Wikipedia

Lunchly

Lunchly (stylized in uppercase letters) is a brand of snack kits created and marketed by Lunchly LLC. The brand is promoted and founded as a joint venture between YouTubers Olajide "KSI" Olatunji, Logan Paul, and Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson. It is marketed as a healthier competitor to Kraft Heinz's Lunchables. The product line was announced on September 16, 2024.

Lunchly
"The Pizza" Lunchly; pepperoni, cheese, "pizza crust" and tomato sauce. Includes a Feastables Milk Crunch bar (pictured below crust) and a bottle of Cherry Freeze Prime.
Product typeSnack
OwnerLunchly LLC
Produced byMrBeast, Logan Paul, KSI
CountryUSA, UK
IntroducedSeptember 16, 2024; 2 months ago (2024-09-16)
Related brandsPrime, Feastables
Registered as a trademark inUnited States; May 16, 2024[1]
Ambassador(s)KSI
Logan Paul
MrBeast
Websitelunchly.com

Each box includes a Prime drink and a Feastables chocolate bar, each preexisting popular products by the producer offered by the creators, along with three varieties including turkey with cheese and crackers, nachos with salsa and cheese, or pizza.

The product has been criticized by online personalities and health campaigners, and there have been reports of mold being found within the product.

History

The product was announced to the public by KSI, Logan Paul, and MrBeast as a collaboration on September 16, 2024,[2][3] following other food and beverage products such as Prime, a range of energy and sports drinks by Olatunji and Paul, and Feastables, a brand of chocolate bars by Donaldson. Both products are sold in combination with Lunchly kits. Lunchly is intended as a "healthier" alternative to Kraft Heinz's Lunchables, and the website features a calorie and sugar comparison to that product on its website.[4][2][5] The Lunchly trademark was registered on May 16, 2024, in the United States; May 29, 2024, in the United Kingdom; June 3, 2024, in Canada; November 12, 2024, and in India[6][7][8]

At the time of Lunchly's release, Donaldson was in the midst of numerous controversies of his own.[9][10] A number of social media experts speaking to Business Insider stated that Lunchly may benefit from the negative attention Donaldson was exposed to, while also noting that the launch may come across as a distraction.[11] Following Lunchly's negative reception online, Paul claimed that Lunchly's headquarters had received a bomb threat[12] from a caller based in London.[13]

Products

 
Contents of the Fiesta Nachos, with a Feastables bar in the nacho chips

Lunchly currently has three varieties of lunch kits, all of which are reinterpretations of Lunchables products.

  • "The Pizza": Based on the "Pizza with Pepperoni" style from Lunchables. It is a build-it-yourself pizza with tomato sauce and cheese, a small Cherry Freeze Prime bottle, and a snack-sized Feastables Milk Crunch Bar.[14]
  • Fiesta Nachos: Based on the "Lunchables Spicy Nachos" style from Lunchables. It is a dipping meal with Nacho Chips with "queso blanco" dipping cheese and salsa, a small Strawberry Banana Prime bottle, and a snack-sized Feastables Milk Chocolate Bar.[15]
  • Turkey Stack 'Ems: Based on the "Turkey and American Cheese Cracker Stackers" style from Lunchables. It is a build-it-yourself cracker sandwich with cheese and crackers, turkey, a small Ice Pop Prime bottle, and a snack-sized Feastables Milk Chocolate Bar.[16]

Reception

Marketing

Lunchly was criticized by a number of Internet personalities. YouTuber DanTDM expressed his disapproval of Lunchly, stating on X: "This is selling crap to kids who don't know better than to trust the people who are selling it to them."[17] In response, KSI claimed that Lunchly's negative reception stemmed from a dislike that critics have for Paul, Donaldson, and himself.[18]

Forbes described the three packaged meals as "almost identical to existing offerings by Lunchables".[2] After the product's launch, The Mary Sue stated that Lunchly was likely intended to boost sales for Prime Hydration and Feastables.[19]

Health concerns

Reviewing the product in October, YouTuber Rosanna Pansino reported finding mold growing on the cheese in a packet of "The Pizza" style.[20][21][22] Following this, a number of social media users claimed to have likewise found mold in Lunchly packages.[23] The Food and Drug Administration confirmed that it received over ten complaints about Lunchly, with one consumer reporting an illness linked to the product.[24]

