A crisis of unprecedented proportions is unfolding in Newfoundland. The news — get those tissues ready — is that Zest's beloved sweet mustard pickles are no more.
Smucker Foods has announced it will be discontinuing both Zest and Habitant brand mustard pickles. Habitant is more popular in Quebec, whereas Zest is Newfoundland's favourite.
In short, it's devastating.
What's a Jigg's dinner without a side of mustard pickles? Garbage, that's what.
Newfoundlanders are, understandably, losing their minds and stocking up before the remaining supplies are gone from shelves.
Which prompted the most Newfoundland sign to ever be written at a shop in St. John's.
Saw this shared on Facebook! The Hottest two items in NL...Radio Bingo Cards & Mustard Pickles! Love it lol. #yyt
And there's now a booming trade on Kijiji.
Basically.
BUT FEAR NOT FRIENDS, for there is hope on the horizon. Colemans, a Newfoundland grocery chain, is going to make it all better.
Don’t despair! We're working w/ pickle maker to launch a mustard pickle that Newfoundland will enjoy more than Zest
Coleman's spokesperson Judy Bennett told BuzzFeed Canada there's a plan in the works to introduce their own in-house brand of mustard pickles. Although there's no firm launch date yet, Bennett said she got to taste the new pickles last week and found them even tastier than Zest's.
While those on the mainland may be wondering why everyone is so worked over pickles, Bennett explained they're not just any ol' side.
"It’s been a huge staple on the table of Newfoundlanders for a very, very long time," said said. They're paired with everything from fish cakes to Jigg's dinners to cod tongues.
Historically, she added, "In Newfoundland's rural areas your food was pretty bland, you didn’t have the variety of food that we do today. It was really a lot of fish and potatoes and bland things, so a pickle on your plate would go a long way."