May 5, 2006

Wolfgang Puck Self-Heating Lattes Being Withdrawn from Shelves

Puck Cans

We really liked the Self-Heating Latte from Wolfgang Puck, but it looks like the cans are now exploding, melting or not heating up the coffee enough to create the “fresh-brewed” latte the technology promised. And this week they were officially recalled. Ouch! You can read the full deal at Bevnet.

Launched to great fanfare in the spring of 2005, the lattes quickly made it to the shelves of thousands of stores, including large, end of aisle displays in Kroger and Albertson’s supermarkets and Sam’s Club warehouse stores. But in less than a year, the team that produced the innovative product has fallen apart.

Consumer complaints have ranged from the product’s failure to reach an appropriately hot temperature to it actually overheating, spurting product from the can, leaking out of the can, or the calcium oxide heating mechanism adulterating the coffee itself, according to Groux.

“We have reports of chunks of white product, which we believe to be calcium oxide, that was found in the product, which means the heating element most likely leaked,” Groux said. “We have complaints of can meltdowns, curdled product, sour product, leaking cans.” Last month, a Las Vegas woman named Dee Harris claimed she had been badly burned by one of the drinks when she activated it in her hotel room. She claims it overheated and then blew up, sending her to the hospital. “I went to pick it up, but it was too hot,” Harris said. “I pulled my hand off of it, it exploded. It was just sitting on the counter, no one had touched it. It just blew all over everything.”

Via Independent Tech

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Posted by Jay Brewer at May 5, 2006 8:10 AM

Comments

I got several of these at a local salvage food store and I'm sure they were there because a store had pulled them from the shelves. About 1 in ever 4 or 5 had some type of problem. Some would start spewing latte when the heat was activated. Others had the heating agent leak out. At least one had spoiled latte inside. The majority still worked as intended, but the sickly sweet latte quality was so poor that it wasn't really worth the bother. It was a novel idea, but they need to work out a lot of bugs and get better tasting beverages before they go back to market..
Posted by: Jeffrey Spencer at May 5, 2006 8:21 AM

i agree, i never liked them, they tasted to "diety"...i bought some at sams club and u had to buy a 12 pack and i never tried them but bought em anyway, and of course they were gross,waste of my $24.00...so i ended up giving them to my mom. she's never had an exploding problem.i agree they should make it taste better if they put it back on the shelves.
Posted by: Rachel at May 5, 2006 9:15 AM

It's too bad. I really liked the drink.
Posted by: Jay Brewer at May 6, 2006 1:18 PM

I for one will miss this thrilling product. It was ideal for those times when you are desperate for a semi-decent cup of hot coffee (and are willing to risk your very LIFE to get it!).
Posted by: up_all_night/suzy at May 6, 2006 3:01 PM