Cheesepocalypse: Velveeta Shortage Looms

In what some Twitter users have dubbed a Cheesepocalypse, a Velveeta shortage is spreading just as cheesy dip season is reaching its peak, Yahoo finds. "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," a Kraft spokeswoman tells Ad Age. Asked for details, she said, "I can tell you there is a combination of factors involved, but the driver is really the high demand."

The 86-year-old brand is still worth around $500 million a year and the apparent shortage has surprised experts. "It's not a seasonal product," a culinary historian tells USA Today. "There is no dish served between Thanksgiving and Christmas that is quintessentially Velveeta." He adds that Velveeta is one of the easiest cheese products to stockpile. "The whole point of Velveeta is you keep it on the shelf indefinitely. It's the cheese for people who don't know how to cook." (More Kraft stories.)