These days, Snoop Dogg has his mind set on cereal money.
The hip-hop star, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, and fellow rapper and label manager Master P, whose real name is Percy Miller, are suing cereal conglomerate Post Consumer Brands, alleging it ruined their chances of diversifying the cereal scene and denied them profits from their company.
In 2022, the artists founded Broadus Foods with the vision of creating a family business that would help diversify the food industry and set “an example to minority entrepreneurs and business owners that they too could create and sell a good product,” a news. declared statement.
Part of Broadus Foods' mission, according to the couple, is to donate a portion of their profits to various charities aimed at ending hunger and homelessness in their communities.
To that end, Broadus Foods reached an agreement with Post, known for products such as Honey Bunches of Oats, to get Snoop cereal products (Fruitay Hoopz with marshmallows, Frosted Drizzlers and Cinnamon Toasteez) in retail stores, according to a complaint filed on Tuesday.
Post initially wanted to buy the rights to the cereal, the complaint says, but the artists refused, saying, “Selling the brand would destroy the entire purpose of leaving the company to their families as a legacy.”
Instead, the two companies signed a partnership and promotion agreement that required Post to split cereal profits with Broadus Foods, according to the lawsuit, and treat Snoop Cereal as one of its own brands, manufacturing and distributing its products to consumers. major retailers. such as Walmart, Target, Kroger and Amazon.
But the rappers allege that Post had no intention of holding up his end of the deal. Instead, the complaint states, Post “ensured that Snoop Cereal was not available to consumers or would incur exorbitant costs that would eliminate any profits for Broadus Foods.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Walmart, the largest seller of Post products, stopped placing Snoop Cereal products on store shelves after the products were successfully launched in Walmart stores nationwide in July. According to the lawsuit, Walmart customers could not find the cereals in stores after a few months.
Among other things, the lawsuit accuses Walmart of hiding cereals in a warehouse, placing them in baby or clearance sections and raising their prices to more than $10 a box. Post and Walmart have also attempted to hold Broadus Foods liable for vague expenses incurred because the products were not sold, the complaint states.
“The actions of Post Foods and Walmart demonstrate a cynical disregard for and exploitation of minority entrepreneurs in the corporate world,” said Ben Crump, attorney for Broadus Foods. “If this is how corporate America treats celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Master P, imagine how powerful corporations treat lesser-known black entrepreneurs and small business owners.”
A Walmart spokesperson told The Times that the company values its relationships with suppliers and has a “strong history of supporting entrepreneurs.”
“Many factors affect sales of any given product, including consumer demand, seasonality and price, to name a few,” the spokesperson said in an email. “We will respond as appropriate to the Court once we receive the complaint.”
Snoop cereals remain available at several retailers, including Amazon and Kroger.
