Kraft Heinz unveils new Philadelphia cream cheese flavors to win back shoppers

Philadelphia cream cheese is tapping into Americans’ growing appetite for sweet-and-spicy foods with a new product developed alongside Mike’s Hot Honey.

Kraft Heinz said Philadelphia Mike’s Hot Honey Whipped Cream Cheese, which combines the brand’s whipped cream cheese with chili pepper-infused honey, has launched exclusively at Walmart stores. The product is expected to expand to additional retailers nationwide in January 2027.

The launch comes as Kraft Heinz puts greater emphasis on product innovation and marketing in an effort to get consumers buying more of its brands. 

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The food giant is investing about $700 million in those efforts this year as it works to improve sales and market share amid continued pressure on consumer demand, Reuters reported in August.

Kraft Heinz said sweet-and-spicy offerings on food menus have increased nearly 230% over the past four years, with demand particularly strong among millennials and Gen Z.

“Philadelphia has set the cream cheese standard for over 150 years, and staying at the forefront means continuing to evolve with the way people eat and the flavors they crave,” said Maddy Zingle, vice president of marketing at Philadelphia cream cheese.

The partnership also has an early connection to Mike’s Hot Honey founder Mike Kurtz. When launching the hot honey brand in 2010, Kurtz sampled his sweet-and-spicy blend on blocks of Philadelphia cream cheese.

Philadelphia is also expanding its flavor lineup with Cranberry Orange Cream Cheese, a limited-time seasonal offering, and Salted Caramel Cream Cheese, which will become a permanent addition to the brand’s portfolio.

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The new products arrive as Kraft Heinz seeks to generate more volume growth, particularly in North America, where consumers have remained cautious and the company has faced softer demand in several categories. Kraft Heinz reported second-quarter sales of $6.26 billion, down 1.4% from a year earlier, though the result topped Wall Street expectations.

Reuters contributed to this report.