Cereal lovers create a secondary market for Grape-Nuts

Who knew that Post’s Grape-Nuts had such a cult following? Though the 124-year-old cereal was once an American staple, in recent years, the crunchy wheat and barley concoction has barely found a place in the breakfast aisle. But when pandemic-related complications temporarily stalled Grape-Nuts production late last year, devotees began panic buying—resulting in third-party sellers trying to sell boxes for inflated prices. Part of the reason for the shortage is how Grape-Nuts are made: It’s a process that utilizes “proprietary technology and a production process that isn’t easily replicated, which has made it more difficult to shift production to meet demand during this time,” a Post brand manager told USA Today. Though a sister product, Grape-Nuts Flakes, has been easier to acquire, boxes of the original Grape-Nuts are up on sites like eBay fetching $15 a pop. Budget-weary nutters should sit tight, as the company assures Grape-Nuts will be back in stock by spring.