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[maxcriden]

Just about every major food trend is working against Hot Pockets, and Nestlé (NSN:VX) clearly knows it has a problem brand on its hands.

The company tried to revive its line of microwavable meat pouches last year with a foodie makeover, boasting of “premium cuts of meat” and “real cheese” in the new and improved version. But even these quasi-gourmet touches can’t mask the fact that Hot Pockets are processed food sold at a time when consumers are seeking freshness at the expense of frozen options. A beef recall earlier this year also hit Hot Pockets, putting the product at odds with increasing consumer focus on food safety.

Even a new marketing campaign developed with Funny or Die, the popular comedy video website, has failed to turn things around. Hot Pocket sales have continued to fall this year, according to data from IRI, a Chicago market research firm.

Now executives at Nestlé are pointing to another factor in the long-running Hot Pocket cold streak. A temporary boost in federal food-stamp assistance that was introduced in 2009 was allowed to expire in late 2013. Recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are ”a big part of the consumption of this particular product,” said Chris Johnson, executive vice president of Nestlé Business Excellence, during a sales call last week.

“For our Hot Pockets brand, it was not surprising to understand the value our products offered to the SNAP consumer,” said Molly Fogarty, Nestlé vice president for government relations, wrote in an e-mail. A two-pack of Hot Pockets costs about $2.50, she said, and the 12-count package, for around $11, is even more economical.

Reductions in the food-stamp program haven’t just affected Hot Pockets. Such large grocers as Wal-Mart Stores (WMT), which gets roughly 4 percent of its revenue from food stamps, have also said the SNAP reductions have hurt their U.S. business.

At Nestlé, meanwhile, other products have also been hit by lower levels of federal aid. “We’ve seen some softening of sales in the entire sandwich/snack category which are related to the SNAP reductions,” Fogarty said.

Do you purchase Hot Pockets?

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/article...-pockets-slump-nestl-battles-every-food-trend

From the greatest/saddest thread:

I grabbed a hot pocket out of the vending machine. There was a line to the microwave, and I had to get some reading in before my next class, so I walked out without heating it. It was too frozen to eat, so I put it in my pocket to thaw while I read. Over the next 30 minutes, bit by bit, as pieces of it became soft enough for me to bite off, I ate a frozen hot pocket. And that was my meal.

PogiJones that Hot Pocket if old.

 

[Konka]

I love hot pockets dammit.

 

[Tempesta di Fuoco]

Every food trend goes against everything. Just like everything gives you cancer.

 

[BeatResetsTheWorld]

Oh wow, I saw that and was wondering "Why are they making a graph grow upside down?" then I looked at the y-axis and saw what the measurements meant

 

[Orbis Tabula]

Now executives at Nestlé are pointing to another factor in the long-running Hot Pocket cold streak

Another factor in the Hot Pocket cold streak is the fact that the middle of the Hot Pocket is still frozen solid.

 

[Reversed]

I blame that nsfw vine (deleted methinks).

 

[GhaleonEB]

microwavable meat pouches

This description somehow manages to make Hot Pockets even less appealing than they already are.

 

[Rembrandt]

got some delicious ham & cheese hot pockets in the freezer right now. they're handy breakfast/snack food since they're quick to cook/eat and all of that.

 

[AlexMogil]

This description somehow manages to make Hot Pockets even less appealing than they already are.

When meat is used as an adjective it's always a little off putting.

Meat parade
Meat storm
Meat plunger
Meat clog

 

[SapientWolf]

I blame Jim Gaffigan.

 

[backflip10019]

Jim Gaffigan couldn't be happier.

God dammit, SapientWolf.

 

[Anoregon]

I used to eat hot pockets fairly regularly, but I haven't had one in years.

TIME TO FIX THAT. Gotta do my part to keep them from going extinct.

 

[bjork]

got some delicious ham & cheese hot pockets in the freezer right now. they're handy breakfast/snack food since they're quick to cook/eat and all of that.

^5

I was coming to say that the ham and cheese ones are king.

