- General Mills monster-themed breakfast cereals
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Count Chocula 
A box of Count Chocula breakfast cerealchocolate-flavored corn
cereal bits and marshmallowsMascot: Cartoon vampire;
The name is a pun
on the vampire
Count Dracula
Voiced by Larry Kenney impersonating Bela LugosiIntroduced: 1971 Availability: Still in production seasonally Tagline: I want to eat your cereal!
(1971–2008)Notes: [1] 
Bowl of Count Chocula Franken Berry strawberry-flavored corn
cereal bits and marshmallowsMascot: Cartoon variant of Frankenstein's monster
Voiced by Bob McFadden impersonating Boris KarloffIntroduced: 1971 Availability: Still in production seasonally Notes: [2] Boo Berry 
A box of Boo Berry cerealblueberry-flavored corn
cereal bits and marshmallowsMascot: Blue cartoon ghost
Voiced by Paul Frees impersonating Peter LorreIntroduced: 1973 Availability: Still in production seasonally 
Bowl of Boo Berry Fruit Brute 
A box of Fruit BruteFrosted fruit-flavored cereal
with lime flavored marshmallowsMascot: Cartoon Werewolf Introduced: 1974/75 Availability: Discontinued (1983) Notes: [3] Fruity Yummy Mummy 
Fruity Yummy Mummy boxFrosted fruit-flavored cereal
with vanilla-flavored
marshmallowsMascot: Cartoon Mummy Introduced: 1987 Availability: Discontinued (1993) Tagline: Fruity Yummy Mummy
makes your tummy
feel yummy!
Heh, heh, heh!
(1988–1990)General Mills monster-themed breakfast cereals are five current and formerly distributed breakfast cereal brands in North America. The series includes Count Chocula, Franken Berry, and Boo Berry, and the discontinued Fruit Brute and Fruity Yummy Mummy.
Contents
History
In 1971, the first two cereals in the line were introduced, Count Chocula and the strawberry-flavored Franken Berry. Boo Berry, reputedly the first blueberry-flavored cereal,[4] was released in 1973, and Fruit Brute the following year. Fruit Brute was discontinued by 1983 and replaced in 1987 by Fruity Yummy Mummy, which also had a short life as it was discontinued in the 1990s.[5]
In the recent past, the three cereals still in circulation could be primarily found during the autumn months,[6][7] in time for Halloween. According to a General Mills source,[8] Count Chocula, Franken Berry, and Boo Berry are all produced year-round, making their seasonality an issue based on decisions made by retailers. As of late 2010, information such as nutrition data and historical factoids can still be found on the official General Mills website at all times of the year.[4]
Though retired, Fruity Yummy Mummy and Fruit Brute still appear occasionally on official merchandise: in recent years, bobblehead dolls have been sold in their images.[9][10]
The television commercials for the cereals usually featured the monsters competitively touting their own cereals to children, but would get frightened when anything interrupted their one-upmanship.[11]
Beginning in 2011, Frankenberry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula cereals will be manufactured and sold only for a few months during the fall/Halloween season. These cereals will not be made and sold the rest of the year (General Mills representative[who?][where?] on June 15, 2011).
Health concerns
Franken Berry was very popular when first introduced possibly because the initial batches of the cereal used a dye that didn't break down in the body, causing many children's feces to be bright pink, a symptom sometimes referred to as "Frankenberry Stool."[12]
See also
References
- ^ Advertising Mascots - Count Chocula from TV Acres - Internet guide to television program facts
- ^ Advertising mascots - Frankenberry from TV acres - Internet guide to television program facts
- ^ Advertising mascots - Fruit Brute from TV Acres - Internet guide to television program facts
- ^ a b General Mills: Monsters Crunch
- ^ Yummy Mummy Cereal - Mr Breakfast.com
- ^ Hello Franken Berry, it’s nice to see you again. « The Gastronomist
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ email correspondence with a General Mills consumer affairs employee
- ^ Bobble Heads Fruit Brute
- ^ Bobble Heads Yummy Mummy
- ^ YouTube - Count Chocula Frankenberry Commercial 1980 General Mills
- ^ Enid Gilbert-Barness; Diane E. Debich-Spicer (2005). Handbook of pediatric autopsy pathology. Humana Press. p. 288. ISBN 978-1-59259-673-7. http://books.google.com/books?id=TB9pHN3zgycC&pg=PA288. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
External links
Historical Figures: Cadwallader C. Washburn · Charles Alfred Pillsbury · John Crosby · James Ford Bell · William de la BarreCereals Boo Berry · Cheerios · Chex · Cinnamon Toast Crunch · Cocoa Puffs · Cookie Crisp · Count Chocula · Franken Berry · Golden Grahams · Honey Nut Cheerios · Honey Nut Clusters · Kaboom · Kix · Lucky Charms · Oatmeal Crisp · Reese's Puffs · Total · Trix · WheatiesMeals Pillsbury Snacks Bugles · Chex Mix · Fruit by the Foot · Shark Bites · Fruit Gushers · Fruit Roll-Ups · Gardetto's · Nature ValleyDairy Baking Organic Cascadian Farm · Lärabar · Muir GlenOther Betty Crocker Kitchens · Box Tops for EducationKey Innovations DSV Alvin · Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points · Project Strato-Lab · Skyhook balloon · Space foodAnnual revenue
US$14.8 billion (2009) · Employees 33,000 (2009) · Stock symbol NYSE: GIS · Website generalmills.comCategories:- General Mills characters
- General Mills cereals
- Cereal advertising characters
- Fictional vampires
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