supply chain

Philadelphia Cream Cheese Will Pay You $20 Not to Make Cheesecake This Christmas

Yep, Kraft will actually pay you to buy dessert this year

Philadelphia brand cream cheese
Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Cheesecake is among the most classic and beloved of holiday desserts, but apparently too much demand (and a few supply chain issues along way) have caused a cream cheese shortage that extends beyond New York's beloved bagel shops.

Whether you love your cream cheese on a bagel with some smoked salmon or in a holiday cheesecake, a lot of people are feeling the absence of this spreadable cheese this season. Philadelphia is trying to make up for the product’s scarcity this season by making it easier grab a different dessert — and they're doing this by offering that dessert for free!

Whether you buy brownies, cookies or perhaps a festive yule log, Philadelphia will reimburse the cost up to $20. To cash in, visit SpreadTheFeeling.com beginning December 17 at 9 a.m. ET. You’ll need to submit a grocery store or restaurant receipt dated between December 17 and Christmas Eve to qualify.

Supply chain issues have been quite a problem this holiday season, and Philadelphia acknowledges that in a YouTube video about the promotion. "This is not an empty shelf, it's a holiday tradition waiting another year," a voiceover says in the video. "This year, turn that famous cheesecake into those famous brownies.”

Whether you use that refund to buy a store-made cake or make your own cake (or buy a store-made cake pass it off as homemade!), is up to you.

“For the past 150 years, Philadelphia cream cheese has been a staple in American households, especially around the holidays,” says Philadelphia marketing director, Basak Oguz, in a statement. “As we continue to see elevated and sustained demand, we want to ensure that there’s enough cream cheese for bagels, cheesecakes, and everything in-between. We’re excited to share that we’re investing millions of dollars so Philadelphia cream cheese will be available to anyone that wants it, wherever they like to shop, for the next 150 years and beyond.”

This may just be the push some families need to try a new dessert recipe this season!

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