What Happened To Cereal Killerz After Shark Tank?
What's your favorite sugary breakfast cereal? Fruity Pebbles? Cocoa Puffs? What about Cinnamon Toast Crunch? If some of your favorite childhood memories involve slurping down the cereal milk of a sweet breakfast treat (or if you still do this, don't worry, we won't tell), you may be curious about the fate of Cereal Killerz from "Shark Tank."
The Cereal Killerz Kitchen, founded by Las Vegas natives Christopher and Jessica Burns, opened in 2019 as a unique eatery with a single focus: upping cereal the game (via The Cinemaholic). The cereal bar has the same concept as an ice cream shop, offering more than 100 cereal flavors to choose from. After customers select a base cereal and milk, they're encouraged to add on a variety of toppings, from cupcakes and cookies to Nutella, fruit, ice cream, and even Pop-Tarts. The store also offers over-the-top milkshakes. When the first Cereal Killerz Kitchen location opened in a mall food court, Eater dubbed the eatery's debut as one of "the 23 most important Las Vegas restaurant openings of 2019."
The Burnses appeared on "Shark Tank" in 2021 during Season 12 of the series, asking the Sharks for a $125,000 investment for 10% equity in their company.
The Cereal Killerz Kitchen struck out on 'Shark Tank'
After pitching their business to the Sharks and revealing their plans for future stores, the Burnses shared samples of their products, some made with chocolate, others with caramel, and more with peanut butter. The Sharks called the creations "really, really, really good" and "amazing" (via YouTube). However, when it came time to pull the trigger on investments, the investors came up empty. "I think what you're trying to do is extremely difficult. You're trying to open retail and create a brand and pull people in. That is an uphill battle. If anybody's going to do it, it's probably going to be you guys, but I'm not sure I have the stomach for that kind of investment," Robert Herjavec told the couple. The others felt the same way: Cereal Killerz Kitchen needed to be profitable for it to be attractive to investors.
Still, the Burnses weren't deterred. "I am a little disappointed that we didn't make a deal, but still positive. I still think that with the feedback they gave us and with our tenacity we're just going to keep pushing forward, keep moving forward, and just try our best to survive," Jessica told the cameras after leaving the stage.
Slaying the cereal game one spoonful at a time
Despite not scoring a deal with the Sharks, fast forward to today, and the Burnses are absolutley killing — pun totally intended — the cereal game. According to the brand's website, the chain now has four locations: two in Las Vegas, one of which is located in Planet Hollywood on the Strip; one in Henderson, Nevada; and one in Goodyear, Arizona. It is also featuring an application for franchise opportunities online.
The cereal bar has come up with some creative marketing tactics, too, such as the Cereal Killerz Cereal Challenge, a competitive eating event during which entrees must eat a bowl containing a mix of some of the brand's 130 types of cereal and a gallon of milk — all in under one hour (competitive eaters are allotted 40 minutes). Losers owe the restaurant $35, but winners get a sweet package: a $50 gift card, a T-shirt, and a feature on the Cereal Killerz Wall of Fame. Spots in the competition have booked out up to a week in advance, and, according to Instagram, as of May 2023, there will soon be three new challenges to take on.
The Burnses also started a YouTube channel to host a show called "Kill It or Drill It," in which they compare and rate different types of cereal, from Reese's Puffs to Jolly Rancher Cereal. To continue its growth, The Cereal Killerz Kitchen has expanded into catering and has its own line of T-shirts.
The killer cereal company has expanded and gives back to the community
The Cereal Killerz Kitchen has been awarded recognition as "The #1 Cereal Bar in the World." The company has expanded its footprint even further, adding a store in Salt Lake City, Utah, which opened in May 2023, as well as adding a new purchasing option to its website: the ability to order and ship a box of cereal with up to five cereals of your choice mixed within it. Post-pandemic, The Cereal Killerz Kitchen has also teamed up with Grubhub and UberEats to offer delivery of milkshakes and specialty iced coffees to areas with close proximity to the stores. Finally, the company has started giving back to the community, partnering up with local high schools to support their sports programs. Christopher said they felt compelled to help high schools given most of their employees come from these local schools. "With all the love and support of the neighborhood, we're able to grow, we're able to expand ... I think we have enough capital that we can help out, we can give back, Christopher said (via KTNV 13 Las Vegas).
Fans near and far have taken to social media to express their appreciation for the young chain, such as one Instagrammer who commented on a video featuring the construction of Cereal Killerz milkshakes, writing, "I literally ate two boxes of cereal after watching these the other day. Both family size. Can't wait to make a trip to see this in real life."