Not your average puff piece: Getting to the bottom of a mysterious puffed wheat shortage
Puffed wheat cake evokes many memories. The sticky, sweet treat seemed to be at every community or family gathering of my childhood.
Puffed wheat itself sparks fewer fond memories. The puffed grain, which is not unlike popcorn, was served as a cereal. It was so light that when you sprinkled sugar on top, it would just sink to the bottom.
Like a mullet, it was light on top with too much going on at the bottom.
When we heard anecdotally at CBC Saskatchewan that there seemed to be a shortage of puffed wheat, I leapt at the story. Little did I know this would be a very difficult assignment.
No puffed wheat experts
Journalists rely on the ability to research, talk to people and find experts. What I now know is there are no puffed wheat expert anywhere — at least none I could find. If you're out there reading this, I'd love to hear from you.
Here's what I can tell you about puffed wheat:
I can't find anyone that processes it in Canada. The last known processor was in Winnipeg, but sold the operation about five years ago. That means what puffed wheat we do get is likely processed in the United States.
Quaker Oats seems to be the biggest processor of puffed wheat. They are owned by Pepsico. I had to hear this from others in the industry, because Pepsico wouldn't talk to me.
In fact, Pepsico never returned a single message. I've left several. I've also tried to talk to the Kelloggs and Post cereal companies. Again, no response. Talking to the receptionists was always the fun part. "Puffed what?"
I clearly had my work cut out for me.
My favourite call on this journey was to Vic Huard, the Executive Vice President of Strategy with Federated Co-operatives in Saskatoon.
When I told him I was on a mad hunt for what might be causing a shortage of puffed wheat, his first thought was I was playing a prank on him.
But he did get me answers fast. Puffed wheat was available in Saskatchewan's Co-op Food stores. It had been all summer.
The difference is it's labelled Wheat Puffs. Huard mentioned that puffed wheat is likely a trademarked name, ergo the Co-op-specific moniker.
Real shortage?
So has there actually been shortage of puffed wheat? Yes. There was one this summer. But it wasn't a complete puffed famine.
Several stores couldn't get the freckled fluffy stuff from their suppliers for a while, but most stores already have it back on their shelves. If not now, they should have it within the next couple of weeks.
What caused the shortage? No one has a solid answer.
Clayton Filkohazy with Sobeys told me they simply stopped carrying puffed wheat several months ago after a reorganization. Customers thought that was a bad move and let Sobeys hear about it.
"Our customers asked that we bring it back and that's what we're doing," Filkohazy said.
Regional delicacy
Filkohazy said the love of the stuff is regional.
"The demand for puffed wheat is higher in Western Canada than it is in other parts of the country, for sure."
Even so, Filkohazy says the real thing should be back on stores shelves by early October.
I spoke to many food industry people during my belaboured search for the elusive puffed cereal. Most of them told me they weren't experts on the stuff and didn't want to be quoted. Some did speculate that stores might not be stocking it because of changing consumer tastes. In a world focused on super foods and gluten intolerance, wheat simply seems old-school.
The search also took me to the Regina's Farmers Market. Darlene Lischynski runs the Yorkton Bakers stand. She has been bringing her baked goods to the market for 29 years.
She says puffed wheat cake has always been a top seller.
"Puffed wheat [cake] is one of the oldest desserts, but still is the most popular, regardless of age, young or old," Lischynski said.
She sells it by the square and by the small or giant tray.
Lishchynski said they nearly ran out this summer, but made it through the shortage due to buying in bulk. She echoed what Sobeys told me. Puffed wheat cake is a prairie thing.
"Some people from Eastern Canada come here and say 'what is that' or we've had people from the States who know puffed wheat cereal, but they're never seen it in that form."
I tested that premise with yet another phone call, this time to my afternoon show colleagues in Newfoundland. I talked to Ted Blades, the host of On the Go. He's as Newfoundland as Seal Flipper Pie.
"Puffed wheat, yes, but puffed wheat cake, No!" he said when asked about the treat. "My grandparents tried to force the cereal on me as a child. I remember there was always a giant bag of it under the counter. It was the most flavourless cereal I'd ever encountered ... it was like eating wall insulation."
He mused that the addition of eggs and cinnamon might help make for a more appetizing offering and asked me to "send him a slice in interoffice mail."
Maybe you missed the stuff during the summer's puffed wheat shortage. Maybe you didn't. Rest assured, the drought is behind us.
Puffed Wheat Squares
If story has given you a craving — and you can find some puffed wheat— here's a recipe I found in one of my mom's ancient recipe books.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter or margarine.
1/3 cup corn syrup.
1/4 cup packed brown sugar.
3 tbsp cocoa powder.
8 cups of puffed wheat.
Directions:
Put puffed wheat into a large bowl.
Grease a 9 x 9 pan.
Put first four ingredients in a sauce pan, and cook over medium heat.
Stir until it mixture comes to a full boil. Let it boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
Pour mixture over puffed wheat, and stir until it is evenly coated.
Press into the greased pan. Let it cool.
Store in an airtight container.
