Sorry About The Rocks In Your Raisin Bread. Here's $5.
We've never really stopped to wonder what sort of compensation we would require if we found small rocks in our raisin bread, but we're pretty sure that it's more than $5. Maybe we're being unrealistic, because when Michael Snyder found rocks in the raisin bread he bought from a bakery in Somerville, Massachusetts, he asked for 5 loaves of bread in compensation and settled for $5 instead.
Ron Siegel, co-owner, told the Journal they have traced the rocks back to a shipment of raisins they received from Hillcrest Foods, a food distributor. When Pigs Fly has since sent the shipment of raisin back to the distributor.
The raisins were traced back to a Chilean company where an older method of drying grapes is used. This old method dries the grapes in between the rows of vineyard. While this method works well, it does allow for more contamination by small rocks and other foreign materials.
When Pigs Fly Inc. did offer compensation for the loaves of “rocky” bread. Siegel said Snyder originally wanted five loaves of bread shipped to his house in North Reading, but a compromise was reached, and Snyder was sent a $5 check.
Snyder is not bitter about the situation. “I have nothing bad to say,” said Snyder. “I am sure this is an isolated event.”
Oh well, we're glad they worked it out. That must be some tasty raisin bread.
Rocks in raisin bread traced to Chilean company [Wicked Local](Thanks, R Interger !)
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Well sheesh, if it was just rocks and he didn't eat it, just give him a new loaf. Five free loaves? Maybe as a gesture of goodwill, but I certainly wouldn't have the temerity to ask for that. $5 is adequate
Hmmm I grew up with a kid named Michael Snyder...if it's the same one I would like to have a laugh at the thought of that little jerk eating rocks.
Probably not him though. I agree mbordenkircher, raisins are totally gross. I'd rather have rocks.
If he had a gizzard he would feel lucky to get stones in his raisin bread!
I don't know why he's raisin such a grape about this. I bread somewhere that rocks have lots of minerals. I think the company handled this correctly, even though $5 isn't a lot of dough.
Also, you people are crazy, raisins are delicious.
Wow, Mayorbee... too much.
Mmm... Rock bread.
All you can expect is to be made whole, and that means replacing the loaf of bread. Demanding compensation greater than your loss is just greedy.
$5 is fine. One loaf, fine.
Whew! For a moment there, I thought it might have been the work of Whitey Bulger and the Winter Hill Mob!
I can see asking for compenstion, but I'm not sure the request for more product makes sense. You get a loaf of bread with rocks in it, so you ask for five more? I'd ask for the cost of the dental work.
What is the deal with people always wanting compensation and wanting to sue companies because of mistakes. I don't understand why people aren't just happy with an apology and a replacement. Everyone seems to think they are entitled to more then that nowadays and if they don't get it SUE SUE SUE.
Raisins are wonderful.
That being said, it takes balls to just request X number of product for compensation.
If they had sent him five loaves, and those had had rocks in them, would he have expected 25 loaves to make that right?
It doesn't seem like the customer was very upset by the rocks. If he wasn't injured by the rocks, I'm sure $5 is a fair payoff. How much is a loaf, anyway? Too often whiny customers ask for way too much money when a small error or problem occurs. Good for Michael Snyder!
Why is it that no matter what the post is about, there are always several people who insist on commenting about the fact that they never use/liked the product/company in the first place. If the topic doesn't apply to you, why bother posting?
This does seem like something of a non-story: The company made a mistake and compensated him adequately. Now, if he'd chewed the rocks and destroyed his teeth and the company offered him $5, THAT would be remarkable.
Quick, we've found a species thought to be extinct on the Consumerist -- the reasonable wronged consumer (RWC). Call the papers.
I'm just glad the consumer didn't chip his teeth! Then the $5 would certainly have been an insult, especially is dentistry had to be involved! I've bitten into a few rocks in cans of refried beans before. Not a good experience...I tend to shy away from making burritos now.
If this particular company uses a method that involves grapes being put in dirt, the least they could do is lay down some mesh wire first and then place the grapes on top.
"Caution: our raisin bread may contain Chilean Sea Pebbles. As always, this product remains nut-free."
I'm really partial to this apple raisin bread my wife's been bringing home from the grocer's lately... but it would be heinous if I bit into a rock. OP's lucky he didn' incur dental work.
Have you noticed that goofy business names sound really weird when included in a sentence such as "When Pigs Fly did offer compensation..."? This bakery is only a few doors down from "Kickass Cupcakes" [www.kickasscupcakes.com] which must sound great when included on a business application or a summons. Davis Square corners in the market in odd business names.
Maybe these were replacements for raisins and maybe the hoped no one would by the loaf.
Either they were rocks or they were cupcakes from that horrible place next door to When Pigs Fly. Their cupcakes are pretty much indistinguishable from stone.
I never use/liked the product/company in the first place ;)
Rocks AND raisins = fiber!
My wife and I have a dental office (thus we've seen more than our share of broken teeth).
If this guy was sold bread with rocks in it, I think five loaves as a replacement is more than reasonable based on what was put at risk because of it.
@Monoplex: you're blaming them for something that DIDNT happen by "fining" them five loaves. Unless they maliciously put those rocks in there in the hopes that he would bust his teeth out, then calling foul is a bit over doing it.
Accidents happen and the reason our sue happy nation is just that is because people get their panties in a bunch when someone makes a mistake.
granted I've made raisin bread, and while not on such a large scale as a bakery, how do you mistake rocks for raisins?
More than likely a disgruntled employee put rocks in the bread on purpose. I would report the incident to the police.
I am a little surprised by the bakery's offer. Usually, the best way to deal with your own "mistake" is to grossly over-refund. This guy only wanted 5 loaves of bread, which he traveled pretty far in Boston terms to get in the first place. Give him so much bread he has to share with his friends and make him a big advocate of the bakery that he comes back for more. Of course, he lives too far away (unless he works in the neighborhood) to drive much business, but it would have been much better publicity that giving the guy $5 to refund his bread purchase.
This does seem like something of a non-story: The company made a mistake and compensated him adequately.
@alejo699: We don't get a lot of "company compensated customer immediately and apologized, customer satisfied" stories on Consumerist. Usually if we get a story about a company messing up things don't get fixed until after the story was made public. The fact that there wasn't much of a bruhaha is kind of remarkable.
Also, rocks in bread.
it IS really tasty raisin bread, I love When Pigs Fly. If I found rocks in my loaf I would forgive them, it's worth the risk for me.
after working at numerous restaurants and food joints in my time i can never fathom how this crap gets into the food. rocks?! bolts?! a dead lizard?! i mean wtf? its just mind bottling to me every time i see these posts especially after hearing how these places handle it. in any place i have every worked, if i ever sent something out with ROCKS in it id be fired and the place would get a serious overhaul.
crazy
Like the unlucky guy who gets hit by lightning a second time, I've found rocks in my bread twice (once in raisin pecan and once in a seeded loaf). The second rock managed to crack my tooth, but being Canadian (eh?) I just politely told the bakery that it was starting to cost me a lot of dough and that they should check their suppliers out. If I remember correctly, they just said, ok. That is how we handle things in Canada. We try to out-polite one another.
I know someone especially familiar with the matter- the man who found the rocks neglected to mention that he wanted those 5 loves of bread hand delivered to his house and when that was refused, asked for the number of the raisen company to "see what he could get out of them."
raisins are gross anyways, 1 pt Chile.