Short on cream cheese? Kraft will pay you $20 to buy cheesecake replacement

(NEXSTAR) – “Having a hard time finding cream cheese on shelves means having a hard time putting cheesecakes on tables,” Philadelphia Cream Cheese has acknowledged, making reference to reports of a shortage of the creamy spread.

In response, Philadelphia Cream Cheese — a Kraft Heinz brand — announced Wednesday that it plans to give customers a chance to get a free dessert worth up to $20 if they can’t find enough cream cheese for the holidays.

“You may not be able to find Philly to make a cheesecake,” the brand stated. “So get any other dessert on us.”

Under the promotion, the brand plans to reimburse 18,000 people $20 each for a holiday dessert through its Philadelphia Spread the Feeling offer.

“This year, turn that famous cheesecake into those famous brownies,” the brand stated. “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.”

To get the $20 digital reward, customers need to sign up at SpreadTheFeeling.com starting at noon ET Friday. On that day, there will be 10,000 reservations available, with 8,000 more up for grabs starting at noon Saturday.

Any customer who scores a spot can buy “any dessert or dessert ingredient from a store or restaurant” between Dec. 17 and Dec. 24, and redeem a $20 reward between Dec. 28 and Jan. 2, 2022, using the link sent with the reservation confirmation.

“Seriously, you bake it and we’ll buy it,” the brand said. “Or get it store-bought and pretend you baked it and we’ll buy that, too.”

The promotion comes amid a cream cheese shortage linked to pandemic-fueled supply chain issues. Specifically, a shop owner in New York told NewsNation that the shortage concerns a “starter,” or a base supplied to vendors which is used to make flavored blends.