There was a time when you could buy boxes of Count Chocula and Franken Berry any time of the year. These days, you’ll have a hard time spotting them outside of the months of September and October. But they are back on store shelves for their 54th year of providing scary-good breakfasts. Boo Berry is back too! And this year, the trio is looking a little fuzzy.
This year, the boxes of Monster Cereals have been Muppetized. Our favorite cereal monsters have been reimagined as puppets in celebration of The Jim Henson Company’s 70th anniversary. This monstrously magical makeover is a first-of-its-kind collaboration, and the guys are looking better than ever.
The limited-edition cereal boxes featuring puppet-y versions of the Monsters are on store shelves now. Looking on the back of the box, you’ll learn how the team from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop used their signature puppet-building expertise and artistry to reimagine these beloved characters. They even consider Count Chocula, Franken Berry and Boo Berry “family” joining other Muppet monsters.
It was Imagine Entertainment who came up with the partnership idea of bringing General Mills and The Jim Henson Company together for this promotion. Imagine has worked with both companies in the past on separate projects. Imagine provided creative direction and oversaw creation of the filmed content which began appearing on social media and YouTube last month.
In another frightful promotion, a limited-edition fuzzy Franken Berry cereal box will be available exclusively on Walmart.com for $7.70 beginning October 7. Designed to mimic the fleece-like texture of the newly created puppet characters, the collector-worthy box offers fans a tactile twist on the beloved brand. It’s a must-have for cereal collectors.
“This is more than a cereal box, it’s a piece of art,” said Mindy Murray, Brand Experience Director for Morning Foods at General Mills. “We know that fans have an incredible love for Monsters and anticipate their return every year. That’s why we knew the partnership with The Jim Henson Company was the perfect way to deliver surprise and delight — and the first-of-its-kind fuzzy Franken Berry box.”
If you are diehard fan of these cereals and their new look, you’ll want to check out shop.Henson.com for merch and collectibles. Here you’ll coasters and magnets featuring the trio ($7), art print ($14), coffee mugs and tote bags ($20), cereal bowls and t-shirts ($24), beach towels ($34). premium Water Bottles ($40) and hoodies ($56).
A Short History of Monster Cereals: From Count Chocula to Carmella Creeper
For some, the golden age of cerealdom was created in March of 1971 when we saw our first glimpse of Count Chocula and Franken Berry. The Count was voiced by Larry Kenney impersonating Bela Lugosi saying things like “I vant to eat your cereal.” His strawberry-flavored cohort, Franken Berry was voiced by Bob McFadden who impersonated Boris Karloff. Although they were monsters, they were afraid of everything.
For some, the golden age of cerealdom was created in March of 1971 when we saw our first glimpse of Count Chocula and Franken Berry. The Count was voiced by Larry Kenney impersonating Bela Lugosi saying things like “I vant to eat your cereal.” His strawberry-flavored cohort, Franken Berry was voiced by Bob McFadden who impersonated Boris Karloff.
Count Chocula featured chocolate-flavored marshmallows (sometimes in the shape of bats) while Franken Berry featured strawberry-flavored marshmallow bits. The two monsters would often argue about which cereal tasted best. (They probably still do.)
In 1973, Boo Berry was added to the lineup that featured a ghost voiced by Paul Frees (who also voiced the Pillsbury Doughboy at the time) impersonating Peter Lorre. The “spooky fun marshmallows” were blueberry flavored.
Gone, but Not Forgotten
In 1974, General Mills added Fruit Brute (today the cereal is spelled “Frute” Brute for some reason) to the trio which featured a werewolf who would go crazy for the cereal. The cereal was featured in Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 film, Reservoir Dogs and 1994’s Pulp Fiction. The original cereal lasted from 1974-1982, was revived briefly from 2013-2014 and again in 2022.
Yummy Mummy arrived on store shelves in 1987 but some cereal purists don’t consider the cereal to be an official member of the Monster Cereal line-up, but for the sake of argument (and the fact that General Mills does) we’ll include it here. It was around from 1987-1992 and also revived briefly from 2013-2014.
For 2023, Carmella Creeper was added to the gang. Carmella is a zombie and as it turns out, she’s Franken Berry’s long-lost cousin. She is a DJ and loves to host parties at the haunted mansion. Her cereal is caramel apple flavored. She vanished in 2024.
Also sharing shelf space was Monster Mash which appeared during the Monster’s 50th anniversary in 2021. Each box was a mash-up of six different cereals (Frute Brute, Count Chocula, Boo Berry, Franken Berry and Yummy Mummy. In 2023 the cereal added Carmella Creeper and was re-named Monster Mash Remix. In 2024 the monsters were back for a colorful berry-flavored cereal with the name of Monsters’ Frightful Friends.
All Images: General Mills
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