Hello,
I am a long time customer who has enjoyed your products for many many years. I'm not sure when I started, but at least 10 years ago I began eating the same breakfast every day -- four packets of instant Maple and Brown Sugar oatmeal. I value a diverse diet but I just couldn't get away from your oatmeal. Unless I was on vacation or visiting a friend or relative, without fail, I had 4 packets daily, made with exactly one cup of boiling water, with milk on top and sometimes a little bit of maple syrup on top when the fancy strikes. It was fast, easy, filling and delicious.
But this morning I found something different. I opened up a new box to see a packet redesign -- no big deal, I've seen many packet and box designs come and go over the years. But then after opening it I was hit with a strong odor. I took a closer look at the box and saw a "new flavor" advertised. I figured I'd give it a shot and pulled my one cup (the maximum capacity of my measuring cup) of water out of the microwave. Unfortunately one cup of water is nowhere near enough to make four packets of your new "hearty texture" oatmeal. There was no way to boil another cup of water before the bowl in front of me got cold, so I decided to just eat around the pockets of arid oats lingering inside my bowl.
With the first bite, I was mortified. Your new flavor is the most foul and repulsive sensation my mouth has been assaulted by in years. The "Maple" "flavor" tastes like a long since expired Z-grade off-brand maple syrup, and it completely overpowers any sense of balance purported by the "& Brown Sugar" title. Resisting all urges to retch/vomit, I choked down about five spoonfuls before succumbing to my tongues better judgment and tossed the bowls entire contents in the trash. I feel completely violated and devastated by the incident.
Why, Quaker? Why would you make such a drastic change to a product like this? I don't doubt that Maple & Brown Sugar has seen subtle changes to its formula over the years; perhaps they were so deft as to sneak past my flavor radar, or perhaps even my own tastes and preferences were evolving with yours. Whatever the case may be, this change is just far too drastic, and is a far cry from any semblance of the quality I've grown to associate you with. You have alienated what was, and what had every intention to remain, a lifelong customer. I hope you make the right decision: to immediately halt production of this new oatmeal and to annihilate all surviving packets. Until then there is no remote possibility that I can continue to purchase and consume your products.
Thank you,
Steve Bates