How to tell if Cabana is selling in your area
Paultheoctopuss has claimed several times that just because the product is being put onto shelves, it does not mean it is selling.
Rather than argue with him, there is a way you can determine it for yourself. On the "neck" of each bottle is the lot code. It may look like this JL307712:46A or JL 3077 12:46A.
The first two letters are the bottler. The JL is the Forest Grove, OR co-packer. There is also a TB manufacturer. I do not know if that is the Virginia or Texas co-packer. There is another one or two letter code for the remaining packer. If someone spots this, I would be curious to know what it is and where you found it.
The next four or 5 numbers is the actual lot code and then the time it was produced. For this example, the bottle was produced at the JL packer, the lot code was 3077 and the time 12:46 AM. It also could be 30771 and the time 2:46 am. To determine which look at the other flavors. The numbers should be in the same area, i.e. all 2800-3000 or all 30000's.
Remember or write down these numbers. When you see a new lot code, it means the supplier (the distributor or the warehouse in the case of Safeway) has run out of their stock and has reordered from Pulse. If you see a new lot code every couple of months, it is selling very well. The will be seasonality and at different times of the year, the product may move faster or slower. When a store puts them on sale, like Safeway's 2/$3 sale, they may also move faster.
You will find that some flavors sell faster than others. In my local Safeway, I have seen two lot codes for most flavors. The only one lagging is the Regular Lemonade.
Finally, it is important to remember these are third party manufacturers that produce product for other companies so you probably should not draw any conclusions on gaps between lot codes. For example, you may see a 3077 lot code on the Mango and then the next lot code may be 3600. This is just likely the next lot code in their production cycle.
If you are in an area where the product is turning over fast, let us know.
