Cruesli au Chocolat

The best breakfast cereal in the world is Chocolate Cruesli.

The slogan in French is “le plaisir croustillant”, which is roughly “crunchy pleasure” or maybe “pleasure that crunches”. It’s nothing like Cocoa Krispies or those other fake chocolate cereals – it has real pieces of chocolate in it. Just holding the box, you can tell by its weight that this is no ordinary cereal.

And – one of life’s great injustices – you can’t get it in North America.

I’ve checked everywhere: dozens of U.S. grocery stores, numerous Google sessions (could only find a Dutch store that will ship it for an arm and a leg), international food markets, Trader Joe’s (see below for a decent alternative) — I even made my family wait while I ran down the aisles of a Canadian grocery store during a brief visit to Toronto.

I don’t get it. It’s made by Quaker, which is an American company (owned by PepsiCo). There’s got to be a market for it. My family’s Cruesli consumption alone could keep a grocery store or two in the black. I even write Quaker an impassioned annual letter. No reply.

So, I have to resort to stockpiling. And begging friends and family to send or bring some from Europe. Two of my brothers were missionaries in France and I would send them $20 to ship me some on occasion. One of the young men from my old ward was a missionary in Paris and sent me a couple of boxes. I got some in Barcelona. And in Amsterdam and Paris on business trips, much to the confusion of my co-workers.

Here are a few photos of my relationship with Cruesli au chocolat over the years:

1993 - It's too small to see, but many of the boxes on the top shelf are Cruesli
1993 – It’s too small to see, but many of the boxes on the top shelf are Cruesli

 

1994 - Elder Tobler shows off his cereal collection
1994 – Elder Tobler shows off his cereal collection

 

2005 - Cruesli collection in our crummy but memorable room in Barcelona
2005 – Cruesli collection in our crummy but memorable room in Barcelona

 

2008 - My suitcase in a Paris hotel
2008 – My suitcase in a Paris hotel

 

2011 - 4 very expensive boxes (after factoring in train fare) gathered during a 4-hour layover in Paris. Every grocery store in the area was closed except this one, so I was stuck with generic. Still delicious.
2011 – 4 very expensive boxes (after factoring in train fare) gathered during a 4-hour layover in Paris. Every grocery store in the area was closed except this one, so I was stuck with generic. Still delicious.

 

2015 - Speed Tour of Paris with a stop at Carrefour for 5 boxes.
2015 – Speed Tour of Paris with a stop at Carrefour for 5 boxes.

Alternatives

Just the Clusters1. You can try mixing 50% Trader Joe’s Just the Clusters chocolate almond cereal and 50% Quaker Simply Granola cereal. It’s not the same, but can help with withdrawal symptoms.

2. A friend in Germany sent me some “Vitalis Knusper” cereal, Dr. Oetker brand. It tastes great! And it’s easier to find online. The “Double Chocolate” version is available at Germandeli.com. The regular version (not double chocolate) isn’t an exact match for taste, but it’s good in a pinch.

Warning: do not get the Vitalis cereal called simply “Schoko Musli”. It tastes like dirt. I spent $40 on a few boxes before realizing my horrible mistake. Fortunately, it’s pretty good added to no-bake cookies, so it wasn’t a total loss.

 


Comments

21 responses to “Cruesli au Chocolat”

  1. I could not agree with you more. I love this cereal. I did email Quaker asking if there was any chance of it coming to the US and they said that there were no plans at this time. If you know of a way to help sway Quaker let me know and I will be on board. I have a box that I only eat a little at a time because I don’t know when I will get back to France.

    Another Cruesli lover,
    Kelly Mansfield

    1. Shelly D Moseley Avatar
      Shelly D Moseley

      We also love this cereal. When we moved from Holland to Japan we took 30 boxes with us.

  2. Raymond Lenski Avatar
    Raymond Lenski

    I’ve lived the last 7.5 years in Netherlands and have enjoyed Chocolate Cruesli cereal. I also have written Quacker requesting the cereal in the USA. I recommend starting a petition. My friends and family would be happy to sign it. Over the years, I’ve brought back boxes for them, but we are moving back.

    A fellow Cruesli addict,
    Ray

    1. I wonder if something through change.org would get their attention. My parents just returned from Paris with a suitcase full of Cruesli – had some for breakfast this morning!

