Cinnamon Toast Crunch is, famously, the taste you can see.
It famously tastes (and looks) like cinnamon french toast....not like shrimp.
Unless you're this poor soul, who found sugared and cinnamoned shrimp tails in his Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Ummmm @CTCSquares - why are there shrimp tails in my cereal? (This is not a bit) https://t.co/tTjiAdrnVp— Jensen Karp (@Jensen Karp) 1616434348.0
Horrified, Jensen Karp, host of the Talk Ain't Cheap podcast, closed up his cereal and ran away, understandably.
When he came back later, that wasn't the only thing he unearthed in this cereal box.
I was convinced to go back through the bag, since when I first noticed the shrimp tails, I freaked out and closed t… https://t.co/Um9GPHybNh— Jensen Karp (@Jensen Karp) 1616453686.0
Also, many of the squares have black marks, and some are dyed red? And yes, I ate a bowl before noticing all this. https://t.co/Y9WWmsTznP— Jensen Karp (@Jensen Karp) 1616453688.0
I think it’s also important to state that the black things - are cooked (?) INTO the square? https://t.co/bAySDbDLyw— Jensen Karp (@Jensen Karp) 1616453788.0
For real - someone tell me they aren’t like maggots or bugs. Is it shrimp adjacent? (also just found this weird cin… https://t.co/pjtch6TwZV— Jensen Karp (@Jensen Karp) 1616454037.0
Cinnamon Toast Crunch responded:
@JensenKarp We’re sorry to see what you found! We would like to report this to our quality team and replace the box… https://t.co/MnN3LQ0TMh— Cinnamon Toast Crunch (@Cinnamon Toast Crunch) 1616438354.0
But Karp didn't necessarily want another box just yet:
GUYS - I am not sure I’m ready for another box!!! https://t.co/OxRs5cvZPC— Jensen Karp (@Jensen Karp) 1616438731.0
@JensenKarp We understand your concern. We promise you that our team will look into this and get to the bottom of i… https://t.co/aiaeUnHw0p— Cinnamon Toast Crunch (@Cinnamon Toast Crunch) 1616440669.0
Apparently this isn't General Mills' first problem with shrimp:
@JensenKarp @CTCSquares This isnt General Mills first rodeo with shrimp in their product / provided ingredients https://t.co/guAgZZ7QQY— Hela Natchios🖤 (@Hela Natchios🖤) 1616459373.0
@FateFulDream @JensenKarp @CTCSquares Do you know what a contact manufacture is? Basically they paid another compan… https://t.co/5tXZMsO1D3— MrSharp (@MrSharp) 1616503109.0
@FateFulDream @JensenKarp @CTCSquares It's because they clearly rent or lease a manufacturing facility that is used… https://t.co/nG2fbgcOPD— Vivan Cruz (@Vivan Cruz) 1616545421.0
@FateFulDream @JensenKarp @CTCSquares Well, that's a bit terrifying. Considering I have a life-threatening shellfis… https://t.co/mlFObvEFRY— suzette (@suzette) 1616513292.0
@FateFulDream @JensenKarp @CTCSquares I suppose you could say there's been multiple contaminated...shrimpments....no? Sorry.— Hailey Moore (@Hailey Moore) 1616534697.0
And Karp continued to have insane conversations with members of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch social media team--who claimed that the shrimp tails were not shrimp and were paying for a DNA test.
I can’t believe this in a real life, publicly traded company. https://t.co/v5fAz2SSyM— Jensen Karp (@Jensen Karp) 1616538754.0
Some updates: I am now in touch with a testing lab re: the “black things,” which I will not yet be calling by any o… https://t.co/Y9S62ZurrZ— Jensen Karp (@Jensen Karp) 1616528527.0
My point is - their initial reaction to shellfish being in the bag was to tell me it was sugar. Not to investigate… https://t.co/KNVg4HX6Df— Jensen Karp (@Jensen Karp) 1616528528.0
I originally approached them thinking it would help out! Then, they said I’m mistaking sugar for a crustacean. Anyw… https://t.co/ixu4LNuKgZ— Jensen Karp (@Jensen Karp) 1616528528.0
We’re going to a lab https://t.co/utlWpU1k4I— Jensen Karp (@Jensen Karp) 1616521594.0
America is a wild place to be. A simple shrimp tail in your Cinnamon Toast Crunch will lead to a DNA test for legal reasons.
"Something for ALL social media managers to take out of this," wrote Karp, "your millionaire bosses will throw you to the wolves."
"No one outside of the social media team has tried to contact me, yet they're getting INSANE directives from them."
The matter continues to be unresolved.