ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — As if Patrick Mahomes mania hadn't already hit Chiefs hard enough, the arrival of “Mahomes Magic Crunch” cereal may have taken the appetite for the quarterback to a whole new level.
While fans may have already had a taste of the cereal, the quarterback has been too busy at training camp to sample it so far.
“I haven't got to test it just yet, just because it came into stores and everything like that,” Mahomes said. “I'm excited for it, I'm excited for everything that it's doing helping out my foundation. I know the fans are going out an buying it, so I appreciate all them.”
The cereal carries a price tag of $4.99 for a 14-ounce box, but Hy-Vee offered it for a discount of $3.99 at launch. They didn't stop online sellers from scooping up the cereal hoping to make a tidy profit. Listings on eBay as Friday included 22 sellers pricing the box under $15, with more than 100 listings above that price. A case of 12 boxes to "buy it now" ranged from $119 up to $330.
Mahomes picked the flavor based on his favorite cereal, frosted flakes – with one request.
“I like frosted flakes, so I told them to make it as close to frosted flakes as they could,” Mahomes said. “So they did it, and it's a little bit healthier, less sugar, so I'm excited that it's that too so I'll be able to eat it a little bit here in the season.”
Your mileage may vary on that one. One cup of Mahomes Magic Crunch has 14 grams of sugar, while Kellogg's Frosted Flakes has 10 grams of sugar for a three-fourths cup serving size. That comes out to about the same sugar content, although the Mahomes serial does come with more protein and less sodium.
The cereal debuted on Wednesday, and is available exclusively through select Hy-Vee stores in Missouri, Kansas, southern Iowa and Nebraska for a limited time.
Mahomes enjoyed watching fans on social media share their excitement over the cereal.
“I've seen it on Twitter for sure, people are posting pictures of them going to get it, getting several boxes at a time,” he said. “I'm glad that we have that fan base that will go out there and support me in everything I do and support my foundation and everything it does.”
Hy-Vee signed an exclusive, three-year partnership agreement with Mahomes in May that will include television commercials, social media engagement, appearances and exclusive apparel and product launches at the grocery store chain.
Hy-Vee reported in a press release that it expects to raise $25,000 for the quarterback's 15 and the Mahomies Foundation through proceeds from sales of the cereal. Mahomes launched the foundation in April to support initiatives focusing on health, wellness and other community needs focusing primarily on improving the lives of children.
During the past year, Mahomes has won the NFL MVP award, taken his team to the AFC Championship game and made a bevy of television appearances, but having his own cereal “is cool,” he says.
“I'll definitely have a box that I'll keep forever,” Mahomes said. “Whenever you're a little kid and you see the people on those cereal boxes, it is a tremendous honor so I'm excited to be able to have my own.”
