Why don't you love Chocos, America?

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A few days ago I had the following conversation with a customs agent at San Francisco airport - as an Indian returning from India I get sent to the customs line even when I check "No food" on the customs form. :-)

Agent: "Any food?"
Me: "No"
Agent: "Sure? No jira or cadipatta?
Me: "No....     well actually I do have a box of cereal."
Agent: "Huh. What? Really?"
Me: "Yes. Its a brand you don't get here."
Agent: "Seriously. Even in the Indian stores? I've never heard that before."
Me: "Ummm....yeah."

I love reading local customization stories, particularly about how international chains tailor their offerings to local markets - the food industry has the best examples of these - check out this McDonald's story about the McPaneer, or how KFC is incredibly successful in China.

But I seem to have missed that the customization extended to breakfast cereal. Turns out the Kellogg's Chocos brand which I had almost daily in college was tried in the United States, but for whatever reason didn't work in the US while it continues to do well in a bunch of other places around the world. So when nostalgia hit on my trip back home I got a box along with them.

Its still tastes amazing. Sigh - I see more importing of breakfast cereal in my future.


Comments

keesy said…
Those look delicious.
12:37 PM
salgar said…
They are. :-)
9:00 PM
Akshay said…
They are really expensive as far as cereal goes in India, but by God, they are the yummiest cereal ever created by mankind. I live in the US now and, more so, in the Bay Area and its still not available :( Need to get it here somehow. It's been too long.
6:15 PM
Anonymous said…
Is there a way to get it in the U.S?
11:01 PM
Unknown said…
https://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/shop.asp?action=currency&type=usd...

can order them from here... 20$ for 3 240g packs...
12:27 AM
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