When we look back at this time in history, the thing we’ll remember most about going to the grocery store will be the insane prices (hello, shrinkflation) and the never-ending scary food recalls. With prices going up and up, and quality going down, down, down, the food supply of the modern era is certainly not going to be known for being our nation’s best. That’s for sure.
With people getting all kinds of sick from everyday foods, or just not buying them due to raising prices, it’s no wonder the food companies are throwing in the towel and discontinuing so many food items. Even the bestselling ones!
And 2024 was no exception–here are six products we know of *so far* that food shoppers claim they’ve started to see be mysteriously missing at the market. Brands don’t always confirm these discontinuations publicly, rather opting instead to quietly remove them. But the sleuths of the internet work hard! We stalked Twitter and the dark web to bring you the items you should definitely stock up on if you see them in stores. It might be your last chance!
Grocery Food Items Pulled From Shelves In 2024
These are all the items we’ve tracked as leaving grocery store aisles in the second half of 2024 so far. Stock up if you happen to find them on aisle (before they’re completely gone), as it appears the changes vary from location to location.
1. Coca-Cola Spiced Flavor
CBS just reported on Tuesday, September 24th that Coca-Cola has discontinued its Spiced flavor cola, aimed at reaching a younger audience, after just 6 months on the market. Sorry, soda fans! You may be able to locate cases of it in the store as the news was just announced hours ago.
2. Boar’s Head Liverwurst
Boar's Head has been involved in the most public--and deadliest--recall of the year, with 57 hospitalizations and 9 deaths following a Listeria outbreak at one of their plants. Now facing lawsuits and being forced to pull over 7.2 million pounds of products pulled from shelves, it's no surprise that the company decided to totally discontinue (for good) the first deli meat that was tested positive for the bacteria: the liverwurst. The confirmed confirmed the discontinuation via a press release on Friday, September 13th. So long!
The major deli meat brand is also permanently discontinuing one popular item. https://t.co/z54m0c5Udl
— Food & Wine (@foodandwine) September 17, 2024
3. Hormel Black Label Jalapeño Bacon
In a rare Twitter response by a brand to a customer comment, Hormel just confirmed that they are discontinuing their Jalapeño Bacon product on September 6th, 2024. No reason for the decision was given, but at least Hormel was honest with their fanbase!
Thank you for reaching out. We are in the process of discontinuing the HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® Jalapeno Bacon.
— Hormel Foods (@HormelFoods) September 6, 2024
4. Whole Foods Berry Chantilly Cake
This week, users on Twitter and TikTok started posting videos that Whole Foods' beloved Berry Chantilly Cake slices were a "victim of shrinkflation." Pointing out the cake's smaller size ("half the size it used to be," TikTok user @culturework noted), and new taste ("like raspberry-flavored cleaning product"), fans of the bakery item called "the worst news of the year." A rep for Whole Foods told SheFinds that they did indeed "recently align the flavor profile, size, packaging, and price," of the cakes across locations. Thoughts?
If Whole Foods discontinuing the berry chantilly cake is true I’m literally going to kms this is the worst news of the year someone save me pic.twitter.com/gq6qZyL3pj
— polo (@saturntron) September 24, 2024
5. Luvsome Line Of Pet Food
Pet owners started posting about the disappearance of the Luvsome line of pet food at Kroger grocery stores early this year, and it doesn't appear that its returned since. We reached out to a rep for Kroger but didn't hear back as of press time. "You've disappointed lots of people and animals," one Twitter user warned.
@kroger You've disappointed lots of people and animals by discontinuing the Luvsome line of pet food. Can you at least tell us what company made it so we can get it from them?
— Maggi Carter (@maggicarter) September 15, 2024
6. Kirkland Chocolate Chips
Costco announced it was pulling these Kirkland chocolate chips from stores in August due to "the rising cost of cocoa," upsetting a lot of serious bakers who claim the wholesaler "tried this several years ago." It sounds like there's an actual possibility that Costco may reverse this decision if enough people are upset! So don't forget to sound off to customer service if you don't want to see them go.
7. Trader Joe's Minty Mallows
A Reddit user claims that an employee of the California-based chain confirmed that they have discontinued the Minty Mallows, news which customers call "devastating" and "sad" on the thread. You can take our freedom, but you can never take our TJ's sweet treats!!
