Millionaire founder of popular US cookie chain Crumbl breaks his silence after fake pop-up opened in Sydney
The millionaire co-founder of US biscuit chain Crumbl has broken his silence on the fake pop-up event staged at Sydney’s Bondi Beach this weekend.
Foodies and TikTok influencers who queued for more than an hour on Sunday to buy a $17.50 Crumbl cookie claimed they were sold ‘old’ and expensive day-old imports – instead of a freshly baked cookie.
Crumbl co-founder Sawyer Hemsley responded to a TikTok review from influencer Elle the Eastern Suburbs Mum, who lashed out after spending $150 on just 10 cookies.
‘You have to try them fresh in the US! PS: This pop-up is not affiliated with Crumbl Cookies,” he said.
It’s the first time the US-based franchise has acknowledged the pop-up – which was eagerly attended by legions of Australian fans who queued up to try the cookies.
However, many were left disappointed.
“I’m starting to feel sick…I can’t believe I waited an hour,” Elle said in her review.
The event, marketed as an ‘exclusive’ on social media account CrumblSydney, sold fans a pack of five cookies for an eye-watering $75.
Crumbl co-founder Sawyer Hemsley (pictured) has broken his silence on the Bondi pop-up
Sydney influencer Elle spent $150 on 10 cookies at the fake Crumbl pop-up on Sunday
The co-founder left a comment on the influencer’s review, which has been viewed more than 500,000 times
“This looked like a scam, this is actually really bad,” said TikTok food critic Hamze.
“It’s so sweet, the texture is just weird, it’s so sugary — I feel like I’m just eating sugar.”
Organizers defended themselves on TikTok earlier on Tuesday, arguing that the cookies were not stale and that they had never claimed to be an official Crumbl store.
“Our goal was to bring authentic Crumbl cookies to Australia by importing the cookies directly from the US,” they said.
“We traveled to the US to purchase the cookies and imported them in their original packaging. We did not bake them ourselves.
‘Crumbl cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
‘We have held them to these requirements. Some were reheated to enhance the texture, which is what Crumbl does.”
The group said only a “few influencers” were disappointed with the quality.
Customers queued for ‘hours’ to try the famous Crumbl biscuits but claimed the imported biscuits were ‘disappointing’ (pictured, queues in North Bondi on Sunday)
Cookies were sold for $17.50 each or five for $75 as fans waited in line for more than an hour
“While most customers enjoyed the cookies, a few influencers felt they did not meet expectations,” they said.
‘We apologize for that [the cookies] Don’t meet expectations, but at the end of the day they’re just cookies.
‘While there may be a slight difference in quality, some flavors may not appeal to some people.
“Lots of people have contacted us saying they were delicious, and thanks for selling them.”
Organizers said they had met all legal requirements for the event and made very little profit from the pop-up.
The event, which was marketed as an ‘exclusive’ on social media account CrumblSydney, sold fans a pack of five cookies for an eye-watering $75 (pictured)
“This event was never about profit,” they said.
“Our intention was to bring the cookies to Crumbl fans. Importing and reselling is called parallel import. Parallel import is legal.
‘We have followed all legal procedures, classified the cookies as commercial goods and obtained the necessary approvals from Australian Customs.
‘We hope this clears up any confusion. Thank you to those who supported us and gave us valuable feedback.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Crumbl for comment.