Sun-Rype Customer Service

Up until December 2007 the 62-year-old Canadian company known as Sun-Rype has stealthfully fluttered under my radar. But no more. Ever since I discovered Sun-Rype's Fruit Source bars on our trip to Vancouver, not only are they smack dab in the middle of my radar, they are filling my cupboards as well as my lower intestine.

Unless fruit is spelled with two O's (as in Froot), I don't eat much of it. I'm more of a meatatarian. But now, thanks to Sun-Rype, I eat a minimum of two to three servings of fruit a day. Because that's how much fruit they cram into each bar using advanced fruit-cramming technology.

I was so amazed by the fruit bar I tried, that I excitedly wrote to Sun-Rype, after checking their website for Ontario fruit bar distribution:

Subject: Consumer Service Inquiry
NameTitle: Mr.
LastName: Martini
InquiryType: General Inquiry

Message: Hello,
I just discovered your fruit bars on a Westjet flight to Vancouver for Christmas and I was completely caught off guard by the deliciousness of the Blueberry/Pomegranite bar. I am not much of a fruit-eater and it has always been difficult to get enough. I was so excited about the bar I tried that once I came home I immediately went out and bought a box - unfortunately I couldn't locate those exact bars. I see they're new and I hope to find them in my stores very soon!

Having once worked in a customer-service type industry, and having friends who work in upper levels of food and consumer-product industries, I know that most people only take the time to contact a company when they've got some complaining to do.

I have experimented with positive comments in the past and learned that about 50% of the time, you get a nice reaction. This was one of those times:

From: Sun-Rype Consumer Services
Subject: Sun-Rype Consumer Services Response
Date: The next day

Thank you for taking the time to visit our website. We appreciate consumer feedback and welcome the opportunity to address any questions or comments.

As a quality food and beverage manufacturer, Sun-Rype is committed to providing consumers with a wide variety of premium products. Consumer feedback is vital to our ongoing research and product development efforts. Blueberry Pomegranate is indeed our newest flavour in our Fruit Source line. As time goes on you will see it more readily available in your region.

We are taking this opportunity to forward you complimentary coupons by regular mail towards the purchase of any Sun-Rype product. These coupons can be used at most grocery stores in your region.

Once again, thanks for visiting our website. If you require any product information, please contact me directly.

Cindy Hazelton
SUN-RYPE PRODUCTS LTD.
Consumer Services Representative

Approximately ten days later I discovered a whopping six dollars in Sun-Rype coupons in my mail, along with a thank-you letter. I was astonished! How many companies do you know, honestly, who will offer such a thing for simply giving them a compliment?

Is there something sinister going on here that I am missing? Are they the evil druglord of the fruit world, trying to get me hooked? Do their coupons send a message saying, "Go ahead kid, try the fruit bar. Everybody's doing it."

Me: "...And you're telling me the first one is free?"

Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? All I can say is two Martini-thumbs way up for Sun-Rype, for their awesomely delicious products, and proving to the world that customer service is not dead. If there's a company out there you've had an excellent experience with, write to them. Say something positive and see what happens.