 

[Pakkidis]

Hot pockets was the number one snack food growing up. I guess people don't like scorching hot on the outside and freezing cold on the inside.

 

[Tom_Cody]

Used to eat hotpockets almost every weekend. Just cheap breakfast food.

Over time their appeal continually diminished. If I eat them now, it no longer feels like I'm eating food.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

It's pretty toxic ingestables (I don't even want to call it food), so good.

 

[RumblingRosco]

I used to eat them more often as a teenager, but haven't had them except as a rare treat every year or two now. The original Ham and Cheese is the best Hot Pocket.

I used to cut them in half before microwaving them as I found that helped a ton with getting the center heated up.

 

[Divvy]

I don't know how people can tolerate that hot pockets "flavour" that permeates every one of their "things"

 

[BodiesWithoutOrgans]

I'm from Ireland so i never heard of a Hot Pocket

 

[Tom_Cody]

Hot pockets was the number one snack food growing up. I guess people don't like scorching hot on the outside and freezing cold on the inside.

The key is to cook them 5 seconds longer than the time listed on the package. This ensures that they are literally scoldingly hot all over. You know you've done it right when the contents of pocket burst out of the sides.

 

[Anoregon]

Ham and cheese is GOAT but meatball mozzarella are great when you need a change up.

 

[bjork]

Really, the downfall probably started whenever they quit running that "what are you gonna pick?! Hot pockets!" ad on every tv show ever. Lose the hearts and minds, lose your ass.

Also the secret to cooking hot pockets is to cook them, and let them sit for a few minutes.

 

[speculawyer]

Hot pockets are nasty.

 

[GrantDaNasty]

 

A temporary boost in federal food-stamp assistance that was introduced in 2009 was allowed to expire in late 2013. Recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are ”a big part of the consumption of this particular product,” said Chris Johnson, executive vice president of Nestlé Business Excellence, during a sales call last week.

U.S governtment echoes Nestle CEO's thoughts on water regarding hot pockets: Not a human right.

 

[Cuphead]

I bought a hot pocket for the first time in years last week.

Guess I'll have to start buying more to save the company!!

Who's with me!?

 

[lobdale]

I bought a box of "beef nacho" hot pockets in the manager's special discontinued item clearance section for a dollar a couple weeks ago.

At .50 per hot pocket... they were... almost

almost worth it.

It's not a lot of eatin'.

 

[Mister Wilhelm]

They are so...fucking...GROSS.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

The taste is fine, but it doesn't always compensate for the skin hanging off the roof of my mouth.

 

[boiled goose]

They suck... then again some people think fast food is good...

 

[QuantumBro]

Hot Pockets were bested a long time ago

 

[shadowsdarknes]

Americans are wising up to bullshit that passes as food.

 

[terrisus]

You're not hungry for profits...
You're hungry for Hot Pockets!

 

[Walter White Walker]

