In a strange announcement that seems to have upset some people, Kosher Today announced in it's newsletter that kosher consumers in California will not be able to enjoy Coca Cola this Pesach, as they had to change the formula in order to meet new California regulations regarding one of the ingredients, and the new formula will not yet be Kosher for Passover. Even in other places where it will be Kosher for Passover, it will be limited to regular Coke and diet, and no other versions.

California is not alone in the tzurres of a First-World country - the same newsletter also informs us that in Chicago there will be confusion in the supermarkets as Pepsi Cola is offering its kosher for Passover drinks under two different kashrus certifications - the Kof-K and US Kosher. I don't know if one is more or less reliable than the other, but people who want to rely on one and not the other will need to pay attention when they go shopping for Pepsi.

To quote Kosher Today:

Los Angeles…Kosher consumers here that were expecting to find Coca Cola for Passover on supermarket shelves were disappointed to learn that the coveted beverage would not be available this year in the State of California due to a quirk in the law that would make the ingredients unacceptable. In a statement, Coca Cola said: “We will not be able to offer Kosher for Passover products in California this year. We expect to offer Kosher for Passover products in 2013.” Coca Cola explained that “the new alternative process caramel required to meet the State of California’s guidelines related to Proposition 65 does not meet the Kosher for Passover requirements. We believe it will in 2013.”

Meanwhile in Chicago, products produced by Pepsi Cola had two different kosher certifications, the Kof-K and US Kosher, based in California. The latter was distributed by independent wholesalers while the company itself distributed the Kof-K products.

But even in states where Coca Cola is available with an OU-P for Pesach, it will only be available in Regular and Diet flavors (not even a Caffeine-Free version). Aside from the New York metropolitan area, Coke will be available in Boston, Baltimore-Washington, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, and Philadelphia. This year, in New York, Coca Cola items will be made with an OU-P in 2 liter bottles.

Several retailers reached by KosherToday said that customers were growing increasingly frustrated at the slim pickings offered by Coke. Pepsi on the other hand was offering Kof-K kosher Passover beverages that included a Caffeine-Free version of regular and diet Pepsi. In addition Pepsi was also producing Passover versions of Seven-Up, Sierra Mist, Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Lemon-Lime Seltzer, Mandarin Orange Seltzer and regular seltzer. It was also offering a variety of Dr. Brown’s flavors.

My thoughts on this are about the same as the burning desire to change the minhag (not from an academic perspective) and eat kitniyos on pesach, or to complain about the lack of chametz foods and how unbearable it is for the week.

That would be - Pesach is only a week long. Get over it.

You can live without rice for a week, you can live without barley in your cholent for a week, you can live without Sprite for a week. There are so many things to be upset about, to be depressed about, to be confused about, in todays world, be it the economy and the Jewish community members who suffer because of it (along with the broader community suffering), be it the terror, be it the Iranian threat, be it whatever serious situation we find ourselves in at any given moment - missing Coca Cola for a week is not a reason to be depressed and confused.

First-World Problems, as we say...

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