Over 17,000 People Were Once On A Waitlist For This Instagram Granola

Instagram has given birth to a wide swathe of food trends. The social media platform has pushed whipped coffee, artisanal focaccia, and a range of other trendy foods that caught the attention of home cooks. These trends likely took off because users saw them every time they opened the app, getting them more and more curious to try them each time. But while an Instagram photo might inspire you to make your own sourdough, would it inspire you to put your name on a waitlist for some incredibly expensive granola?

Whatever your thoughts on the matter, more than 17,000 people were, at one point, on a waitlist for Tom's Perfect 10 granola, which has been referred to as "the Birkin of granolas," as per Grub Street. Tom's Perfect 10 even credits Instagram for its success, with the tagline on its homepage reading, "Created in NYC. Perfected on Instagram." Available in single bags and as a subscription, this granola comes in 10-ounce portions costing $20 per bag. As a comparison, you can get a 12-ounce bag of Bob's Red Mill granola for less than $5 (via Bob's Red Mill).

So what gives? Why is Tom's Perfect 10 granola such a big deal? Frankly, it all comes down to a combination of marketing and exclusivity (because, after all, people want what they can't have). As Grub Street notes, Tom's Perfect 10 was founded by an ad executive and Instagram's head of fashion. The former, Tom, had a fondness for granola and would make video reviews of various granola brands. His videos became popular, so he started making his own granola and selling it to his loyal fans.

As you could probably guess, the two founders are experts at social media marketing tactics, so it's no surprise that they found success on the platform. However, beyond this, every bag of granola is only available for one month when a new granola flavor replaces it. The only exception is when a flavor achieves perfect reviews from subscribers, at which point it's kept on offer. This exclusivity certainly helps Tom's Perfect 10 and encourages buyers to sign up for a subscription, so they have the chance to try every flavor as it's available. So is Tom's Prefect 10 worth it? According to some reviews, yes. A Bon Appetit writer professed that they "immediately understood all the hype" after giving the granola a try. Unfortunately, you'll have to join the waitlist to experience the hype for yourself.