Product Ingredients
WATER, UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR [NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID]), FULLY COOKED HAM AND WATER PRODUCT, 25% OF WEIGHT IS ADDED INGREDIENTS, GROUND AND FORMED (CURED WITH WATER, SUGAR, SALT, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, DEHYDRATED PORK BROTH, CARRAGEENAN, NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR, SODIUM ERYTHORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE), UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), IMITATION CHEDDAR CHEESE (WATER, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, CASEIN, SOYBEAN OIL, WHEY, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF SALT, SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, LACTIC ACID, SODIUM CITRATE, NATURAL FLAVOR, SORBIC ACID [PRESERVATIVE], ARTIFICIAL COLOR), PART SKIM MOZZARELLA CHEESE WITH MODIFIED FOOD STARCH (PART SKIM MOZZARELLA CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES], MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, FLAVORS, ANNATTO), SEASONING (WHEY, CHEDDAR CHEESE [MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES], BUTTERMILK, ENZYME MODIFIED CHEDDAR CHEESE [MILK, SODIUM CITRATE, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES, POTASSIUM SORBATE], SALT, REDUCED LACTOSE WHEY, COCONUT OIL, CORN MALTODEXTRIN, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, BLUE CHEESE [MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES], CITRIC ACID, LACTIC ACID, EXTRACTIVES OF ANNATTO AND TURMERIC), 2% OR LESS OF PALM OIL (WITH SOY LECITHIN, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, BETA-CAROTENE [COLOR], CITRIC ACID [PRESERVATIVE]), MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SEASONING (BREAD CRUMBS [BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, DEXTROSE, YEAST, SALT], SEASONING [CHEDDAR CHEESE {MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES}, SALT, WHEY, DEXTROSE, DRIED ONION, NATURAL FLAVOR, SOYBEAN OIL, GARLIC POWDER, REDUCED LACTOSE WHEY, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, CITRIC ACID, LACTIC ACID, DISODIUM INOSINATE & DISODIUM GUANYLATE, SPICE, BLUE CHEESE {MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES}, EXTRACTIVES OF PAPRIKA, ANNATTO]), SUGAR, SEASONING (WHEY, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, MALTODEXTRIN, CHEDDAR/BLUE CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES], SALT, NONFAT MILK, SODIUM CASEINATE, SODIUM CITRATE, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, EXTRACTIVES OF ANNATTO, PAPRIKA AND TURMERIC [COLOR]), PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL (WITH SOY LECITHIN), SALT, YEAST, DOUGH CONDITIONER (CALCIUM SULFATE, SALT, LCYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE, GARLIC POWDER, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, ENZYMES), DOUGH CONDITIONER (DISTILLED MONOGLYCERIDES WITH ASCORBIC ACID AND CITRIC ACID [ANTIOXIDANTS]), EGG YOLKS, LACTIC ACID, WHEY, SOY FLOUR, EGG WHITES, SOYBEAN OIL. CONTAINS: MILK, EGG, SOY, WHEAT INGREDIENTS..

That's why I don't buy Hot Pockets nowadays. That's not food, that's a chemical experiment.

 

[fader]

Well... This is a good thing.. Maybe not for Hot Pockets but for everyone else.

 

[ShaneDude]

.....Toilet pockets....

 

[DietRob]

When I was 12 or 13 I lived with my aunt and uncle. My uncle drives big rigs for a living. One month a pallet of ham and cheese hot pockets 'fell off the truck'. I'm talking thousands of ham and cheese hot pockets. I had to eat ham and cheese hot pockets for almost a year.

FUCK HAM AND CHEESE HOT POCKETS.

 

[Ferrio]

Funfact: Hot pockets used to be revered and a meme on GAF.

 

[Shanlei91]

Should just market them as a projectile weapon.

 

[B!TCH]

When I was 12 or 13 I lived with my aunt and uncle. My uncle drives big rigs for a living. One month a pallet of ham and cheese hot pockets 'fell off the truck'. I'm talking thousands of ham and cheese hot pockets. I had to eat ham and cheese hot pockets for almost a year.

FUCK HAM AND CHEESE HOT POCKETS.

That's child abuse and endangerment.

Hot Pockets are disgusting. Even eating instant ramen everyday is healthier.

 

[Woody Invincible]

As a kid, I loved them. But kids love all kids of nasty shit.

 

[The Technomancer]

You want to know the major problem with hot pockets? They're fucking expensive. If I'm going to spend like $3-4 on whats really only about half of a meal I'll just go out to eat. But I couldn't, for example, afford to buy a bunch of them while shopping. For $12 I could get three days worth of hot pockets....or an entire weeks worth of other dinner supplies

 

[daveo42]

I haven't had Hot Pockets in years and I remember never being anywhere near close to being satisfied by eating a them at any point. It's like a really really terrible snack that never cooked right. Always too hot or ice cold with next to no wiggle room inbetween.

 

[Dennis]

I have never had a Hot Pocket. By the looks of it I haven't missed much.

 

[demon]

Funfact: Hot pockets used to be revered and a meme on GAF.

I was there. I remember that but I can't remember what the meme was. Would've been 2000-2001. You have any of those images saved?

