share another of my letter adventures. This particular adventure involves one of my favorite food groups: SOUP.

This series of letters took place during what I like to call my "soup phase." I decided to write to the company who makes some of my favorite soups, Imagine Foods, who are run by the Hain Celestrial Group. They make some very delicious organic soups, in all sorts of flavorful flavors. I thought that Imagine Foods would like to hear my idea which will revolutionize the entire soup and morning industry.

Read on to hear my idea! I found two different addresses listed for Imagine Foods, so I sent the same letter to both to make sure my idea reached them.




So there it is: Breakfast soups! What an exciting idea that could really shake up the cereal and oatmeal aisle! Right now the only breakfast soup available is split pea and bacon, which isn't appropriate for all seaons. I thought Imagine Foods would really love to jump on board with this idea, especially with my personal favorite breakfast soup flavor, the Bacon, Egg & Cheese Swirl. It is even more delicious than it sounds.


It will taste like this^^^...........


But look like this! ^^^


But here's where my disappointment begins. On April 8th , 2009, I received this letter back from Hain Celestial. It seems to be a normal letter, but take a close look.



"Thank you for your continued support of Zia Natural Skincare."

That was all the proof I needed to see that this was, in fact, a GENERIC response letter. Not only generic, but also completely incorrect, as if Kathy from Consumer Relations couldn't even take the time to proofread before sending. After stewing in my anger for a few weeks, I knew what I had to do.






Yes, you read that correctly. I called for a BOYCOTT OF IMAGINE FOODS. I knew it would be hard for me because I love their soup so much, but amongst the many causes I feel passionately about, soup and customer service are very high indeed.

If you thought Kathy and the resulting boycott had closed the Imagine Soups chapter in my life, you would be mistaken. While still reeling from Kathy's reply, I received another letter from the Hain Celestial Group.






Well, now this is more like it! James and Kathy both called me a "valued customer," but I can tell that James really means it. James and Kathy also both gave me free coupons, but Kathy probably meant hers to go to Zia Natural Skincare and James can tell that I'm serious about soup. When I read that James said that he is going to send my suggestions straight to the Leadership Team, I was so thrilled that he could recognize the validity and NEED for breakfast soups. I of course wrote back to him.









Though James has not replied to me yet with either his telephone/beeper number or a marketing quote, I just know that he's working hard to bring our breakfast soups to the world. I think that the Chunky Cereal Cornucopia breakfast soup will be a big hit when it hits the shelves!

I also haven't heard back from Kathy, but I'm guessing that she is scared that I am still angry with her. I am, but I've cooled off a little bit since then. I have to admit that I haven't kept my boycott going as strong since James was so nice to me. I only boycott Imagine soups about once a week now.

I would also like to mention that I am in the process of looking into having my breakfast soups copyrighted, so please do not try to steal any of my flavors or ideas. I would also like to strongly suggest that you do not attempt the Blueberry Pancake Blast breakfast soup, as my testers had quite an unfavorable reaction to it.

Your Friend,


Carla K. Thasman


PS--Are any of you readers currently boycotting a food, company or animal? I once met a boy who was boycotting Doritos and I know an old woman who boycotts shorts. How did YOUR boycotts go?