It’s a daring move by an iconic dairy manufacturer designed to protect one segment of its market by encouraging another segment to lay off. Philadelphia Cream Cheese is asking consumers not to buy it’s flagship product this Yuletide so that restaurants and bakeries have a chance to get some…
The official portrait of the classic Philidelphia Cream Cheese
Cake. They might pay you not to make one this year…
You may or may not have heard that Cream Cheese shortages are plaguing the market. Especially in the U.S. Economists – and cream cheese aficionados – blame supply chain interruptions on top of unprecedented demand from, home users for the stuff. In fact, a Zippia survey of Goggle search data reveals that, “cheesecake is the favorite holiday dessert to make in America.” (We assume Zippia counted the number of recipe searches.)
As a result, great, gaping holes have appeared in supermarket dairy cases and delis from coast to coast are resorting to offering plain butter to bagel-buying regulars. And in New York, especially, that’s a LOT of people. One TV reporter referred to the Bagel with Cream Cheese as the unofficial official dessert-snack-lunch of the Big Apple.
A daring move
So… Philadelphia Cream Cheese has launched a special campaign to help ensure that restaurants will be able to get enough of the essential ingredient to make it through the holidays without suffering destructive declines in business.
In fact, the company has launched a whole new website asking consumers NOT to buy Cream Cheese this season.
“YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FIND PHILLY TO MAKE A CHEESECAKE. SO GET ANY OTHER DESSERT ON US.”
“A delicious cheesecake is a holiday tradition that many families look forward to. At Philadelphia, we believe these moments of delight that pull you into holiday feelings really matter. So, if cheesecake is on fewer holiday tables this year, we want to make sure that you still get that holiday feeling, even if it’s through other desserts. If you can’t spread Philly, spread the feeling.”
Get any other… ?
Yes. Big time. You can get in the running to receive a $20 digital award from Philly by registering for a spot in their new program. Then, on December 28, use the special one-time access code they send you to upload the receipt for the alternative Christmas Dessert that you bought at the store – between December 17 and 24. That will get you a chance to win a $20 award from Philly. Sound a little complicated? Yes. But ours is not to reason why… Philly obviously has reasons, from its financial people and its legal eagles, to do this in such a convoluted manner.
Good Luck!
You may need it, just to navigate the entry process successfully. But I’m betting $20 will be more than enough cash to get a legion of Philly lovers to apply.
But who’s to say folks won’t both hoard cream cheese AND buy another dessert, just for the receipt and the chance at $20 it brings?
I also wonder how many folks will try something different for their traditional Holiday dessert (other than Cheese Cake) and decide they like that better? We’ll have to wait until Christmas 2022 to find out how seriously cream cheese sales are impacted.
I’ve never made (or even bought) a Cheese Cake for Christmas or New Year’s dinner dessert. I’ll stick with my usual: an Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese and Vanilla Ice Cream on the side, and a Pumpkin pie (made from my own salvaged Hallowe’en Jack o’ Lantern) with Whipped Cream on top.
But I’ll be very interested to see what Philly has to report, re.- the results of their attempt to coerce fans not to buy their product!
Muse on that!
~ Maggie J.