Cult snacks that've made a comeback

When food and beverage manufacturers discontinue products because not enough people are buying them, they often neglect to take one thing into account: the passion with which the people that are buying them, love the products. As such, sometimes these people rally for a product's return... and sometimes, they win.

Cult 90s soda Surge, for example, is returning to the shelves in September 2015, after 12 years in retirement. The hashtag #SURGEcomeback has been spreading news of its return across social media.

Surge

This map shows the states, where Surge will soon be available.

The extra caffeinated green drink was manufactured between 1996 and 2003. After it was discontinued, three superfans spearheaded a social media campaign, called the Surge Movement. They even collected thousands of donations in 2013 to purchase a billboard near Coke's Atlanta headquarters that read "Dear Coke, we couldn't buy Surge so we bought this billboard instead."

Looks like the company took notice.

The McRib

Introduced in 1981, then discontinued... Reintroduced in 1994, only to be removed from the menu again... The McRib was resurrected for a third time in 2014 because its cult following simply seems unwilling to part with this boneless pork sandwich, sculpted into the shape of a rack of ribs.

Crystal Pepsi

Pepsi only produced this caffeine-free clear cola in the U.S. from 1992 to 1993; but much like Surge, recent years have seen diehard fans taking to social media with the hashtag #BringBackCrystalPEPSI and creating crowd-funding petitions for a comeback.

Now, it looks like their carbonated prayers may soon be answered...

Crystal ball

On June 8, 2015, YouTube celebrity Kevin Strahle -- one of the leaders of the #BringBackCrystalPEPSI movement -- received a cryptic response from Pepsi, which read:

"Your love for Pepsi is clear - crystal clear... We definitely hear you and your followers and we think you'll all be happy with what's in store."

Twinkies

Some comebacks are sweet. Others are so sweet, they're cream-filled.

In 2012, after two bankruptcies and decades of mismanagement, Hostess announced it would be liquidating its assets. Consumers went nuts, raiding supermarket shelves and buying up boxes of Twinkies on eBay for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Well, billionaire Dean Metropoulos was watching; and floored by the brand awareness, he plunked down $410 million to revive the business and keep Twinkies around.

New adventures of old Coke

In 1985 -- in an effort to stave off a surge by rival Pepsi -- Coca-Cola announced it was scrapping its original formula for a sweeter recipe, coined "New Coke." American consumers revolted; and three months later, Coke brought back "Coca-Cola Classic," which surged straight into the #1 spot on the tastebuds of relieved soda sentimentalists.

The Double Down

KFC's heart attack special, the Double Down, was launched in 2010 as a limited time special. The bacon and pepper jack sandwich, with two pieces of fried chicken where its bun should be, was then brought back by popular demand in April 2014... again, for a limited time.

Fans are already speculating when it will next return.

Crispy M&M's

Crispy M&M's were discontinued in 2005. Then in January 2015, nearly a decade later, the product was revived due to a flood of fan requests.

When the cookie-filled M&M's returned, however, they did so in a light green package, rather than their original royal blue bag. Because, like a younger sibling who steals all your clothes, M&M's Pretzel had moved in on the dark blue packaging while Crispy M&M's weren't looking.

French Toast Crunch

The brunch alternative to Cinnamon Toast Crunch stood on the shelves for 11 years, before it was unceremoniously removed in 2006. Thousands of dedicated fans took to Facebook to protest General Mills' decision. And in December 2014, the maple syrup-flavored cereal came pouring back into U.S. stores.

Chicken Fries

Many American consumers felt scorned when Burger King discontinued chicken fries in 2012. So, in August 2014, the fast food giant brought its fan favorite fusion of chicken fingers and french fries back to the people.

Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute

The cherry-flavored werewolf-themed cereal, Frute Brute, was around for eight years in the mid-70s and early 80s. Its monster cereal cousin, orange-flavored Yummy Mummy, was originally available from 1987 to 1992.

Since their discontinuation, fans have been vocal on social media about wanting a comeback. So, beginning in 2013, General Mills issued a sort of compromise: The retro monster cereals will return every year, just seasonally around Halloween.

Count Chocula & friends

The rest of the Big G Monster Group -- chocolate-flavored Count Chocula, strawberry-flavored Franken Berry, and blueberry-flavored Boo Berry -- were available year round for nearly 35 years, beginning in the early 1970s.

Today, just like their spooky breakfast brethren Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute, the cereals make seasonal appearances just in time for Halloween.

Sprite Remix

Coca-cola's tropical-flavored Sprite may have only lasted two years on the market from 2003 to 2005; but just like with Surge, dedicated fans launched a social media movement calling for the product's revival. And in the Spring of 2015, it hit the shelves again under the revamped name, Sprite Tropical.

Pepsi Holiday Spice

Surge's resurgence has many American consumers wondering what other beloved cult beverages could be next. Pepsi Holiday Spice, for example, could play into all of the recent enthusiasm for Pumpkin Spice Lattes and other autumn-flavored products.

Perhaps annual seasonal appearances, like General Mills' monster cereals?

Orbitz

Or perhaps Orbitz will be next. Sure, this noncarbonated fruit drink came and went quickly in 1997 due to poor sales, but the recent popularity of bubble tea could provide an opportunity for a second life.

Because really, who doesn't want to drink a lava lamp?