Oh my gouda. Cheeses H. Christ. There's an alarming shortage on the horizon: America may be running low on Velveeta cheese cheeze food! As if the Polar Vortex weren't bad enough, now this? I can't believe it. What are we supposed to smother over our wintertime canned chili con carne now? Real cheese? That's just going to make the canned chili feel badly about itself. Okay, before anyone panics, let's get a handle on what we know this impending possibly-maybe Velveeta shortage.
Spokesperson for Kraft foods Jody Moore told Ad Age in an email:
Given the incredible popularity of Velveeta this time of year, it is possible consumers may not be able to find their favorite product on store shelves over the next couple of weeks. Our retail customers are aware of the situation and we expect it to be a short-term issue.
One Brooklyn, New York grocery store employee told Ad Age that they weren't expecting more shipments of Velveeta until February because of a "plant issue." Moore wouldn't confirm that: "I can tell you there is a combination of factors involved, but the driver is really the high demand."
Okay, if you say so. If you're a mom with some little Velveeta fans living in your household this could pose a bit of a challenge. I have no idea how much more expensive individually-wrapped American cheeze food slices are, but that's a possible substitute. Or you could use the opportunity to introduce your kids to real cheese. Maybe start with mild cheddar, or Monterey Jack.
Moore says the shortage has been exacerbated because "this is a key time for the brand." What she probably means is that we're less than a month away from Super Bowl Sunday (February 2). That's when millions of Americans will be nuking Velveeta with other ingredients to make cheese dip. Or maybe she's thinking since it's winter that means fondue season? Haha, just kidding, Switzerland! We don't use Velveeta to make fondue here. Much.
When was the last time you ate Velveeta?
Image via Karen/Flickr