Noir Nation, just when we thought the bare minimum couldn’t sink any lower… Kroger said hold my frosting chile. The grocery chain is currently under fire after a series of Juneteenth-themed cookie cakes left shoppers—and the internet—absolutely dumbfounded.
🍪 “FREE @ LAST?” Baby, Who Approved This?!
It all popped off after Atlanta shopper @blaq.monalisa posted a now-viral TikTok showing a shelf full of what she called “ugly a— cakes” from a local Kroger. These weren’t your average baked goods—they featured phrases like:
- “FREE @ LAST”
- “June 19 Free”
- “Celebrate Freedom” — scribbled messily in red, green, and black icing.
And yes, they looked every bit like someone whipped them up on a 15-minute break with zero historical context, no cultural awareness, and a whole lot of leftover icing.
“This is some bullsh*t… who the hell made these ugly a— cakes?” the TikTok creator asked. “They knew what they were doing. Fire the whole bakery staff!”
🧁 The Internet Drags the Display Into Oblivion
Users across TikTok, Instagram, and X wasted no time dragging Kroger for what they’re calling an example of performative corporate allyship at its absolute worst.
“Juneteenth is not a marketing opportunity,” one user wrote.
“This is what happens when no Black people are in the room… or worse, when they’re not allowed to speak,” another commented.
Some pointed out that instead of using the holiday to educate, reflect, or uplift—Kroger chose to slap some icing on a cookie and call it equity.
🧹 Kroger Issues Statement But the Damage Is Done
In response to the viral backlash, Kroger quickly pulled the cakes and released a public statement:
“These products were not created or approved through our company’s corporate channels and do not reflect our company’s values. They have been removed from store shelves.”
While Kroger says the display was not a part of its official Juneteenth offerings, the screenshots and videos live on forever—and so does the outrage.
✊🏿 Let’s Be Clear…
Juneteenth is not just another day to sell merch or decorate desserts. It marks the day enslaved Black people in Texas finally learned they were free—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It’s a day of reflection, remembrance, and resistance.
So next time, how about y’all hire some Black creatives, educators, and historians before rolling out “celebrations” that look more like jokes?
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