For Flake’s Sake – what’s the problem? Ice cream favourite “the ’99” jeopardised by crumbling supplies

For Flake’s Sake – what’s the problem? Ice cream favourite “the ’99” jeopardised by crumbling supplies

The 99 Flake, the UK and Ireland’s most iconic soft-serve ice cream combo, could be under threat this summer. Cadbury, who make the iconic topping, is grappling with a surge in demand.

The UK and Ireland’s most iconic soft-serve ice cream combo, known as the 99 Flake, could be under threat this summer as the company that makes the iconic topping grapples with a surge in demand.  According to The Irish Times, ice-cream sellers in Ireland have reported problems sourcing Cadbury’s half-length chocolate Flake.

Cadbury’s owner Mondelez International confirmed the shortage in a statement and said it was a result of high demand.

“We are seeing a recent increase in demand for our Cadbury 99 Flake in the UK and Ireland that we had not expected,” a spokesperson said.

Mondelez International said that its 99 Flake chocolate bars were made in Egypt, outside Cairo, and in Coolock, outside Dublin.

Paddy O’Donnell, a business owner in Ireland that supplies Flakes to ice-cream sellers, said that it was “impossible” to get hold of these chocolates at the moment, in a comment to the Irish Times.

The origin of the 99 Flake name is unclear. In a statement to the BBC, Mondelez said its meaning has been “lost in the mists of time,” but offered one possible explanation. “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 is how ’99’ Flake came by its name,” a spokesperson said.