Problems due to shortage of cream cheese The problems of the supply chain are the gift this holiday season. And the newest entrant seems to be none other than the much-appreciated bagel topping.
Cry over a cream cheese shortage began earlier this month when The New York Times revealed that delicatessens in the city were struggling for spreads. And last week it became popular when chain Junior’s Cheesecake said it was temporarily halting production of its key commodity, due to inadequate availability of the main ingredient.
Food distributors and brand spokespeople say various factors can be there, starting with a labor shortage and lack of packaging goods to sustain demand which is a result of more people having breakfast at home and baking with cream cheese, which is a pretty common food during the pandemic. Whereas some people view it as a nationwide failure, others see it as a marketing opportunity.
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Kraft’s Reward Scheme
Kraft Heinz, which owns the Philadelphia brand, is offering to compensate scores of holiday buyers $20 each for the desserts they bake or buy which don’t include any cream cheese. The website of the company reads, “You may not be able to find Philly to make a cheesecake. So get any other dessert on us.”
The promotion “Spread the Feeling” will run from Friday to Jan. 4, but the lovers of dessert will just get two days to try and get a spot. The company says that 10,000 online booking spots will open at noon ET on Friday and another 8,000 will be available the next noon. Customers who manage to get a reservation will get a one-time link.
Then they can buy any dessert or dessert ingredient from a store or restaurant between Friday and Dec. 24 and use the same link for submission of their dated receipt for repayment by the end of Jan. 4. The company says they will get the $20 prize in two to four weeks. The narrator of an ad says, “This year, turn that famous cheesecake into those famous brownies, end your meal with a friendly fight over the last holiday cupcake, share some cookies. Anything that’ll make you feel anything in that cheesecake-shaped hole in your holiday heart.”
High Demand for Cream Cheese
The brand said that cream cheese was highly sought after even before this festive season. Kraft Heinz told CNN Business that retail demand increased 18% in 2020 and the brand is delivering 30 to 35% additional cream cheese to outlets than last year.
If you have to miss the cheesecake this Christmas, you can try another thing on Kraft’s dime. Also, there are many replacements for cream cheese including dairy-free desserts.
