Kool-Aid Points Discontinued, Can Still Be Redeemed
Well, as they promised last year, you'll no longer find those little Kool-Aid Kool Points on their packages anymore: Kraft Foods confirmed with me this morning that they have discontinued their Kool-Aid Points program. You can still cash in your points while supplies last. The prizes are limited and are available on a first come, first served basis.
They've removed their catalog from the Kraft website, but you can request one by calling 1-800-367-9225.
The phone agent I spoke with this morning suggested that you mark a first, second, and third choice on the form. The cheapest prize, she said, is 20 points plus $1.75 shipping and handling for a Kool-Aid Packet Holder. (Because different prizes have different costs in points and S&H, I don't know how you'd do the first, second, and third choice thing but I didn't argue with her.) I requested my catalog and will update this post when I receive it. You can see an archived copy of the last catalog on Kraft's site here
This news makes me sad. I collected points as a kid and cashed them in for, among other things, a really neat Kool-Aid Stand. My dad used it to teach me about supply and demand, "cost of goods sold," and marketing (I earned lots of dimes that summer)...which sparked an interest in economics that led me to pursue a degree in it and eventually a master's in business administration. So in a way, I am who I am because of Kool-Aid Points! Oh, yeahhhh! ;)
Date: April 29, 2008 9:29 PM
While I never collected kool-aid points I very much enjoyed your childhood memory. Boy, I can relate, lol! Maybe if more parents spent more time teaching their kids the connection between hard work and rewards this country would be in better shape. Thank you for sharing - I really enjoy your reviews and tidbits. :)
Date: May 7, 2008 8:13 PM
I have 1000's of points!!!! I haven's bought anything in years and I decided to search tonight....I can't believe this......
Date: May 15, 2008 9:47 PM
We've been collecting points for years and bought quite a few items, latest was a kool-aid towel and t-shirt for each of us.
This is an American tradition and it's a shame to see it ending.
Zippo still repairs lighters for no charge, Victorinox will fix your Swiss Army knife for free, Mag Industries will repair your MagLite at no charge, and the Coca-Cola company kept Coke Classic in response to customer's wishes. The Kool-Aid company is no less an American icon, yet they are letting us down this way.
When Coca-Cola refused to deny licensing to its bottlers in Central America who are murdering labor activists, we stopped patronising them, even though Coke is our favorite cola.
I think that unless Kool-Aid shares their reasons for this action with us, we're going to boycott them, too.
If it's because of lack of participation, maybe better items would have helped. We always wanted to see GLASS Kool-Aid pitchers and tumblers for one thing.
Date: May 21, 2008 6:47 PM
It's really sad to know we can no longer save points. I have over 2000 points,I was hoping they would bring back the really good prizes they had in the 90's. Really Sad.
Date: May 22, 2008 1:58 PM
I am having problems trying to get-into kool-aid.com. Because I have houndereds of kool-aid points and I can't find out where I can use my points for. please e-mail me back at; Rhinosr@comcast.net .
Date: May 25, 2008 4:10 PM
I'm 22 years old now and ever sence i was a little girl I've always colected kool-aid points with my mom. It's sad that their discontinuing the points. Now that i'm a mom I was hoping to do it with my girls. I've saved up all my points and now have no where to spend them.
Date: May 27, 2008 10:41 AM
Hasbro did the exact same thing with My Little Pony points. One day the point system is there for everyone to enjoy and the next it is gone. Canada used to share in the Kool-aid point system and I remember some of the neighbor hood kids would go around checking other peoples recycling for points they had thrown away. I wish Kool-aid had better things to offer for those who are "big kids" at heart.
Date: May 29, 2008 8:30 PM
My family has been saving points forever! I have all these points saved up in hopes to redeem them for something more than a "spider ring" and was further shocked that I had to use a search window to find anything out about the points program! This is such a shame. It was a family tradition that was still simple and I thought would last and last. I am highly dissapointed.
Date: May 30, 2008 8:24 PM
I been saving points for years. I would be lieing if I said I have less than 1000 points. last week my son asked me about cashing them in. I guess not. So sad to see them go. Hopefully its not too late for me to cash in.
Date: June 1, 2008 10:33 AM
I can't believe they have done away with kool aid points, I have been saving them for years, hopefully i can redeem them for something for my sons who also enjoyed saving them.
Date: June 2, 2008 12:41 AM
does anyone know where to go to find what you can get with the kool-air points, I can't find where to go
Date: June 2, 2008 1:29 PM
I have called the number provided in the blog entry and requested an order form to redeem my points. The woman on the phone told me that points can still be redeemed for a while and there are still lots of prizes left. So, anyone out there who has points better call now. There's not much time left. I only have a little over 500 points, but I have been saving them for about 3 years now. I am dissapointed that this is happening. I am lucky that I picked now to stop procrastinating and look into cashing in, since all the work I have spent saving those little peices of paper would have been for nothing! My kids aren't going to be too thrilled when they hear its over! Oh well, atleast we still have box tops for education! I hope...maybe I should check up on that as well!
