Eggo and The Shoe Surgeon Cook Up a Flavorful Sneaker Collaboration Inspired by New Protein-Packed Waffles

Eggo is set to release new protein-packed waffles, and to celebrate the moment, the breakfast brand tapped Dominic “The Shoe Surgeon” Ciambrone to create custom sneakers.

The new Eggo Fully Loaded waffles will debut in two flavors — Chocolate Chip Brownie and Strawberry Delight — and have 10 grams of protein per two-waffle serving, which is the brand’s highest protein offering ever. These protein-packed, flavorful waffles directly informed Ciambrone’s design.

For instance, the sneakers — which were handcrafted in Los Angeles — are executed in premium suede waffled leather in shades of chocolate brown or a tan caramel with pops of pink. Ciambrone, who has recently shortened his moniker to “The Surgeon,” told FN creating the waffle grid pattern in the leather was one of the hardest things to do in the design process. “It was very time consuming and took a lot of hours to figure that out. We probably made that five times before getting it to where it’s at now,” he said.

Aside from the waffled leather, the shoes have strawberry and chocolate flavor fillings that drip down the midsole, a hidden zip stash pocket for a syrup packet and a “Shoetrition Facts” label behind the tongue that is reminiscent of the food nutrition facts. Also, extra cushion was added to the collar to represent the fluffiness of waffles, and underfoot, Ciambrone created a custom waffle grid outsole that also features his skull logo.

Ciambrone said the overall puffiness of the shoe, too, was inspired by the waffles, specifically the 10 grams of protein per serving. “I like to play off every detail,” he said. “The shoe is beefed up, and then if you look at the waffles, you will see little strawberry specks in them, you’ll see chocolate.”

The designer admitted the opportunity to work with Eggo was was a nostalgic one.

“Eggo reminds me of my brothers growing up, it reminds me of my parents taking care of us and having the fridge and freezer full of food for us to eat when they weren’t around. It’s love. Food is love and it’s how we take care of ourselves,” he said. “I remember as a kid, going in the freezer, making my Eggo waffles, slathering peanut butter on them and syrup all over them. I’d have five in the morning on the weekend.”

There will be three chances to shop the drops. First, the Eggo Fully Loaded Kicks will release via Urbannecessities.com/pages/eggofullyloaded on May 17 at 12 p.m. ET. They will cost $150 per pair, and will come with both flavors of its Fully Loaded Waffles. Additional pairs will released the remaining Fridays in May at 12 p.m. ET.

What’s more, Eggo confirmed there is a charitable component to the collaboration. Each pair of sneakers sold, according to Eggo, will result in a $150 donation to its longtime partner No Kid Hungry, a national campaign that is dedicated to ending childhood hunger. Eggo also stated it will make an additional donation of $50,000 following the “Fully Loaded Kicks” program.

Ciambrone is no stranger to creating sneakers that are inspired by food. For instance, he created shoes with Pizza Hut in 2017 for March Madness that offered the wearer the ability to order pizza directly from the shoes with a tap of the tongue. And in May 2023, Ciambrone teamed up with DoorDash to offer NBA fans the opportunity to personalize sneakers with his help. As part of the partnership, he also designed a sneaker that was inspired by his family’s deli, Canevari’s Deli.

“I grew up in the kitchen, watching my parents cook and having a restaurant. There’s so much inspiration and creativity that gets started in the kitchen,” Ciambrone said. “I get inspired from everything from cookware to how food is made to how it tastes and how it smells.”

Looking ahead, as someone inspired by food, Ciambrone said he would like to a collaboration with an Italian popcorn that he is making, which should be for sale from the family deli in the coming weeks.

Also, Ciambrone said he would love to create a Kellogg’s Crispix cereal collaboration. “One of my favorite cereals of all time is Crispix. My goal is to figure out how to get a Kellogg’s Crispix collab,” he said. “It’s one of those cereals that wasn’t sweet, but it was perfect.”

Beyond footwear collaborations, Ciambrone said he would love to make a sandwich out of the Eggo Fully Loaded waffles for his father’s deli. “The chocolate on the top, the Strawberry Delight on the bottom and then we can figure out what to put in between to make the best sandwich ever,” he said.

About the Author

Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.