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CNN Live Today

Interview of Barry Jessurun, Vanilla Bean Cafe

Aired May 08, 2002 - 11:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the story that's got everybody here buzzing, or fizzing.

Coca-Cola's publicity machine is in full fizz today. The company is rolling out Vanilla Coke today.

This to celebrate the 116th anniversary of the soft drink.

The first shipment of this new Vanilla Coke goes to the Vanilla Bean Cafe in Connecticut.

And Barry Jessurun is one of the Vanilla Bean's owners. He joins us now from Palm Frank, Connecticut.

Good morning. How are you?

BARRY JESSURUN, OWNER, VANILLA BEAN CAFE: Good morning, Leon. Good. How are you?

HARRIS: Doing OK, but kind of confused. I can hear the furor behind you. Folks are getting worked up, obviously, up there.

But you know what, I'm kind of confused, Barry. Why is it that Coca-Cola picked Palm Frank, Connecticut and the Vanilla Bean and not a site here in Atlanta, which is where Coca-Cola was founded?

JESSURUN: Well, they came across our name on a Web site, looking for vanilla, and what they saw they liked. So they came out and checked it out and thought this is definitely the place to roll out Vanilla Coke for the country.

HARRIS: All right. Good deal. And this is obviously good news and a good thing for your town, correct?

JESSURUN: It's a great thing. We had about 500 people turnout. The first selectman made a proclamation, making this Vanilla Day for the town of Palm Frank. It's been a great day, here.

HARRIS: Now, as I understand it, the first official case was delivered there just a little while ago?

JESSURUN: Yes, it was. The first case came in about a half-hour or so ago and it looked like about 40 cases disappeared in about three minutes while they sampled them out. HARRIS: No kidding. So, what's the verdict?

JESSURUN: Well, it's pretty good stuff.

HARRIS: Pretty good stuff?

JESSURUN: Yes. Sample it right here for you. Very good.

HARRIS: OK. Well, how would you describe the taste? I've heard some people say it's sort of like a Coke float.

JESSURUN: It is. It's a little lighter in flavor, a little hint of vanilla. It's really pleasing. Great stuff.

HARRIS: Is it vanilla-y enough for the Vanilla Bean?

JESSURUN: Say that again?

HARRIS: Does it have enough vanilla for the Vanilla Bean?

JESSURUN: It's got plenty of vanilla for the Vanilla Bean. We'll be carrying it here all the rest of the time.

HARRIS: Did you have anybody there who did not like it? Because you know how folks reacted last time around when they came out with the New Coke.

JESSURUN: The people I've spoken to in the last half hour here, nobody said anything like that at all. Everybody saying how great the stuff is.

HARRIS: All right, good deal. Now, how many folks do you have there with you this morning?

JESSURUN: I think there's about 500 or so people here today.

HARRIS: How long have they been there?

JESSURUN: The first people started showing up around 7:00, 8:00 this morning.

It was pretty crazy. Had the state police here guiding traffic and it's been great.

HARRIS: No kidding. Well, obviously it was worth it for all of them. All right. Barry Jessurun, thank you very much. Sure do appreciate the time. Good luck, folks out there, with the Vanilla Bean. And we'll see how things go, how the sales go for you. We hope this is a good choice in picking you all to be the first. Good luck.

JESSURUN: Thank you very much.

HARRIS: All right. Have a good one.

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