August 11: Cinnamon Toast Murder?

Standing at 5'8" and weighing in at 210 lbs Wendell the Cinnamon Toast Crunch chef has always been known for his over-the-top enthusiasm for all things sweet. Often perceived as a gentle old man with a passion for baking a crunchy cereal with cinnamon and sugar in every bite, Wendell has a dark past. Who is this friendly and likable man? How did he turn a simple idea into a fortune? Together, we'll explore the true story of Wendell and his sugary rags to riches tale.

In college, Wendell was a part of the Baker's Three; a group known around campus to harass and intimidate anyone that didn't share the same enthusiasm for cooking - which was pretty much everyone. The Three was formed when Wendell was a sophomore orientation assistant leading a group of recently-registered freshmen through the school's cafeteria. He noticed that most of his group was like any other group he had given tours to. They were interested in where students were disposing dirty dishes and where they paid for their meal. The group wanted to know about the pizza and pasta window. They wanted to know what types of salad dressing were offered. What caught Wendell's attention, however, were two kids at the back of the group. He noticed that their eyes were fixed on the dessert counter. As the group walked by the soft-serve machine and the glass shelves of pastries, Bob, the taller of the two, asked if pure cane sugar was available upon request. As if tied to the question itself, the shorter and pudgier Quello nodded and licked his lips. From that moment forth, the three were inseparable.

They would spend hours in each others' dorm rooms discussing the consistency of whole milk versus one percent. They performed experiments with every dessert item imaginable. After coming up with what they called Cinnamon Grahams, they bought matching leather jackets with "The Baker's Three" emblazoned across the back and each newly-appointed chef wore a personalized chef hat with their names stitched in gold.

At random intervals throughout each semester, the Three would perform a blitzkrieg of "cafeteria attacks" by running down the aisles and throwing any meal on the ground that wasn't breakfast or dessert-related. Students tried fighting back but found that they became the next targets. The entire student body was forced to live in fear of The Baker's Three.

In 1984, Wendell graduated with a degree in criminal justice and due to their lack of patience, the other two dropped out a year shy of their own graduation date. With Wendell taking the role of leader, the Three took their Cinnamon Grahams idea to General Mills and gave a very convincing presentation on the future of breakfast cereals in America. Bob and Quello sat quietly as Wendell explained that he had come up with the main idea. Infuriated, they stood in unison to argue with Wendell, but sat back down when he explained how much they were involved in executing that idea.

The CEO listened attentively and liked what he was hearing. This Wendell had a very pleasant look about him and his public speaking skills were top-notch. He was convincing, persuasive and he presented an excellent business model. Wendell was his guy, but the other two had to go.

In a closed-door meeting with Wendell, the CEO explained his dilemma. He was on board with the cereal, but he didn't like the idea of having three mascots. Snap, Crackle, and Pop had been promoting their Rice Krispies for Kellogg since 1927 and they were a success, but no one else had three mascots. It was too much of a gamble.

Wendell was a loyal young man. He knew how much his friends were involved in the creative process and he didn't want to abandon them. As loyal as he was, he was still greedy and impatient and he wanted to see his product on grocery store shelves as soon as possible. Together, they came up with a plan to test the cereal without any mascot at all for three years and if that didn't work out, they would try all three for four years. In the CEO's mind, it was a win-win resolution.

Cinnamon Grahams became Cinnamon Toast Crunch and did very well without any mascot at all, but in 1987 the CEO was forced to honor his agreement. For the next four years, he saw an annual decrease in profits with the three mascots but customer feedback reported that Wendell was well-received. He was forced to have another private meeting with the head chef.

Wendell never imagined how profitable his cereal would become; and he was only getting a third of the revenue. To multiply his earnings by three was unheard of so when the CEO asked that he get rid of Bob and Quello, he immediately agreed. With his trademark persuasion, he told the CEO that making money for General Mills was his number one priority and he would do whatever it took to increase profits. As he walked toward the office door, he turned and looked the CEO directly in the eyes and said, "Whatever happens stays in this office." Bob and Quello were never heard of again and Wendell has been the face of Cinnamon Toast Crunch since.

Many have wondered if the contacts he made while getting his Criminal Justice degree has played a part with the lack of investigation. Accusation is a powerful weapon. To make an assumption that Wendell did something horrific and unimaginable might be accurate, but it might also land you at the wrong end of a cafeteria attack; or worse. With his soft eyes and gentle nature, Wendell creates a fun and nostalgic feeling for young breakfast eaters around the globe. It is my only hope that by shedding some light on this iconic character's past, we can piece together the mystery of the disappearances of Bob and Quello.