UK faces a flakeless summer as shortage of Cadbury’s 99 looms
After a year of lockdowns and staying at home the British public are faced with the threat of a shortage of Cadbury 99 Flakes.
Demand for soft-serve ice creams, finished with the iconic crumbling treat, is surging.
“We are seeing a recent increase in demand for our Cadbury 99 Flake in the UK and Ireland that we had not expected,” Cadbury owner Mondelez said today.
The news about the beloved topping has caused some alarm on social media.
Some users have responded to the shortage by suggesting contingency plans including alternative chocolate-based toppings to substitute the 99 Flake. Others have sought out an ice cream with a 99 flake before they run out.
Mondelez has tried to reassure the British public. In an official statement they said: “The product is still available to order and we’re continuing to work closely with our customers.”
The majority of the 99 Flakes sold in the UK are made in a factory in Egypt, with some also arriving from a facility in Coolock in Ireland.
The origins of the popular 99 Flakes, according to Cadbury, are in County Durham where a company sales manager observed Italian ice cream makers cutting flakes in half to add them to cones. Indeed the ice cream toppers are still half the size of the Flakes sold at newsagents and petrol station counters.