Welll I think I will heed the popular wisdom and leave all the current flavors as they are, for better or worse.
Then make new names for the leaford-improved versions.
I might even consider a whole new label and logo for new flavors to distinguish the from the Classic lineup. LiquidFusion for the current flavors, and Leaford Labs for my new creations? Maybe something that sounds a little quirkier, I dunno. I think I'd like to make my own line a little off beat, with experimental flavors as well as traditional ones. THe name and label would reflect that, whatever they are.
Anyway, I haven't thrown in my :2cents: on new flavors. The first order has been delayed again. Sorry about that. We've just finished shipping three big orders getting restocked, but our orders have been flat because of what we're still out of. We need to get some wind back in our sales before we can put it in.
But on the bright side that gives me more time to get feedback on what new flavors to order.
So let me semi-hijack this thread and try to guide you to focus on flavor ideas I might actually use rather than stream of consciousness lists.
First, Diversify:
Ideally, and there's no promise things will turn out ideally, but ideally I would like to be able to add 5 new flavors at a time, with a sampler pack of all five.
If we assume that, I would use the pattern of ordering one new
tobacco flavor, one new menthol flavor, one new fruit flavor, one new candy or beverage flavor, and one wild card flavor that is more exotic, or experimental.
So this time for example I was planning a Wowboy version for the tobacco flavor, 555 Menthol for a new brand of menthol, maybe Mint Chocolate for the candy flavor, the fruit flavor might have been Strawberry or a more exotic fruit, like Ube (aka purple yam, a sweet, berryish flavor) Or maybe Ube is a bit too exotic in a traditional category, and should be the wild card. Another wild card idea might be Watermelon Mint.
SO basically what I'm saying is, you guys are giving me all wild card flavors. I need suggestions for the traditional flavor categories, too, and I need to develop those categories more than I need to develop new wild and exotic flavors. So balance your suggestions a bit more.
Secondly, KISS:
The more complicated the flavor, the more different flavor elements it contains, the harder it will be to get them right. Keep It Simple, Silly. Combination flavors for example shouldn't have more than two or three elements, and those elements should not themselves be new flavors.
Third, it's better to show than tell:
Always remember that these flavors are being mixed by highly educated and trained flavor professionals. Seriously, respect to them. They even teach university courses in this stuff. But most of them have never been outside China in their lives. And so for many, many items on your lists they would be trying to reproduce a flavor they have never even heard of before in their lives, let alone tasted.
I've managed to do it a few times. Even pulled off a couple that I myself had never tasted before from descriptions and recipies. But OTOH, it can go horribly, horribly wrong. Remind me to re-tell the story of how Key lime Pie turned into Broad Bean Sauce.
The very best policy is to stick to flavors where I can provide them with a sample to match. Which can be difficult, given local unavailability.
Fourth, And you think we could sell HOW many Garlic cartos?
There's always a flood of savory flavor suggestions, spicy flavors, odball combinations, etc. That's actually OK, besides just being fun, that's what the wild card category is for. But the goal is always to find a flavor that will graduate to the main flavor list, and continue to sell as a regular flavor. Something that people would use and order regularly, not be a niche or novelty flavor, or worse not sell and therefore not be reordered at all.
So even the experimental flavors need to have a realistic chance of succeeding at selling at least as well as our current flavors. Think mass market, not something you would love but you know, really, no one else would.
Lastly, Won't anyone remember the Childrunss??
Pleasse remember that the FDA battle has shifted, not been won. And there are still many other threats in state and local governments. I'm not in favor of protecting children by depriving adults, but bearing in mind that the "protect the children" argument will be used against us, there's no good
sense in adding to the anti's ammo by carrying flavors that have childish connotations. Bubblegum or cotton candy, for example. That doesn't mean all candy is off limits, of course. We've got chocolate and mint, and we'll get more candy flavors. Just not ones that automatically make you think the words "enticement to minors."
