Woolworths fires back: The truth behind 'rip off' chocolate mud cake claims
- Replies 7
When it comes to celebrating special occasions, everyone loves a good treat, and Woolworths' chocolate mud cake has been a go-to delight for many sweet tooths over the years.
However, a recent twist on this iconic dessert has stirred up quite the conversation among shoppers, with some accusing the supermarket giant of cashing in on Valentine's Day sentimentality.
A disgruntled customer took to social media to voice their frustration after spotting a Valentine's Day-themed Mud Cake priced at $9.50, a noticeable increase from the standard $6.40 Mud Cake Chocolate.
The post quickly gained traction, with the shopper claiming that Woolworths had merely added an 'icing love heart' to the original cake and slapped on an additional $3 for the decoration.
'Woolies jumping on the Valentine’s Day rip-offs,' they wrote, sparking a debate on the value of the festive treat and garnering various responses from social media users.
‘Three more dollars for a bit of piping? That’s crazy,’ one user commented.
‘My 4-year-old bro could do better than that,’ another said.
A third person pointed out: ‘What really gets me is that Woolworths/Coles hire qualified bakers. People who literally studied/trained for multiple years, and this is [what] comes from it. Embarrassing.’
But Woolworths wasn't about to let the cake crumble under criticism. In a robust response, the retailer defended the price point of the Valentine's Day mud cake, explaining that it wasn't just a simple case of icing on the... cake.
Unlike the everyday mud cake that features a thin layer of icing on top, Woolworths stated that the Valentine's Day version was lavished with a rich chocolate ganache, meticulously applied by hand to cover all sides of the cake.
To top it off, a love heart decoration was drawn on each cake, requiring additional time and care from the bakery staff.
The supermarket clarified that the cost of the extra ganache, icing, and the labour involved in hand-decorating each cake were all factored into the pricing.
In a statement that aimed to sweeten the perspective of their customers, a Woolworths spokesperson shared, 'Our bakery team were sharing the love with our special release Valentine’s Day mud-cakes, topped with delicious, decadent ganache and an icing love heart.’
The spokesperson continued: ‘These cakes were available in select stores while stock lasted and were lovingly hand-decorated by our team members.'
Despite the initial backlash, it seems that many customers were still smitten with the Valentine's Day treat.
Comments on social media ranged from practical to humorous endorsements of the cake.
'Bring that bad boy home with a six-pack and baby, you got Valentine’s sorted,' joked one customer, while another pragmatically pointed out, 'It’s $9.50 for a cake, seems fair.'
Another commenter stated: ‘Don’t buy it then. It is still not exorbitant. There is a double thick swirl of icing on the outside edge in a quasi-heart-shaped pattern.’
They even estimated that making a similar cake at home would cost at least $7, not accounting for the time and labour one would put in.
Have you seen this special mud cake on your local Woolies, members? What did you think about the price? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
However, a recent twist on this iconic dessert has stirred up quite the conversation among shoppers, with some accusing the supermarket giant of cashing in on Valentine's Day sentimentality.
A disgruntled customer took to social media to voice their frustration after spotting a Valentine's Day-themed Mud Cake priced at $9.50, a noticeable increase from the standard $6.40 Mud Cake Chocolate.
The post quickly gained traction, with the shopper claiming that Woolworths had merely added an 'icing love heart' to the original cake and slapped on an additional $3 for the decoration.
A shopper pointed out the price difference between the Woolies Valentine’s Day mud cake and regular mud cake. Image source: Reddit
'Woolies jumping on the Valentine’s Day rip-offs,' they wrote, sparking a debate on the value of the festive treat and garnering various responses from social media users.
‘Three more dollars for a bit of piping? That’s crazy,’ one user commented.
‘My 4-year-old bro could do better than that,’ another said.
A third person pointed out: ‘What really gets me is that Woolworths/Coles hire qualified bakers. People who literally studied/trained for multiple years, and this is [what] comes from it. Embarrassing.’
But Woolworths wasn't about to let the cake crumble under criticism. In a robust response, the retailer defended the price point of the Valentine's Day mud cake, explaining that it wasn't just a simple case of icing on the... cake.
Unlike the everyday mud cake that features a thin layer of icing on top, Woolworths stated that the Valentine's Day version was lavished with a rich chocolate ganache, meticulously applied by hand to cover all sides of the cake.
To top it off, a love heart decoration was drawn on each cake, requiring additional time and care from the bakery staff.
The supermarket clarified that the cost of the extra ganache, icing, and the labour involved in hand-decorating each cake were all factored into the pricing.
In a statement that aimed to sweeten the perspective of their customers, a Woolworths spokesperson shared, 'Our bakery team were sharing the love with our special release Valentine’s Day mud-cakes, topped with delicious, decadent ganache and an icing love heart.’
The spokesperson continued: ‘These cakes were available in select stores while stock lasted and were lovingly hand-decorated by our team members.'
Despite the initial backlash, it seems that many customers were still smitten with the Valentine's Day treat.
Comments on social media ranged from practical to humorous endorsements of the cake.
'Bring that bad boy home with a six-pack and baby, you got Valentine’s sorted,' joked one customer, while another pragmatically pointed out, 'It’s $9.50 for a cake, seems fair.'
Another commenter stated: ‘Don’t buy it then. It is still not exorbitant. There is a double thick swirl of icing on the outside edge in a quasi-heart-shaped pattern.’
They even estimated that making a similar cake at home would cost at least $7, not accounting for the time and labour one would put in.
Have you seen this special mud cake on your local Woolies, members? What did you think about the price? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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