 

[terrisus]

Product Ingredients
WATER, UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR [NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID]), FULLY COOKED HAM AND WATER PRODUCT, 25% OF WEIGHT IS ADDED INGREDIENTS, GROUND AND FORMED (CURED WITH WATER, SUGAR, SALT, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, DEHYDRATED PORK BROTH, CARRAGEENAN, NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR, SODIUM ERYTHORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE), UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), IMITATION CHEDDAR CHEESE (WATER, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, CASEIN, SOYBEAN OIL, WHEY, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF SALT, SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, LACTIC ACID, SODIUM CITRATE, NATURAL FLAVOR, SORBIC ACID [PRESERVATIVE], ARTIFICIAL COLOR), PART SKIM MOZZARELLA CHEESE WITH MODIFIED FOOD STARCH (PART SKIM MOZZARELLA CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES], MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, FLAVORS, ANNATTO), SEASONING (WHEY, CHEDDAR CHEESE [MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES], BUTTERMILK, ENZYME MODIFIED CHEDDAR CHEESE [MILK, SODIUM CITRATE, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES, POTASSIUM SORBATE], SALT, REDUCED LACTOSE WHEY, COCONUT OIL, CORN MALTODEXTRIN, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, BLUE CHEESE [MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES], CITRIC ACID, LACTIC ACID, EXTRACTIVES OF ANNATTO AND TURMERIC), 2% OR LESS OF PALM OIL (WITH SOY LECITHIN, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, BETA-CAROTENE [COLOR], CITRIC ACID [PRESERVATIVE]), MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SEASONING (BREAD CRUMBS [BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, DEXTROSE, YEAST, SALT], SEASONING [CHEDDAR CHEESE {MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES}, SALT, WHEY, DEXTROSE, DRIED ONION, NATURAL FLAVOR, SOYBEAN OIL, GARLIC POWDER, REDUCED LACTOSE WHEY, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, CITRIC ACID, LACTIC ACID, DISODIUM INOSINATE & DISODIUM GUANYLATE, SPICE, BLUE CHEESE {MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES}, EXTRACTIVES OF PAPRIKA, ANNATTO]), SUGAR, SEASONING (WHEY, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, MALTODEXTRIN, CHEDDAR/BLUE CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES], SALT, NONFAT MILK, SODIUM CASEINATE, SODIUM CITRATE, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, EXTRACTIVES OF ANNATTO, PAPRIKA AND TURMERIC [COLOR]), PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL (WITH SOY LECITHIN), SALT, YEAST, DOUGH CONDITIONER (CALCIUM SULFATE, SALT, LCYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE, GARLIC POWDER, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, ENZYMES), DOUGH CONDITIONER (DISTILLED MONOGLYCERIDES WITH ASCORBIC ACID AND CITRIC ACID [ANTIOXIDANTS]), EGG YOLKS, LACTIC ACID, WHEY, SOY FLOUR, EGG WHITES, SOYBEAN OIL. CONTAINS: MILK, EGG, SOY, WHEAT INGREDIENTS..

That's why I don't buy Hot Pockets nowadays. That's not food, that's a chemical experiment.

So you don't eat any foods with more than a dozen ingredients, or what?
Because, I mean, most foods are made up of many ingredients.

If you are on a natural diet, hey, good for you.
But, most people eat stuff - even if it's "healthy" - with a long list of ingredients as well.

 

[Acerac]

I ate too many hot pockets when I was young, now my body revolts at the very thought of tasting another.

 

[XenodudeX]

That's why I don't buy Hot Pockets nowadays. That's not food, that's a chemical experiment.

Almost everything you eat is a chemical experiment though

 

[Anoregon]

Product Ingredients


That's why I don't buy Hot Pockets nowadays. That's not food, that's a chemical experiment.

That list is a lot less scary than you make it out to be.

 

[Dennis]

Example meal for me

Chicken (Product ingredients): Chicken

Potaoes (Product ingredients): Potato

Tahini sauce (Product ingredients): Sesame seeds, salt, water


Cooking without chemicals, how does it work.

 

[BronsonLee]

Hot Pockets were bested a long time ago

The true GOAT