Weekend pop-up cereal bar to help kids in need

A Vancouver-based public relations company is banking on your love of a childhood favourite food to help raise money for kids in need.

Milk Creative Communications is hosting a pop-up cereal bar in Gastown this weekend with all proceeds donated to charity Backpack Buddies.

The charity provides food to children on the weekend who are typically part of their school's breakfast and lunch program during the week.

The event also serves as the re-launch of Heth PR as Milk Creative Communications, but presidentShannonHeth, says the bar is all about nostalgia.

"Cereal kind of invokes this childhood memory of something sugary and sweet and sometimes something you weren't always allowed to have. I thought what a great way to bring out the kid in all of us and give back to kids at the same time."

For $5, customers can choose from a variety of imported and domestic cereals, a type of milk chocolate, soy, almond and a variety of sweet toppings from smarties to sprinkles.

Soggy sales, new rituals

While cereal bars might be touted as the latest food trend in some cities, the sale of cereal has taken a nosedive in recent years.

Kelloggs opened their own branded cereal cafe in Brooklyn in July to boost sales, and is also attempting to market cereal as a nighttime treat and snack.

It wouldn't be the first time cereal has undergone some creative branding.

When cereal was first invented, Kellogg's, General Mills and Post successfully marketed their new products as a daily breakfast ritual where none existed before.

You can visit the pop-up cereal bar at 311 West Cordova Street on Saturday and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT.

With files from The Early Edition

To hear the segment, click on the link labelled Pop-up cereal bar comes to Gastown