Date: June 4, 2008 5:59 PM
iv saved points for 4 years i have 1243 points i was really hopeing to get somthing and thanks to you i cant i bet you broken thousands of kids hearts you have no heart you r mean and crule i hope your happy YOU R SELFISH I HOPE HAVE A HPRRIBLE LIVE
YOU R CRULE
Date: June 6, 2008 1:05 PM
When my twin were born I was drinking Kool-aid and started my twin on Kool-aid in 1975 I have been saving points for over 30 years and must have over a million points. I was disappointed to here you have stop the points. I may redeem some of my points but will keep them for memories. Thanks Kool-aid my kids liked cutting and saving them.
Date: June 8, 2008 7:48 PM
I would like to redeem my Kool Aid points. As a kid we also colected them and sent them in for neat stuff, some of which I still have. I will call the 800 number tomorrow and ask for a catalog. I hope I still redeem them.
Date: June 10, 2008 11:40 AM
When my brother and I were youger we saved points and got some of the coolest things. I too was hoping to be able to get my children some of these items. It's too bad these kind of things aren't forever.
Date: June 18, 2008 9:03 AM
OK I UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN NO LONGER REDEEM KOOL-AID POINTS, BUT IF THIS PROGRAM IS DISCONTINUED THEN WHY IS IT WHEN I GO TO THE STORES NOW I CAN STILL GET KOOL-AID WITH POINTS ON IT? ARE THOSE KOOL-AIDS IM BUYING NOW OLD AND SHOULDNT BE ON THE SHELF AT THE STORES. I HAD JUST BOUGHT KOOL-AID POPS 2 DAYS AGO A 24 PACK. THERE WAS A POINTS CODE ON THE BOX WORTH 5 POINTS. NOW IM SCARED TO EAT THESE POPCYCLES ARE THEY OLD OR NOT. IF THESE POINTS ARE DONE THEN THEY SHOULD STOP PUTTING THEM ON KOOL-AID STUFF.
Date: June 20, 2008 10:30 AM
I am sad to hear you are no longer having points on your merchandise to save and redeem! I,like others have found them in a drawer and wanted to redeem them. My sons are grown now and one just gave me a new grand daughter this year. I wanted to get her the pitcher and mugs.
Date: June 20, 2008 1:44 PM
I've sent an email to kraft via kraft.com to show my dissatisfaction. I'm sure that if enough people do the same they may realize their error and reinstate it. Well at least thats what I hope.
Date: June 22, 2008 3:55 PM
this sucks...after my kids have faithfully saved points year after year....kool aid is no better than all the other big compaanies who only care about themselves
Date: June 26, 2008 11:20 AM
I think this is poor marketing by kraft....
Date: June 27, 2008 10:45 AM
I like many of you have saved points for years and years. I am not happy with this bit of news. Here is the contact area for Kraft foods to sound-off your support in re-instatinig the points program, hopefully everyone will voice their opinion.
http://www.kraftfoods.com/innovatewithkraft/contactus.aspx
Date: June 27, 2008 10:55 PM
I was so sad today when we checked the mail to have my pkg of points returned to me, no forwarding address for Kool-Aid. My daughter was upset, we two have spend alot of time counting and cutting the points and stashing the away for the big day. Which came 7 wks ago when I first sent the pkg, much to my dismay I only now have three days to do something about it. It will take a few weeks for a catalog to get to me so that something can be ordered. I sent 2991 points. Waiting for the day my children would be tall enough to get on all the rides @ Six Flags, I have never had enough to money to take my children anywhere like that. I waited and waited for the day just like my children. What a let down!! All most feel a bit betrayed here, this was something from my childhood that I passed on to my children, I'm hate to leave them with this thought. Something as wholesome as Kool-Aid is gone. Since I've seen at the kraft website that pionts can still be redeemed, I hope they will for some things related to Kool-Aid. I always wanted the pitcher, spoon and cups. And I've been told several times I make the best Kool-Aid ever, just the right amount of sugar, and the way I mix the flavors it's scrumptious. Please lets find a way not to forget my youth or to disapoint my children. Thanks for your time
Date: June 27, 2008 11:48 PM
Tears...,tears...,tears... Today my mom went to go check the mail hoping that our kool-aid prizes had came in. Yet, instead of are prizes we got what we have sent to get are prizes our kool-aid points and the money order that we put in there. She was thinking to not show me or tell me that they sent back are points. And we did not get any prizes. But she knew that I was going to ask about them and she did not want to lie to me so she told me when I asked about them. When she told me that they sent the points back that we have been saving forever and hopeing when we send in all of those points that we would get six flages tickets I was very disapointed I went to my room and just sat there and thought to myself for a long while, thinking man if we would have got are prizes today we would be going to six flages but no they had to send are points that we have been saving for ever right back to us Man!! I'm MAD.I know that we have to find the new address but, I am afraid that when we send them I am going to be disapointed again but when we get the new address, if we do I am hoping I will not be disapointed, again.
well thanks for reading this comment and I hope I get what I want and that is the six flags tickets for me and my brothers and mom and dad, or whatever we can get Thanks:)
Date: June 28, 2008 12:31 PM
That's sort of funny. I'm pretty young (compared to others on this fourm), and bought a kool aid packet today, one that had a kool aid point on it. I thought this would be fun for my little sister and I to do, so I looked into it and found this fourm. Sort of depressing...
