Cadbury has launched an investigation into the appearance of discoloured 99 Flakes after complaints from ice cream van owners. Vendors report a white tinge on the flaky chocolate sticks, rendering them unsellable due to their unappealing look.
Problem Linked to Storage Issues
The issue is believed to stem from wholesalers storing the Flakes incorrectly during the recent UK heatwave, according to reports. One Mr Whippy vendor expressed concern, stating: 'We’re coming into summer. If we get a heatwave next week, Flakes are going to fly out. People expect Cadbury and I don’t want to use other brands.'
Vendor Frustration
The vendor added: '99 is an established name – you can’t cheat and put something else in it. It’s got to be a Cadbury Flake.' Cadbury responded by saying: 'We are reviewing what’s happened to get back to the high-quality people expect from us.'
Origin of the 99 Flake Name
The term '99 Flake' is often thought to refer to the price of the ice cream, but Cadbury has stated that the true origin is lost in time. One explanation suggests the name comes from the Italian monarchy, where the King had a guard of 99 men, and anything special was called '99'.
Previous Supply Issues
Last year, sellers faced a shortage of Cadbury Flakes for the second consecutive year. A spokesperson for Mondelez International cited global supply chain disruptions and increased demand in the UK and Ireland as causes, noting that they were working to resolve the situation and manage stock allocation fairly.
