This fact about Philadelphia cream cheese is blowing the Internet away (2024)

What comes to mind when you think of Philadelphia? The zoo?Benjamin Franklin? Philadelphia ost?

Well, you better delete that last one because it's viralRedditpost has revealed a little-known fact about the soft cheese's origins.

In a post on the todayilearned subreddit (which can be seenher), user u/dansux said: "TIL Philadelphia Cream Cheese was invented in New York and was never made in Philadelphia. The name was part of a clever marketing strategy because Philadelphia was known at the time (1880s) for its high-quality dairy products. ."

The fact that Philadelphia cheese isn't actually made in Philly stunned Redditors, garnering 42,000 votes and over 1,000 comments.

Ttcmzx said: “Everything I think I know is a lie.”

Joabyjojo commented, "I always thought it was extremely strange that a Philly Cheese Steak didn't contain Philly cream cheese while a New York Cheesecake did, but I guess it makes sense now."

Sirfuzzitoes joked: "F*****, that's our cream cheese. With love, Philadelphia."

It turns out that Philadelphia Cream Cheese was created in New York in 1871 by a man named William Lawrence. According to Philadelphiainternet kantLawrence invented cream cheese to “bring a fresher, richer flavor experience to the cheese market.”

In 1880, cheese broker Alvah Reynolds approached Lawrence with a plan to improve the marketing of this new product. He suggested naming the cream cheese after Philadelphia, which at the time was known for its high-quality dairy. According to Dairy Foods Magazine, U.S. sales of Philadelphia Cream Cheese totaled $539 million between 2013 and 2020, making it the best-selling variety.popularcream cheese brand in the country.

Although Redditors were shocked to discover the real birthplace of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, the brand has been open about it. You will even find references to the historic name change on the website.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese isn't the only company experimenting with a few white lies in their branding. The comments were quickly flooded with Redditors sharing similar examples of household names changing their locations for marketing purposes.

CurlSagan said, "Similarly, Arizona tea was invented in Brooklyn, NY. The founder thought New Yorkers would like the idea of ​​iced tea from a scorching hot distant desert land."

LostSoulsAlliance noted, "As I recall, Texas Roadhouse didn't start in Texas either. Started in Indiana."

SkullAngel001 wrote: “In fact, Häagen-Dazs isn't even a word or phrase in any European language.

“It's literally crap that's been marketed as a premium ice cream brand (in addition to being made in 'Murica).”

All three stories are true. AriZona Iced Tea started in New York in 1992, but activists "boycotted" the brand in 2010 in response to an immigration law passed in the state. The brand released a statement at the time saying, "Despite the tremendous success AriZona has had in the United States and internationally, we have remained true to our family-owned business based in New York."

The Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, with its very first location in Clarksville, Indiana in 1993. Häagen-Dazs was founded in the Bronx in 1960 by husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Reuben and Rose Mattus. The couple was Jewish. Reuben said Mattus told journalist and cookbook author Joan Nathan that he gave the product a Danish-sounding name for two reasons: to honor Denmark's kindness to the Jews during World War II and because it sounded more exotic.

He said: “The only country that saved the Jews during the Second World War was Denmark, so I made up a completely fictitious Danish name and had it registered.

"Häagen-Dazs doesn't mean anything. [But] it would attract attention, especially with the surround sound."

Ryan Gould is vice president of strategy and marketing services at Elevation Marketing. Food and beverage customers include Ball Park hot dogs, Kerry Gold cheese and Goldfish crackers. He said brands that take this approach tend to value authenticity and quality, and hope to carry on the culture and heritage of this place through their products. He added that most brands do not lose authenticity when consumers discover the real origin of the product, but it all depends on the placement and image.

“Tying a brand too closely to a location can negatively impact the brand's ability to grow if it cannot break beyond its regional appeal, or if the connotative feelings and expectations derived from its geography do not match the expectations of purchasers of the products." Gould explained.

“It's a fine line that requires more than intuition, but thorough research to ensure the approach doesn't limit short-term success or long-term growth opportunities,” he said.

Gould said it has become less common for food and beverage entrepreneurs to use this tactic because it can prevent a product from expanding nationally or internationally. Still, there is value in adopting a location-based brand for local food and drinks.

Newsweekhas contacted u/dansux for comment.

Update 12/22/04, 10:28 am ET: This article has been updated with comments from Ryan Gould.