Like many sweet treat lovers, Lauren enjoys eating something sweet and satisfying in her lunch routine. However, after months of her favorite brand offering a substandard snack experience, she’s finally had enough.
Lauren (@lauren.does.cosplay) shared a TikTok on Sept. 19 to her almost 1 million followers criticizing Justin’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups for being erratic in their quality. As of publication, her video has racked up over 214,000 views.
What did she find in her Justin’s peanut butter cups?
In the clip, Lauren holds one of the peanut butter cups in hand while she talks. To demonstrate her dissatisfaction, she cracks open the cup with an unexpected crunch to reveal a dry, crumbly inside rather than a soft, creamy center.
“You see that? The inside, the peanut butter, is like dust,” she exclaims. “It’s like plywood, chalkboard dust.”
She argues that the consistency should be “a creamy peanut butter,” and she knows this from having eaten Justin’s peanut butter cups for years.
Lauren adds that she bought the now-halved peanut butter cup the day before, on Sept. 18. She notes that she always stores her weekly haul of peanut butter cups in the fridge as Justin’s recommends to consumers, but she inevitably discovers crumbly cups anyway.
To solidify her claim, Lauren grabs a pinch of the peanut butter and grinds it between the pads of her thumb and pointer finger as the peanut butter falls like grains of sand.
Lauren reiterates her love for her preferred treat, but rounds out the TikTok with a question for Justin’s: “When will the peanut butter cups be back to normal?”
@lauren.does.cosplay Justin you are on my list
♬ original sound – lauren.does.cosplay
Commenters agree with Lauren’s complaint
In the comments on Lauren’s video, people agreed that the peanut butter cups were simply not right.
One person said, “The gasp I made when you *cracked* it open.”
A second user wrote, “Dude I’ve had this same problem with them lmao but it’s not consistent, like sometimes I get a bag and they’re all like that and other times they’re nice and creamy!”
Lauren responded to that commenter, saying, “They had a dry pb [peanut butter] spell like a year ago too but then they got good again but now it’s back.”
Some commenters argued that Reese’s peanut butter cups were the superior choice out of the two competitors.
One person commented, “Reese’s would never,” but, in allegiance to her brand, Lauren responded by saying, “According to commenters, Reese’s unfortunately would.”
Is this a recurring issue with Justin’s nut butter cups?
In Justin’s product reviews, many consumers reported the same problem as Lauren. Out of 75 reviews, only 31%said they would recommend the dark chocolate peanut butter cups to a friend.
One respondent wrote in their Sept. 17 review, “I used to LOVE these, but recently the texture of the peanut butter has changed drastically and it’s off-putting. It’s dry and crumbly and almost tastes like nothing.”
In Justin’s frequently asked questions about their nut butter products, they offer a possible explanation for dried-out cups: “Exposure to higher temperatures can create a less than perfect cup. Though these cups don’t look or taste the way we would like, please note that they are still safe to consume.”
Justin’s also adds that, although they try to track quality assurance at every step of the way, they “cannot always guarantee that it is properly handled” once their products are shipped out.
Should Justin’s peanut butter cup lovers be concerned?
For lovers of Justin’s sweet treats, be assured that the quality fluctuations are the nut butter and other ingredients naturally reacting to temperature changes. If still unsatisfied, Justin’s offers a product inquiry survey for any consumer to report their experience.
The Daily Dot follows consumer report stories as they are shared online. Look at our other reports on food and health for more ongoing, pressing conversations.
The Daily Dot reached out to Lauren via TikTok DM and comment, and Justin’s via email for additional information.
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