After an explosion at Reddi-wip's factory, a worker died and the entire United States is facing a whipped cream shortage. The explosion took place at a Florida nitrous oxide plant in late August.
The food manufacturer that produces the Reddi-wip confirmed, Dec. 12, that the supply of nitrous oxide was, indeed, affected by the explosion. Reddi-wip is a very popular whipped topping.
Reddi-Wip - National Shortage
According to the spokeswoman of the company, Lanie Friedman, stores still have the product in their stock. However, given that the winter holiday period is associated to a higher use of the whipped cream than usual, the limited supply could cause a shortage.
"It's in stores now, but we're encouraging people to buy it early. There will be a shortage if people buy at the typical levels during the holidays." noted Friedman.
According to IRI, a market reasearch company, Reddi-wip is the leading aerosol whipped topping, having sold $278 million worth of products throughout a year.
"Our current supply of Aerosol whipped topping has been severely limited due to a nationwide shortage of nitrous oxide. We expect this problem to be resolved shortly," noted the announcement in the stores.
Additionally, it is not just Conagra, the manufacturer producing the Reddi-wip, but also other producers who use nitrous oxide who face the same problem, according to the spokeswoman. Among these, the spray-can versions of Cool Whip manufactured by Kraft Heinz, could also face shortages.
Reddi-Wip Situation Affects Industry
The very popular Reddi-wip was first produced in the aftermath of WWII, as the nation faced food shortages. As time passed, it increased in popularity, now being worth half of the industry of canned whipped cream across the United States.
And while some of the stores still have the products available, the consumers are encouraged to purchase it as soon as possible, in order to avoid any last-minute unpleasant surprise. The crisis should be short-lived, but it may affect the holidays — especially for people who planned to bake sweets.
"Due to an industry-wide supply issue, there is currently a shortage of some whipped toppings, including Reddi-wip. We are proactively managing the production of Reddi-wip, and are doing the best we can to make it available to as many consumers as possible," added Friedman.
Of course, people can make their own whipped cream should this shortage affect their neighborhoods. However, most of the consumers will not be happy about this alternative, especially the ones who got used to its taste.
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