Last year, Holly Robinson Peete appeared on the hit reality show, Celebrity
Apprentice, where she competed against 13 other contestants in hopes of
benefiting the charity founded by her and her husband. Peete eventually placed
second in the competition, losing to
Poison front man and "Rock of Love" star Bret Michaels.
As part of
their season finale challenge, Peete and Michaels were both assigned to create a new drink flavor
for Snapple, along with a corresponding ad campaign. Michaels, who has diabetes,
came up with the Trop-A-Rocka flavor, while Peete, who has a son with
autism, created Compassionberry Tea. Peete’s drink benefited
the HollyRod Foundation, a non-profit organization that assists those with autism and Parkinson’s
disease, while Michaels’ flavor supported the American Diabetes Association.
Public response to both drinks after the finale was overwhelmingly positive.
However, in a not-so-compassionate move, Snapple has apparently pulled the plug on Peete’s drink, just one month before Autism Awareness Month.
Earlier last week, she tweeted the following:
"Disappointed 2 hear that @snapple is discontinuing my #compassionberry tea flavor which is not only yummy but spreading #autism awareness…"There were no further details as to why Snapple decided to discontinue Peete’s Compassionberry flavor, however, in a subsequent tweet, she noted that despite the move, Snapple was still continuing to carry the competing tea created by Michaels:
"@Snapple is only discontinuing my #compassionberry supporting #autism happy they r keeping Bret’s tea 4 #diabetes but room 4 both"Presumably, this was strictly a business decision by Snapple based on sales and/or demand. However, nixing the drink so close to Autism Awareness Month, while at the same time keeping Michaels’ flavor, is the kind of move that would be worthy of a hot-seat in Trump’s board room.
Admittedly, I have not tried the drink, however, there have been many who have commented on its great taste. Compassionberry ingredients include passion fruit and strawberries, along with traditional tea flavors.
For those who would like to see the Compassionberry Tea make a comeback, a note can be sent to Snapple’s consumer affairs division here.
Dear Snapple -
I have always been a big fan of all your drinks – over many years.
Yet I can’t help but wonder who in your marketing division – hatched this curt and INcompassionate idea to pull your Compassionberry Teas off the shelf so close to Autism Awareness month of April?!?!
Bad move.
No longer a fan or customer,
Sandi J.
Mom of 2 boys on the Autistic spectrum
Dear Snapple, if you pull Compassionberry Tea I will no longer be a supporter of yours and I have urged all my friends and family members to do the same.
I too have a child on the Autism spectrum. I personally love the Compassionberry Tea and request that the Snapple company please keep it on the market at least through April, and possibly bring it back for Autism awareness month on a yearly basis. Please consider all of the great benefits this product gives to our children through publicity and awareness. Thank you!
Dear Snapple- Though I have no personal experience with autism, I know several people who do, and it is a bit ridiculous to discontinue the Compassionberry Tea flavor so close to the month promoting disease awareness. In addition to promoting awareness, the flavor is one of Snapple’s best, in my opinion. I urge you to continue selling the flavor, especially since Bret Michaels’ competing flavor is receiving continued support.
To whom it may concern,
I have been a huge fan of snapple tea for quite sometime, with my favorite being that of the new compassionberry. So you can imagine my dissapointment of hearing that this flavor was going to be discontinued. I think it is a huge mistake for your company and a huge loss to the millions of children who are affected by Autisim! It has been said you should never judge another unless you have walked a mile in his shoes, perhaps if the responsible party who made the descision to discontinue the Commpassionberry tea would have to walk a mile in the shoes of a parent who has an Autistic child, maybe there would have been a more compasionate descision made instead of an economic one. That is just one of the many problems with the world today way too many people are being led around by there wallets instead of their hearts. I think I have made my position clear as to were I stand on this matter and I end this with hope that the people of the Snapple Co. will reconsider their descision and show that they are a company who prides themselves on being aware and conscience of all those who have an opinion and those the children who are affected by Autism who can’t make there opinion known.
Dear Snapple Marketing Director,
As a former Fortune 500 Corporate Executive I have always chosen to align myself with promoting community and socially redeeming values, because my experience has shown that when a corporation does this over thinking SOLELY about money, that corporation will ultimately greatly prevail with solid staying power over the competition!
Also as the very thankful father greatly blessed for over 28 years with a child having Autism, I humbly suggest for you to have a HEART, for yours and millions of other children’s sake by continuing the Compassionberry Snapple Tea.
Here’s Wishing You Continued Success,
F. T. Nolligan Perry,LSW,MBA
I think that’s ridiculous that Snapple is discontinuing Holly’s Compassionberry Tea. I think it’s pretty obvious what’s going on here…There are many flavors of Snapple that don’t taste very good, but Snapple doesn’t have to split the profits with a charitable organization. I think they should cancel one of their other existing flavors and keep Compassionberry Tea, but they won’t, because they’re greedy bastards. They don’t want to have TWO teas they have to split profits with, this was strictly a heartless business decision by some tightass prick looking to save the company some bucks on production costs or something equally insulting considering Compassionberry Tea was trying to help raise money to improve people’s lives. Way to go, Snapple! What a way to be nothing more than a bunch of scumbag sycophantic punks.
Acoustic for Autism urges Snapple to reconsider their decision to stop supporting the autism community.
Only problem for me was that I rarely if ever saw these 2 celebrity teas in any stores around here. I don’t care for Snapple like I did 20 years ago, but if I ever saw these teas I would buy them and drink them.
My Local Walmart carried both of these and I always noticed Holly’s was always fully stocked while Bret’s was close to empty. I actually never tried Holly’s and usually don’t drink Snapple, because I just don’t usually like it. I decided to buy Brett’s and glad I did. It’s the only Snapple I buy, still do this day. Glad they kept that one!
I’m in agreement with Fred Flintstone. I have always found that Bret’s flavor was always low in stock, or sold out, and Holly’s flavor was never short on supply…not many folks purchased that one. I, myself, tried both flavors, and Bret’s is the sure winner for me. I am thrilled Snapple didn’t discontinue it. It’s one of the few flavors I drink regularly. Too bad Snapple used such bad judgment on the timing for discontinuing Holly’s. They surely could have waited.