Black Cat Peanut Butter offers more crunch than you'd expect - but no sorry yet!

I've been married to my current husband for seven years and discovered a month or two ago that we both loved Black Cat Crunchy Peanut Butter, although we had never enjoyed this legendary bread spread together.

My 16-year-old son (who,until recently had expressed a loathing for the crunchy variant) also gave the thumbs-up, so, when in the CT Tokai Blue Route Checkers Hyper, we actually celebrated buying our first-ever jar of Black Cat, together. (I kid you not.)

Imagine my shock on arriving home, making a slice of toast slathered in my freshly opened, beloved Black Cat Peanut Butter and biting down hard on a piece of gravel! (Fortunately I only chipped two front teeth slightly!)

I contacted the Tiger Brands call centre the very next day and spoke to an agent who, though charming and helpful-sounding, gave me an absurd list of things I had to send to their W/A number (incl. photographs of the stone - he didn't actually know what gravel was - along with proof of purchase, etc.). I was also, bizarrely, asked to REPLACE the piece of gravel in the jar where I found it, for seemingly imminent collection. (Obviously I bagged this instead) He also assured me that I would be contacted within 72 hours. Tick tock...

Here are my WhatsApp messages: "Gravel found in Black Cat Crunchy PB bought 22 July at Checkers Hyper Blue Route Tokai & reported telephonically today by M.Follett. I dropped the stone and it broke in two but was clearly indistinguishable from nuts on toast. Very scary experience. Thank goodness I only nibbled the stone and didn't bite down hard on it! Ref. No: TB ***"

"Greetings. I understand that it may take a day or so to respond, and I also realise that there is nothing much to say on your company's part, as it is clearly a freak occurrence and an extremely rare quality control issue in your otherwise excellent product! Although luckily I just I chipped a front tooth slightly, it could have been so much worse and I can't help wondering what the process would have been had that happened!"

[01:29, 12/08/2021] Maggie: "Hi. I was told that I would be contacted within 72 hours of calling your contact centre on 26/7. To my disappointment, this has not taken place - despite my fulfilling all your requirements. My jar and piece of gravel are still awaiting collection. If I have no response via my email: *** or this W/A number by tomorrow at midday, I shall have no other recourse but to publish a Hellopeter review, and obtain a quote from my dentist to repair my chipped tooth, Over to you now..."

[01:33, 12/08/2021] Maggie:" It's astonishing that you would prepared to alienate an advertising, marketing and journalism professional who has been brand loyal for 50 years. Times sure have changed!"

[01:44, 14/08/2021] Maggie: "What is the point of a WhatsApp platform when there is no response?"

The whole experience saddens my whole family, especially in the light of our very genuine joy at especially going to Checkers to buy what we didn't realise was a family favourite. (My hubby and I even joked about brand loyalty, despite a higher price.)

The jar of Black Cat remains on our shelf with the very substantial, peanut-sized piece of gravel in a baggie taped to the lid.

How dare this reputable company make me jump through hoops to prove what happened and then leave me with an unresolved "F*** you" for your brand loyalty over a period of 50 years!

(Incidentally, I've been in marketing, advertising and journalism for over 30 years and if were Tiger Brands, I would climb the highest mountain in terms of PR to avoid not only censure on social media, but also the cost of repairing my chipped teeth.

To think that I have asked for neither from a brand we grew up with! Poor form, or "swak" as we say in SA.

Tiger Brands call centre: ***. WhatsApp: +***7