Awesome 1970s Cereals Have Returned to Colorado

A few flashbacks from the 1970s have made their way back to Grand Junction. Visit the cereal aisle at a local store and you'll see a fond reminder of your childhood.

If you grew up in the 1970s, these were a fixture at the breakfast table. From time to time they magically reappear. Here's where you can find them.

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With Plenty of Time Before Halloween

Looking back on your childhood, do you remember enjoying a "complete and nutritious breakfast" including Franken Berry cereal? How about Count Chocula? For that matter, do you remember Boo Berry? Well, guess what?

There I was, minding my own business while shopping for booze at Sam's Club, when suddenly, I saw it - an entire endcap piled high with Monster Cereals.

A Part of Any Nutritious Breakfast

Back in 1971, General Mills introduced the first of two cereals in the lineup, Count Chocula and Franken Berry. Boo Berry was introduced in 1973. Frute Brute followed in 1974.

TRIVIA: Did you know that Count Chocula's first name is Alfred?

MORE TRIVIA: According to Wikipedia, Frute Brute made two appearances in Quentin Tarantino films, namely Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs.

Where To Find Them In Grand Junction

I encountered a ton of these cereals at the Grand Junction Sam's Club. They're packaged as 4-packs, containing a box of each cereal: Frute Brute (formerly Fruit Bruite), Franken Berry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula.

After spotting these, I began a search of other Grand Junction grocery stories. That search produced no results. Keep in mind, though, that the search did not include every grocery store in the valley.

What's Up With the "Win a KAWS Monsters Prize"

Look at the photos and at the top of each box you'll see "You Could Win a KAWS Monsters Prize!" What is that about? Look a little lower, and check out the faces of each of the characters. Do you notice anything? Take a look at their eyes.

For the artwork on the box, General Mills hired well-known New York artist KAWS, a.k.a. Brian Donnelly. According to bizjournals.com, the limited-edition boxes of Monsters Cereals feature KAWS' trademark, namely figures with crossed-out eyes.

General Mills released the following statement:

Inspired by classic horror film characters, the Monster Cereals have been fan favorites for more than half a century and this year renowned American artist and Monster enthusiast KAWS was inspired by the vintage styling of the original boxes. In addition to the individual box designs, KAWS has also designed corresponding collectible cereal prizes of each character, which are available as a set of four via an on-pack sweepstakes. - General Mills via Bloody Disgust

Who is Frute Brute, and Have You Seen Him Lately?

Personally, I don't remember Frute Brute. Wikipedia states Frute Brute was discontinued in 1982 and replaced with another cereal I've never heard of, Fruity Yummy Mummy. For this 2022 limited release, it appears as though Fruity Yummy Mummy is A.W.O.L.

Is There Enough To Go Around?

That's hard to say. It looks like this particular store has enough to last for a while. Then again, I'm 52 years old and have plans to run back down there and buy some. Laugh all you want. I'm getting chunky, balding, and in desperate need to reconnect with my long-lost childhood.