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Cadbury confirms 99 Flake shortage in the UK

18 May 2021, 12:18

There is a shortage of Cadbury flakes in the UK. Picture: Getty Images

By Heart

With summer right around the corner, ice cream vans are facing a Cadbury Flake 99 shortage.

As lockdown restrictions ease in England and Wales, Cadbury has announced they are suffering a shortage of 99 Flakes.

As people head outside to enjoy the Spring sunshine, there has been a surge in demand for the soft-serve ice cream cone topped with the mini chocolate bar.

This means ice cream vans up and down the country are short of supply, the Irish Mirror reports.

Ice cream vans are facing a shortage of 99s. Picture: PA Images

Cadbury owner Mondelez has since confirmed: "We are seeing a recent increase in demand for our Cadbury 99 Flake in the UK and Ireland that we had not expected."

While Mondelez couldn’t say how long the shortage is expected to last, a statement from the company says: "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, while some also come from Coolock in Ireland.

The news of a shortage has led people on social media to suggest other chocolate treats which could be used instead - including Oreos and Kinder Buenos.

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Why is a 99 called a 99?

People often wrongly assume that a 99 Flake got its name from its original cost but there is in fact another story behind the ice cream.

The origin dates back to the 1920s when the Italian soft ice cream makers in County Durham decided to incorporate the Cadbury Flake into their products.

Cadbury has previously explained: “In the days of the monarchy in Italy, the King has a specially chosen guard consisting of 99 men, and subsequently anything really special or first class was known as ’99’ – and that his how ’99’ Flake came by its name.”

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