As I mentioned in another thread, I recently visited SE TN. Before I went there, I sent an email to the folks at Double Cola. I told them where I'd be and asked for the closest place I could find Diet Ski and Diet Double Cola. I was informed that Diet Double Cola is "no longer being produced on a regular basis," but that Diet Ski could be found at any Bi-Lo supermarket in Cleveland, TN.

On the one day that I was able to get to Cleveland, I checked both Bi-Lo stores there, and I found no Ski or Double Cola. I also checked a Food Lion, a Wal-Mart, a Cooke's Grocery, and several convenience stores. There was no sign of any Double Cola products anywhere. I was told in one store, "they don't make that anymore."

After I got back home, I sent a follow-up message to the person at Double Cola. I was told that, after checking with their distributors, Double Cola products had been dropped from the shelves at Bi-Lo because it was not selling well. The person then told me that my best bet in the future to find their products would be in KY. If Double Cola products aren't selling well in the area that was once the heart of their business, that doesn't bode well for their future.

I would hate to see Double Cola products disappear. Ski, in particular, is a very good drink. In my opinion, it's better than either of Coke's citrus sodas (Vault or Mello Yello).

I hope not, I've only had ski one time and I loved it. I would buy it regularly if it was sold anywhere near me.

the last 3+ years around st. louis ski has been alot easier to find grocery stores, convenience stores, supercenters, have all been carrying ski, diet ski, and cherry ski.

DC products have been hard to find in the Chattanooga area, for at least the past 5-10 years. Last time I was there, in 2004, only saw them in a couple of stores (Bi-Lo in Ooltewah was one of them). Although their HQ is in Chattanooga, none of the brands have actually been produced in TN for years. RC Evansville is the last place I know that still cans DC, Ski, etc.
As for DC corporate, I've found that their info is often outdated. Their website still shows Double Dry ginger ale, a brand that's been out of production for at least 3 years.
Regarding diet DC, it was still being produced by RC Evansville a year ago, and could be found in Evansville area supermarkets like Marsh or Buehler's.

Even though Double Cola products are no longer being produced in Chattanooga, you'd think that they would want their products to remain visible around their corporate headquarters. From what I've read, however, their corporate HQ is really just a holding company that is owned by a British firm. I think the owners of DC are just trying to milk whatever money they can out of the DC products without putting any money into advertising and/or expanding their customer base.

I wonder how well the DC products (Ski in particular) would sell if Wal-Mart bought the U.S. rights to them (as they did with Grapette) and used them in place of their Sam's Choice line of soft drinks?

Originally Posted by CitrusCola

The person then told me that my best bet in the future to find their products would be in KY. If Double Cola products aren't selling well in the area that was once the heart of their business, that doesn't bode well for their future.

I would hate to see Double Cola products disappear. Ski, in particular, is a very good drink. In my opinion, it's better than either of Coke's citrus sodas (Vault or Mello Yello).

Growing up, I always thought of Kentucky as "the area that was the heart" of their business anyway as Greensburg was one of their biggest bottlers. When they went out of business, it hurt DC & Ski distribution in these parts.

As someone mentioned, it is still popular around Evansville. You can still find Ski (but not necessarily Double Cola) in various parts of Kentucky, especially in IGA (Houchens) stores. Down near Lake Cumberland is one area you can find it at IGA & at many convenience stores (Albany, Columbia, and other cities), and you can also find it along the Western KY Parkway (Hodgenville, Leitchfield, and probably E-town).

Last time I was down in Albany, there still was at least one working Ski vending machine! ;-)

IIRC, the Ski distribution rights are now owned by a Coke distributor in part of the state, but may be distributed by RC Evansville in places near there. I believe a Dad's distributor must distribute Ski also as I have found it in the cooler units with Dad's products in a store in Millersburg, KY (North of Lexington).

Originally Posted by Cheer-wined

As for DC corporate, I've found that their info is often outdated. Their website still shows Double Dry ginger ale, a brand that's been out of production for at least 3 years.

Are the Jumbo brands still in production?

Originally Posted by Dumas Walker

IIRC, the Ski distribution rights are now owned by a Coke distributor in part of the state, but may be distributed by RC Evansville in places near there. I believe a Dad's distributor must distribute Ski also as I have found it in the cooler units with Dad's products in a store in Millersburg, KY (North of Lexington).

Correct. Ennis Coke in Elizabethtown has Ski/Diet Ski.

Off-topic, but they also have the Coke distribution rights in Tullahoma TN, and they have a neat company store out in front of the plant. And in E-town, there's a Coke museum right off the highway.

The Source Comics & Games in Falcon Heights (a suburb between Minneapolis & Saint Paul), Minnesota currently have bottled Double-Cola and Ski Soda in their store and report very brisk sales of both brands!

The last time I was at Catawissa Bottling in PA they no longer bottled it either. (Double-Cola)