MrBeast and Logan Paul are coming for your kids’ lunch

Lunchables walked so Logan Paul and MrBeast could continue their IRL domination. [View on web]( [Logan Paul, MrBeast and KSI holding their Lunchly packages]( Photo: Lunchly/Facebook For anyone who generally tries to avoid the most sensational, clickbait videos of YouTube, I regret to report that MrBeast, the entrepreneur known for such stunts as putting on [his own version of Squid Game]( and sponsoring [eye surgery for 1,000 blind people](, has joined forces with Logan Paul, the internet star-turned-boxer who became notorious for [his “suicide forest” vlog](, to dominate a new food frontier: school lunches. The two announced their Lunchables competitor, Lunchly, [earlier this week](. It’s a natural if slightly cursed collaboration. Both MrBeast — whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson — and Logan Paul have been building up their food and beverage brands in recent years. Donaldson founded MrBeast Feastables, a line of chocolates, in addition to lending his name to the embattled MrBeast Burger, a [virtual]( [fast-food brand](. Paul, meanwhile, is a co-founder (along with influencer and professional boxer KSI, real name JJ Olatunji) of Prime Hydration, [a line of energy drinks]( and electrolyte-rich “hydration” drinks. These food brands haven’t been without controversy. Last summer, after announcing [his departure]( from MrBeast Burger, Donaldson [sued]( Virtual Dining Concepts, which operated the chain, over its lack of quality control and thus damage to his reputation; the company then [filed its own lawsuit]( against the creator, alleging that Donaldson hadn’t delivered on contractual obligations like promotion. Feastables, by comparison, has been relatively drama-free, though it’s also faced [accusations]( of child and slave labor (the brand is not on the [Slave-Free Chocolate list]() and [lost a branding fight]( over its chocolate bar named “Deez Nutz.” And as we [previously covered in this newsletter](, Prime’s energy drinks drew the attention of New York Sen. Chuck Schumer in 2023, when Schumer called on the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the drinks’ “[eye-popping](” caffeine content and marketing towards kids. A 12-ounce can of Prime’s energy drink has 200 milligrams of caffeine; the same amount of Red Bull has 114. At the time, Paul [noted that]( the majority of his audience was over the age of 18. (This is to say nothing of both men’s [broader]( [controversies]( outside the food world.) [KSI dressed up as a Prime drink laying on a stretcher with Logan Paul nearby]( Photo: Getty In contrast, Lunchly seems to be going explicitly for the younger crowd — those who want a colorful, fun lunch with goodies to trade in the cafeteria. Naturally, each box will contain both a Prime “hydration” drink, a Feastables bar, and a current line-up of “mains” ripped right from the Lunchables roster: Turkey Stack ‘Ems, Fiesta Nachos, and “the Pizza.” A bottle of Prime is, in this way, the younger Gen Z and Gen Alpha equivalent of the millennial’s [nostalgic Capri Sun pouch](. Like a Lunchables, it doesn’t seem to be an especially filling amount of food, even for a kid. MrBeast and Paul have described Lunchly as a “healthier alternative” and a “better-for-you lunch option.” That seems to be true by a hair: Reviewing the nutritional facts from Lunchables’s and Lunchly’s nacho packs confirmed the Lunchly version indeed has fewer calories, less fat and carbohydrates, and more protein, but it also has more sodium and cholesterol than the Lunchables variety. Seems kind of like a wash! Still, that’s unlikely to matter to the masses of children with unfettered access to YouTube who are bound to request their parents buy the grab-and-go meals in bulk, regardless of what’s in them. Godspeed. More reading: - In the New York Times, Priya Krishna dives deep into [the current fascination with pricey, customized drinks](. Spending $300 a month at Starbucks? I can already see the personal-finance influencers seething. - In MOLD, [butter sculpting and women’s work](. - Some interesting questions in the headlines this week: From the Washington Post, “[Should you wash your fruits and vegetables in the dishwasher?](” From the New York Times, “[Can drinking alcohol prevent food poisoning?](” - I would do anything for [Moo Deng](, the tiny Thai hippo whose name translates to “bouncy pork.” —Bettina Makalintal, Eater.com senior reporter   If you like this email, please forward it to a friend. If you aren't signed up for this newsletter, you can [do so right here](.  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( or [unsubscribe](param=today). View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media,1701 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.