The undisputed king of breakfast cereals has been in hot water this week, in a bizarre mystery that is stranger than fiction...
Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a top tier breakfast cereal.
There's just something about that sweet, spicy flavor ...
It's just the best.
Who doesn't love it?
That distinctive flavor ...
Often imitated, never duplicated.
Like a cozy hug for breakfast.
There's nothing quite so comforting.
There's just one problem.
The beloved brand has been embroiled in a recent scandal.
And it's truly bizarre.
So let's start from the beginning.
It all started when writer Jensen Karp posted this tweet earlier in the week.
Ummmm @CTCSquares - why are there shrimp tails in my cereal? (This is not a bit) pic.twitter.com/tTjiAdrnVp
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 22, 2021
Claiming he'd found bits of shrimp in his box of CTC.
And that was only the beginning of this crazy tale ...
Cinnamon Toast Crunch initially responded with this...
We’re sorry to see what you found! We would like to report this to our quality team and replace the box. Can you please send us a DM to collect more details? Thanks!
— Cinnamon Toast Crunch (@CTCSquares) March 22, 2021
Pretty innocuous, right?
Jensen was having none of it, though.
Ok, I have sent you a DM. Fair warning, I look different since eating your cereal today. https://t.co/s9tUn2EOD3 pic.twitter.com/6otUwUmrYo
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 22, 2021
Hitting back with this joke.
CTC ignored this, but made this claim.
After further investigation with our team that closely examined the image, it appears to be an accumulation of the cinnamon sugar that sometimes can occur when ingredients aren't thoroughly blended. We assure you that there's no possibility of cross contamination with shrimp.
— Cinnamon Toast Crunch (@CTCSquares) March 22, 2021
No shrimp, but in fact clumps of sugar that oddly resembled bits of shrimp.
Jensen didn't buy it.
Ok, we’ll after further investigation with my eyes, these are cinnamon coated SHRIMP TAILS, you weirdos. I wasn’t all that mad until you now tried to gaslight me? https://t.co/7DmADmoqUt pic.twitter.com/rSLE60pvoy
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 22, 2021
And shared some disturbing close-up images.
CTC then asked Jensen to send them the shrimp tails for them to "investigate."
Then things got worse.
I was convinced to go back through the bag, since when I first noticed the shrimp tails, I freaked out and closed the box. Here’s all my findings, which also now includes a weird little string? pic.twitter.com/mRDUhqG3I8
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 22, 2021
Jensen went back to the original packet to find even more weird items ...
After this, CTC did a rapid reverse.
— Cinnamon Toast Crunch (@CTCSquares) March 23, 2021
They now claim they have nothing to do with the tampered-with box of cereal.
So, Jensen is taking things to the authorities.
Some updates: I am now in touch with a testing lab re: the “black things,” which I will not yet be calling by any other name for my own sanity. Also, a research company will be paying to DNA test the shrimp tail! (2021, y’all)
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 23, 2021
We told you this story was mad.
Next, CTC asked Jensen to hand over the box.
I can’t believe this in a real life, publicly traded company. pic.twitter.com/v5fAz2SSyM
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 23, 2021
Asking him to give the box to local law enforcement.
We're on tenterhooks as to what's going to happen next.