After Consumerist first alerted the nation to the debilitating waffle shortage, the story has been making the rounds of nearly every media outlet in the country. Thanks to their hard work, we’ve learned some interesting new things about the shortage.
ABC News learned that while flood damage was the real reason for the extended closing of the waffle factory, the plant was originally shut down due to listeria contamination. It was while the plant was already closed for cleanup that the fateful flooding occurred.
“Kellogg voluntarily ceased production at the plant, began an investigation to determine a possible cause of contamination and began a regimen of cleaning and sanitizing,” the Georgia Department of Agriculture announced at the time. “Kellogg will execute its hygienic restoration plan under GDA before it resumes production at the plant.”
Kellogg spokeswoman Kris Charles said the plant was closed for both cleaning and as a result of the flooding.
“Just as the Atlanta facility was ready to resume production, excessive rain in the region caused flooding at the facility, which delayed the startup,” Charles wrote in an e-mail to ABC News today.
Stephen Colbert even called upon President Obama to open up the country’s Strategic Waffle Reserve. Check out the great mashup of H1N1 vaccine story footage and the waffle story.
| The Colbert Report | Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Eggo Waffles Shortage Alert | ||||
|
||||
Eggo Waffle Shortage: Bacteria First Forced Plant Closure [ABC News]
November 18, 2009: Eggo Waffles Shortage Alert [The Colbert Report]
PREVIOUSLY:
Hey, Where Did All The Eggo Waffles Go?
Kellogg’s Finally Explains Eggo Waffle Shortage
More From Consumerist
-
Where Has My Slow Fe Iron Supplement Gone?
-
Pork Prices Might Go Up But We Won’t Be Going Without Bacon After All (Whew!)
-
News Of Looming Worldwide Pork Shortage Is Making Bacon Lovers Totally Flip Out
-
CBS Also Refuses To Let CNET Review TV-Streaming Service Aereo
-
Birthday Party Clowns Celebrating After House Votes To Avoid Helium Shortage
Nice attempt at whitewashing.
@diasdiem: If they had said up front, “We’re closing temporarily to clean our factory and protect consumers,” they might have gotten some kudos and good publicity.
Now it sounds like they were covering something up.
Everyone, stop eating your Eggos. I repeat : leggo your eggos.
@pecan 3.14159265:
Eat pecan 3.14159265 instead?
What? No one blaming George Bush?
@jdmba: GEORGE BUSH DOESN’T CARE ABOUT WAFFLES
@The Queen of Everything: How does he feel about fried chicken?
@jdmba: Duh. George Bush is exempt. The republicans keep telling me it’s either Obama or Bill Clinton’s fault. I even heard the other day that 9/11 is Obama’s fault.
It’s ‘interesting’ that they left out the fact that it was closed due to contamination and just told everyone about the flood! I smell a conspiracy! Bisquick pancakes ftw!
It’s not that hard to make your own waffles.
@Starfury: For extra awesome waffles, sub in a 1/4 cup of cornmeal for some of the flour. Also, separate the egg whites, whip to soft peaks and fold in just before cooking. And never, ever substitute “pancake topping” for real maple syrup.
@Starfury: This isn’t about real waffles. Far from it. This is about Eggo waffles. Do they bear any resemblance to a real waffle? Not really. Are they delicious in their own way? Absolutely.
What will truly ruin you is getting used to Mark Bittman’s “Overnight Waffles”. We prefer the more salacious title of “Morning After Waffles”, but basically its a yeast waffle batter that rises all night, and produces the most fantastic, airy, yeasty, crispy waffles, making all other waffles taste like crap.
“originally shut down due to listeria contamination.”
Hard work by ABC? This point was made last Sunday by a Consumerist commenter:
[consumerist.com]
Thanks to this previous story on Consumerist I bought some Eggo waffles at the grocery today for the first time in years – I gotta see what all the hoopla is about…. There were signs about the shortage, but there were a few boxes still in stock – I feel so lucky!
Heaven forbid that people MAKE THEIR OWN WAFFLES!
A decent waffle maker is about $10-$20, are easy to make and freeze well. Just make your own listeria free waffles. Bonus, they cost less.
come on, I am this close to perfecting my pumpkin pie with eggo crumb crust. The first 100,000 had to go to the landfill but still I’m close.
Our local Wal-Marts have tons of Eggos. No sign of a shortage here in Northeast TN
I noticed that my local supermarket is low on Bagelfulls too. Same factory, or did they discontinue that ridiculous product finally?
After Consumerist first alerted the nation
That’s happening more and more these days….
Good grief. I hope this doesn’t mean I’ll have to start pounding my pancakes with a meat tenderizer utensil to have the waffly goodness I need..
I was at my local Safeway a few days ago and saw the sign about the Eggo shortage. It was taped to a freezer that was chock full of Eggo waffles of different varieties. I don’t think there were any empty spaces at all!
Kellogg has got to be SO excited that major media has picked up this story. Bet they never expected to have to respond to ABC News on this. LOL
Can someone please explain all the Eggo Waffle Shortage hype? It sounds like the non-story of the year to me. I mean… unemployment, big bank bailouts, healthcare, Afghanistan, and the media are crapping their drawers over a shortage of Eggos? Besides, I tried them once; it was like eating a bath sponge dipped in sugar.
Sorry, I just can’t see how this story is that important. I mean, how tough is it to make your own real waffles or pancakes? Don’t any of you have any frickin’ Bisquick at home?
The actual crisis for me is the disappearance of Eggo Pancakes. They have always been hard to find, and they sometimes go off the shelves completely, but I am madly in love with those things, and while I can find waffles at my local stores, there are no pancakes. My breakfast of Wheat Thins this morning paled in comparison to Eggo Pancakes balled up and eaten in the car (Yes, I am weird, I know).
Im sure Stephen Colbert can afford to pay someone to make him home made waffles which are much better than Eggos if he couldnt find Eggos
How will I survive those cold mornings alone without the comfort of my Eggos? The world is ruined.
@AngryK9: The Eggos shortage will be remembered in economics texts much like the Tulip speculation in the Netherlands in 1637: [en.wikipedia.org]
@pecan 3.14159265: Its ok. I prefer Pumpkin Pi.