Unpacking the drama around the viral fake Crumbl Cookie pop-up in Australia
If you’re chronically online like us, you’ve probably seen the brand Crumbl Cookie everywhere. The sweet treat company has taken the internet by storm over the last few years, becoming a cult favourite, with over 5.6 million followers on Instagram. It’s basically the new Little Moons. So, when a pop-up store appeared in North Bondi, Australia, over the weekend, influencers and locals alike flocked to get their hands on these famous American treats. But, after standing in line for over an hour, the excitement quickly turned to disappointment. Instead of the fresh-baked cookies Crumbl is known for, customers were met with days-old imports, sold at a staggering price of $17.50 per cookie.
The cookies, allegedly brought over by super-fans of the brand, were not fresh-baked offerings aimed at introducing Crumbl to the Australian market. In truth, they were imported from Hawaii and sold at the pop-up for $75 for a box of five. The event was marketed as “exclusive” on the fan-run social media account, CrumblSydney. However, the page made it clear in their bio and comments that it was not an official Crumbl store, nor was it endorsed by the US-based Crumbl Cookies brand.
@destiny.griffin_ CRUMBL COOKIE POP UP #crumbl #crumblbondi #crumblreview #crumblecookie #sydneyaustralia #popup @Eleni Vlahos
♬ original sound - Destiny | LÉ CROOKIE
In response to the backlash about the cookies being stale the organisers, who have now deleted all of the posts from their TikTok page, stated: “We never claimed to be an official Crumbl store. This was clearly stated in our bio and comments. Our goal was to bring the authentic Crumbl cookies to Australia by importing them directly from the USA.”
Despite the disclaimer, the revelation that the cookies had been flown in from Hawaii left many customers feeling let down and scammed.
The organisers also addressed criticism from influencers and customers who felt the cookies didn’t meet their expectations: “While most customers enjoyed the cookies, a couple of influencers felt they didn’t meet expectations,” they stated. “We apologise that [the cookies] don’t live up to expectations however they are just cookies at the end of the day.”
The organisers went on to add: “This was never about profit,” they stated. “Our goal was to bring Crumbl cookies to fans. Importing and reselling is called parallel importing, and it is legal. We followed all procedures, including declaring the cookies as commercial goods and obtaining approvals from Australian customs.”
One influencer, Elle, account name @elle_easternsuburbsmum, shared her disappointment after trying 10 cookies, calling them underwhelming and comparing them to items bought from a bake sale. Ouch. Her followers were quick to criticise the high price of what they dubbed “suitcase cookies” with some questioning if the organisers could face legal repercussions.
@elle_easternsuburbsmum Crumbl hates to see me coming😭
♬ original sound - Elle
“As an American, I feel bad for you paying so much for stale cookies. Crumbl is definitely overhyped!” one commenter said. Others speculated on potential legal action from Crumbl itself. “This looks nothing like Crumbl—they totally played you.”
TikTok food reviewer Hamze joined the chorus of disappointment, calling the cookies overly sweet with a “weird” texture, adding, “It feels like I’m just eating sugar.”
@hamze.t don’t believe eveeything you see
♬ original sound - 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 🎼🧠
Call me devilish, but I think this was a diabolically genius scam. I mean, charging some randos $17.50 per cookie by simply importing Crumbl cookie boxes and leading everyone to believe they were getting the real deal? It’s kind of the perfect crime.