  3. Marjon Sjollema Avatar
    Marjon Sjollema

    I agree! Already looking for months. We need the Apple-raisin!!! If I order 10 boxes I have to pay 60 dollars to ship it…. So same for us, everyone who’s coming over has to bring some!

  4. Nelda Kerr Avatar
    Nelda Kerr

    You have poured the deepest sentiments of my heart out here and shared them with the world. The first time I had Chocolate Cruesli was 2009 in Rotterdam and I ate a box per day for a whole week. I too have written to Quaker. It is a tragic mystery of my life that they won’t appease us. Fortunately, I just arrived in Aix and the first thing I did was go to monop’ and buy a box this morning. I feel a part of me has returned to myself.

    1. I am glad you are getting your fix! I’m currently surviving on Migros’ “Farmer Croc” cereal hoarded during a recent trip to Switzerland. It’s the closest thing to Cruesli I could find there.

  5. Angie Barrile Avatar
    Angie Barrile

    I’m not alone!! Have been coming to French St. Martin in the Caribbean for many years & started with Nestlé Fitness au Chocolat for breakfast. Of course can’t get those in US either, & I wrote Nestlé too. This year I couldn’t find it & decided to try Quaker Cruesli au Chocolat. OMG I am hooked. Except now I know it’s not worth searching every store at home after reading these posts! I don’t understand why a US company like Quaker can’t offer this in the US. I think it’d be a big seller, obviously! We need a petition..has one been started??

    1. I haven’t seen a petition — I’ll sign it if you start one! Although part of me wonders if I’ll actually be sad if Cruesli ever becomes available in the U.S. Right now it’s a long-distance relationship that consumes my thoughts and makes each encounter significant. I hope it never becomes too casual. 🙂

  6. […] 25,000 steps (about 9 miles) per day. Now let’s see what kind of damage these seven boxes of Cruesli will […]

  7. Katie Avatar

    Hey Justin, I’d love to know what you think of Nature’s Path Organic brand’s “Love Crunch Premium Organic Granola” – “Fair Trade Dark Chocolate Macaroon.” (I found it at Whole Foods.)

    Admittedly, I haven’t had Cruesli in 12 years, but other than also having coconut in it, I feel like it might just satisfy the urge.

    It’s got that really-sweet small-clumps thing going on that a lot of American granolas don’t compared to Cruesli.

    I’m dying to know what you think, since you’ve had it recently. Other than the size of the chocolate being wrong and coconut being added, are they pretty much on the right track to a French-style “museli croustillant aux pépins de chocolat” ?

    1. Hi Katie,
      Alright, it’s on my list to try! I recently had a business trip in Geneva, Switzerland. I was sad the big grocery stores didn’t have Cruesli, but I found out many of the little tobacco shops had it for some reason. I walked to 6 or 7 shops and bought out everything they had (usually only 1 or 2 boxes each).

  8. You’re my hero for making this website about Cruesli au Chocolat. Is it sad that it was easily on my top 5 favorite things about living in France? Nope. I’m grabbing my keys for Trader Joe’s now.

  9. I used to take a yearly business trip to Amsterdam and my colleagues always laughed at me because I ate Cruesli at the hotel breakfast buffet every morning and sneak a napkin full to snack on in my room. I would bring a box home with me but it never lasted very long and now I crave it constantly. I can’t believe I never stumbled across your blog in my endless search for the cereal in the States. Thanks for the Trader Jones recommendation!

  10. […] with some more souvenir shops, one last crepe and réligieuse pastry, and a stash of so much Chocolate Cruesli my luggage was declared overweight the next day at the […]

  11. Carolyn Avatar

    My husband found a website that will ship it to you for $10.00 a box! I first had Cruesli one year ago when we visited Paris. I’ve been addicted ever since. It took us an entire year to find it. I too emailed Quaker Oats Company to no avail.

    1. Hi Carolyn – glad to meet another fan! What’s the website?

  12. Sue Elizabeth Hahn Avatar
    Sue Elizabeth Hahn

    We lived in Metz, France for 2 years, just returned to the States in August. We called the dark chocolate Cruesli “crack”. Yes, it is that addicting and oh so delicious. So sad to hear that others who have done their homework have come up empty in regards to locating some in the US. I was holding out hope.

    1. Always happy to meet another Cruesli fan! As I read this I’m enjoying a bowl I picked up in Amsterdam last week. The bigger supermarkets have it! Sadly, the airport market doesn’t or I could pick up a few boxes every time I connect through Amsterdam.

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