The Talenti Lid Mystery

Talenti makes delicious gelato.

But they have a lid problem.

Talenti Lids

Talenti gelato comes in a clear jar with a brown screw lid. The clear container is part of the company’s brand. Proclaiming transparency, they want you to see their ice cream.

Many of us, however, have been unable to open the jar. With no success, I have run hot water around the lid; I used a cloth to eliminate a slippery hand; I have tried to lift the lip of the lid with a slim knife. Others reputedly have used “corkscrews, screwdrivers, Channellock pliers and knives”.

We know that the problem existed before the Wall Street Journal wrote about it in 2018, and according to a recent Washington Post article, it never ended. (I cannot confirm recent facts because frustrated, I stopped buying Talenti gelato.)

Confusing the issue, in 2017, Talenti said the problem was a lid-capping machine that they fixed upon finding out that it “caused some lids to be particularly tight…” However, the reports continued.

And now, last May, we were offered the ultimate solution–a chance to win a Talenti Twist:

At this point, as economists, we can only ask why, if McDonald’s could solve a crunchy French fry problem, Talenti and its parent company, Unilever, could not figure out how to open a jar.

Our Bottom Line: Tradeoffs

Reminding us that choosing is refusing, the opportunity cost of a decision is the next best alternative. Because the opportunity cost is what we did not do, it is what we sacrificed. As economists we can hypothesize that Talenti never fixed its lid problem because the opportunity cost was too great. But until we learn more about the solution, the cause and retention of the Talenti lid remain a mystery.

My sources and more: HT to The Washington Post for reminding me of my Talenti struggles. Then WSJ had more detail as did MIC. And Yahoo gave some advice.