Date: June 28, 2008 1:06 PM
I finally got the internet and went on BeCool.ca to cash in my points only to find this site. I'm very upset that after saving all these points in hopes of getting cool stuff I can't get anything. NOT COOL AT ALL!!!!
Date: June 29, 2008 3:43 PM
I've just finished counting all of our points this morning. I even got mad at my husband for throwing away some of my stacks of points. I keep them in bundles of 500 points each, and only have 3000 points left. I can't believe that all of the collecting that me and both of my daughters did for all these years is just a waste. My daughters are so hurt that they vow never to drink Kool-Aid again. And there she goes. Josie just poured the Kool-Aid down the drain.
My name is Josie and I'm not going to drink Kool-Aide no more. The Kool-Aid man is just a big dumb, fat, ugly man.
My name is Annie and I'm mad too. That big fat ugly Kool-Aide man can keep all his stupid Kool-Aide.
Well, I guess my daughters said it all. We are no longer going to buy Kool-Aid. They now want to try the Disney brand. It is cheaper in price, but I've never purchased it before. I guess we'll let you all know on its taste.
Date: June 30, 2008 1:09 PM
I just called Kraft and they are going to mail me a catalog so I can redeem points that I too had collected for years. She said there are just a few items still available like the kool aid packet holder, beech towel, smile t-shirt and pitcher.
Date: June 30, 2008 5:39 PM
Wow! Just what I wanted... a packet holder to clutter up my cabinets! It's very ironic! I should have seen this coming! I am 33 years old. As a child I saved kool-aid points. My family and I were saving them for just the right thing. When I had my first child my mother gave to me the remaining points, around 2000, to enjoy with my child. The year that kool-aid discontinued their six flag's ticket promotion (10 years?) was the year I had finally saved enough points and my daughters were old enough to enjoy the trip. After seeing the promotion had been discontinued, I wrote to Kraft asking when they expected to add other more extensive prizes to the catalog. I was assured it would be soon; keep looking and saving! Here we are 10 years (?) later... I look a couple of times a year, we still save (I have 7000+ points), what did they add? Nothing. Thanks Kool-aid man! I believe this teaches all of us something. The loyalty felt by consumers is definitely not returned by the brands we cherish! So rather than teaching my kids (10 & 13) about kool-aid stands and customer satisfaction, Kraft has taught them about how to make a buck by short changing kids (& their parents). Lesson taken and will be rewarded in kind - hello Lipton Iced Tea, Gatorade, & Tropicana!
Date: July 2, 2008 2:19 PM
well i am shocked --outraged even... i called them - ordered the catalog, and left the comment that i am very disappointed in kraft that they would cancel an institution like that -- i told them i have been collecting kool-aid points since *i* was a kid... shameful... they stated it was due to consumer interest decrease - but the other poster is right -- i wanted glass jugs... and a few more prize options.. plus takes a while to save up points if you dont have kids ;) (husband can only drink so much kool-aid)... argh i have packs with point on them - gonna have to drink a lot of kool-aid..not buying it any more though...
Date: July 2, 2008 7:59 PM
Me too! Deeply saddened by this! I have been saving kool-aid points for a long time and was planning on redeeming them with my grandchildren when they come to visit in a couple of weeks. Counting, cutting, choosing there items, What fun! No more. Bummer.
Date: July 5, 2008 11:38 AM
Wow--no more Kool Aid for me. I have been saving points for about 20 years. It was something to look forward to--collecting and saving for the next prize.
Date: July 8, 2008 7:31 AM
I, too, have been saving for years... i finally decided yesterday to get online and see what i can order. I was going to surprise my 7 year-old son with a package of fun stuff from kool aid. Good thing I didn't tell him about it. I was born in 70, so I grew up drinking kool iad - it was cheap and good. That was the big thing in the summer... getting the catalog and ordering cool stuff. It is depressing. Just another ruined tradition. Thanks kool aid ! ! !
Date: July 8, 2008 6:34 PM
WOW, I have been saving for years as well. Every now and then I get online to see what nice things I can redeem my points for, I have not yet to get anything because the items were always not available. Today I get online to redeem the points, and I am saddened by the dincontinued points. If ya'll stopped doing this last year, why do ya'll still have points on the kool-aid. That is false advertisement. Thanks, Kool-aid.
Date: July 8, 2008 9:20 PM
My boyfreind and I have bein collecting these kool-aid points since we have bein together. Weve bein together for eight and a half years. Neither of us have ever put so much dedication in saving anything like we have these points. We boh smoke marlboro's but still do not collect marlboro miles. I beleive anyone that puts so much support into a company should not be just blown off as if they didnt contribute or mean anything threw the years.