Yes, Kellogg's cereals appeared to be a big deal. Yes, there were Corn Flakes and Frosties and all manner of other staples. The look of them might be a bit different, and the names might be a touch different too; Frosties were "Frosted Flakes" but who cared? Seeing many of the same things gave one a happy home-from-home experience.
But where were the Crunchy Nut Cornflakes? Surely they could not have by-passed the USA? Apparently so. Amazingly, for some reason, Kellogg's had never got their act together to introduce the Brits' favourite cereal over here. Until last week, that is. We had popped into our local Food Lion and there they were, innocently sitting there on a special "Two for $5" deal. Of course we bought two and the first had already been eaten within the first few hours of purchase.
It turns out that Crunchy Nut Cornflakes do indeed originate in the UK and that America has dragged its feet in introducing them. The Manchester Evening News last week carried a feature on the topic:
Crunchy Nut Cornflakes makes Atlantic jump
The article explains that they were invented in Manchester back in 1980, in Kellogg's Trafford Park factory. The brand is now worth £94m and finally it gets its first US outing.
As I have often said before, it becomes easier to be a resident alien in the USA all the time. Now we have the reassuringly delicious home-from-home taste of Crunchy Nut Cornflakes. What's next? Walker's Crisps? Now, that would be something.
9 comments:
Excellent News !!!
I had somehow missed this major announcement until now.
I've been here since 1991 and my American wife of 3 years has seen me travel back from the UK with an entire suitcase full of Crunchy Nut before now, but the stockpile never lasted longer than a couple of months after a trip home!
Let's start a campaign to bring Walker's Crisps here too, plus some real Cadbury chocolate too!
I can still remember 20 years ago when I excitedly bought a large container of "Whoppers malted milk balls" and was so disappointed that they tasted nothing like Maltesers at all, not even close..
I know that some are really different (Marmite anyone?!) but are the most popular English food products that we expats love really so different that many Americans consumers wouldn't love them just as much, and buy them too?!
Keep up the good work,
David, Jennifer, and baby Elizabeth, from Boston MA
Thanks. Yes, know what you mean about the Whoppers phenomenon -- what a disappointment. And if only there were Walkers Crisps and real Cadbury's. We order our Walkers in for a special treat from time to time.
Since when were Crunchy Nut Cornflakes the best cereal? Surely Special K holds that place.
It is a well known fact that Walkers crisps taste of nothing. Now Kettle crisps - or Tyrrell - those are proper crisps
My mom started buying the Crunchy Nut cereal and it's like the greatest cereal ever!!
Now we need some proper snacks like Monster Munch and Nik Naks! Drink requests: Lucozade, Irn Bru, Lilt. Oh and bring back Coke with Lime and Pepsi with Lime. Now we just have the crappy diet versions.
Granted, "Duke" is a distinctly British word. When he compiled his dictionary in the opening decades of the 19th century, Noah Webster foresaw a time when such words would go extinct in American usage. Although such has not turned out to be the case, nonetheless American English does maintain its distinctiveness. Thus the pronunciation of "Duke" as if it were "dook" rather than "dyook."
Have you made the switch?
Walkers operate as 'Lays' in most countries outside of the UK, btw! I've just moved to NY from London & finding out all the quirks and slight deviations in stuff over here. The only product I didn't realise that Americans don't use is squash, as in orange squash/ fruit and barley! Going to have to hunt some import shops down!
Walkers operate as 'Lays' in most countries outside of the UK, btw! I've just moved to NY from London & finding out all the quirks and slight deviations in stuff over here. The only product I didn't realise that Americans don't use is squash, as in orange squash/ fruit and barley! Going to have to hunt some import shops down!
YAY! Cadbury chocolate that I was hoping for :D
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