Doctor Mike, a family physician who releases educational health videos on YouTube, acknowledged that the product's sugar and saturated fat were slightly less than Lunchables, but estimated that a child would have to eat 2.7 Lunchly Turkey Stack 'Ems to achieve their recommended lunchtime calorie intake, and in doing so would consume close to their recommended daily intake of sodium.[25][12] UK health campaigners voiced similar criticism of Lunchly.[26]

References

  1. ^ "LUNCHLY Trademark Application of Lunchly LLC - Serial Number 98554044". trademarks.justia.com. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Roeloffs, Mary (September 16, 2024). "MrBeast, Logan Paul And KSI Launch Lunchables Competitor 'Lunchly'—Here's What To Know". Forbes. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  3. ^ Valinsky, Jordan (September 17, 2024). "Logan Paul and MrBeast have a Lunchables competitor that they say is healthy". CNN. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  4. ^ Weprin, Alex (September 16, 2024). "MrBeast and Logan Paul Team Up to Launch Competitor to Lunchables". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  5. ^ Gill, Emma (September 23, 2024). "Logan Paul, KSI and MrBeast team up with Lunchables rival". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  6. ^ "United States Patent and Trademark Office". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Archived from the original on October 15, 2024.
  7. ^ "Trade mark number UK00004057536". trademarks.ipo.gov.uk. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  8. ^ "LUNCHLY — 2330544". Canada.ca. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  9. ^ Marshall, Cass (September 24, 2024). "The MrBeast controversy era continues, with lunch packs and a lawsuit". Polygon. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  10. ^ Gach, Ethan (October 21, 2024). "YouTuber Finds Moldy Cheese In Mr Beast's Lunchables Knockoff". Kotaku. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  11. ^ Dodgson, Lindsay (September 21, 2024). "MrBeast launching a new product amid controversy may be a good PR move, marketing experts say. But it's risky". Business Insider. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Limehouse, Jonathan (October 28, 2024). "Lunchly criticisms, mold allegations prompt response from Logan Paul: 'Try harder'". USA Today. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  13. ^ Troughton, James (October 29, 2024). "FBI Tracks Down Londoner Who Called Bomb Threat On Lunchly HQ". The Gamer. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  14. ^ Lunchly. ""The Pizza" - Uncured Pepperoni & Cheese Pizza". Lunchly. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  15. ^ Lunchly. "Fiesta Nachos - Nacho Chips With Queso Blanco & Salsa". Lunchly. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  16. ^ Lunchly. "Turkey Stack 'ems - Turkey, Cheddar Cheese & Crackers". Lunchly. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  17. ^ Marshall, Cass (September 24, 2024). "The MrBeast controversy continues, with lunch packs and a lawsuit". Polygon. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  18. ^ "KSI vs DanTDM: The Twitter drama explained | indy100". www.indy100.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  19. ^ Ulatowski, Rachel (September 17, 2024). "'Lawsuit incoming': MrBeast, KSI, and Logan Paul collaborate on a shady Lunchables ripoff". The Mary Sue. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  20. ^ Taylor, Josh (October 20, 2024). "Rosanna Pansino claims she found "disgusting" mold in Lunchly meal". Dexerto. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  21. ^ Art, Pop Culture & (October 20, 2024). "Rosanna Pansino calls Lunchly disgusting after finding mold in cheese product". The Express Tribune. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  22. ^ Gach, Ethan (October 21, 2024). "YouTuber Finds Moldy Cheese In Mr Beast's Lunchables Knockoff". Kotaku. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  23. ^ Troughton, James (October 23, 2024). "MrBeast Rep Responds To Claims Of Mold Found In Lunchly: "Consider The Source"". The Gamer. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  24. ^ Zhan, Jennifer (October 25, 2024). "MrBeast Accused of Selling Moldy Meals to Kids". Vulture. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  25. ^ Gilbert, Nyla (October 2, 2024). "Lunchables rival, Lunchly, causes media backlash". The Post. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  26. ^ Leonard-Bedwell, Niamh (September 25, 2024). "MrBeast Lunchly kits for kids criticised by health campaigners". The Grocer. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
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