Kraft will pay for your dessert this Christmas — as long as it's not cheesecake
For many families, cheesecakes are a staple of the holiday season. But this year's holiday season is coming amid a national shortage of cream cheese and other goods. So, Kraft, the company that makes Philadelphia cream cheese, is offering to pay for you to get another dessert that will "pull you into holiday feelings."
Retailers have warned that the holiday season will see empty shelves and higher prices.
The supply chain issue began early last year— at the start of the pandemic — as COVID-19 changed people's day-to-day lives, including how they eat, Farm Bureau senior economist Veronica Nigh previously told CBS News.
In recent weeks in New York, bagel shops have said they are running out of cream cheese, according to a report from The New York Times. Many of those shops say they start their cream cheese mixes with Philadelphia cream cheese.
Kraft seems to not be taking any chances.
Their offer, a $20 digital reward, will be given to 18,000 people in the U.S. On a site dedicated to the promotion, Kraft said that eligible adults can claim a "dessert reservation" on Saturday and Sunday at noon ET each day. The reservations are on a first-come, first-serve basis, with 10,000 people able to claim the reward on Saturday, and another 8,000 able to claim it on Sunday.
Those who receive the reward will receive their $20 within two to four weeks of uploading their dessert purchase receipt to a unique link that Kraft will send out.
"At Philadelphia, we believe these moments of delight that pull you into holiday feelings really matter. So, if cheesecake is on less holiday tables this year, we want to make sure that you still get the holiday feeling, even if it's through other desserts," Kraft's website says. "If you can't spread Philly, spread the feeling."
Jenna Thornton, director of Kraft's brand PR and media, told CBS News that the retail demand for cream cheese has remained as strong this year as it was in 2020. And as people have felt more comfortable leaving their homes amid the pandemic, the company has seen food service demand, such as bagel shops, skyrocket.
That food service demand was 75% higher this November than in November 2020, Thornton said, adding that the company is shipping 35% more product this year than last.
"As we continue to see elevated and sustained demand, we want to want to ensure that there's enough cream cheese for bagels, cheesecakes, and everything in between," she said.
