It’s difficult to grow up and learn how the world really works. For example, learning that Honey Nut Cheerios don’t actually contain nuts is a shock to many people. So is learning that the “blueberries” in many blueberry-flavored baked goods are really globs of flavoring and food coloring, and are not genuine blueberries. One Krispy Kreme customer was so upset to learn this that he sued the company over a lack of fruit.

The exact products that he’s upset about are products that are raspberry-flavored, maple-flavored, and blueberry-flavored. The donut flavors’ names would make you think that they really have the named ingredients.

The initial complaint in this lawsuit [PDF] cites flavors like “Chocolate Iced Raspberry Filled” and “Glazed Raspberry,” which don’t have any actual raspberries. It’s the same with the “Glazed Blueberry Cake” flavor, which has blueberry-shaped globules, not real blueberries.

The plaintiff claims that he believed that these products really had the ingredients in their names, and wouldn’t have purchased them or would have not been willing to pay as much had he believed that they were fake. Other products from Krispy Kreme have “real” ingredients, after all, using ingredients like lemons and chocolate.

What pushes this class action into “absurd” territory is the assertion that raspberries have health benefits, and serving up imitation fruit robs customers of those health benefits.

“Raspberries are a rich source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium, and dietary fiber,” the complaint explains. “Furthermore, the nutrient profile of raspberries help fight against cancer, heart and circulatory disease, and age-related decline.” What nutrient profile is left in the jelly by the time it becomes a raspberry jelly donut?

Whatever health benefit one gets from eating a sugar-glazed pastry with raspberry jelly or blueberry bits is probably negated by eating a sugar-glazed pastry.

Krispy Kreme Is Being Sued For $5 Million Over Fake Blueberry Doughnuts [Eater]
Saidian v. Krispy Kreme [PDF]

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