From: janel 

On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 23:23:48 -0800, Alan Cairns
 wrote in message
news::

>I think it's America which refuses to accept fruit cakes. Probably they
>think they have enough nuts as it is 
>

A&P, a grocery chain here in the US, has a house brand called Jane
Parker.  For years and years, Jane Parker fruitcake was a mainstay in my
family particularly with my father (not me, I don't like fruitcake) and
aunts.  Gradually, all the A&P stores have been closed in this area,
but the fruitcakes were still available at some independent grocery store
in Charlotte.

Not this year.

When my sister asked about them, the store managers told her they weren't
getting them this year.  When she called A&P's customer service number,
she was told that their bakery that produces them had moved to Canada, and
none would be shipped this far south any more. There was even an article in
their local paper about it.
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/observer/living/food/7012669.htm

You would have to know my father to realize what a catastrophe this was. 
He's 85, as persistent as a bulldog, and it just wasn't the holiday season
with that fruitcake.  He was driving us crazy over the subject.

Fortunately, A&P runs a chain in New Orleans called Save-A-Center, and
I have a cousin who lives down there.  He saved the day, and the fruitcakes
arrived via UPS last week.  One happy father.

I did think, though, that New Orleans was a little bit south of Charlotte.

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5