A cream cheese shortage might sound like a nightmare to fans of cheesecake, but Kraft is using the opportunity to win over potential customers with a clever marketing campaign. 

According to CNN, for only two days, Kraft is offering a certain number of people $20 to spend on the purchase of dessert items that don't involve the use of its Philadelphia Cream Cheese, which is in limited supply at this time.

Essentially, people who can't bake cheesecakes because they can't find Kraft's Philadelphia Cream Cheese can get another baked good on Kraft's dime.

How Kraft's special offer works

Anyone interested in the offer will visit a special website set up by Kraft on December 17 and 18. Only 18,000 of those who attempt to participate will be selected for the special offer. Those chosen will purchase the items with their own money and then submit their receipts to Kraft a few weeks later for their $20 reimbursement.

Kraft's navigation of the cream cheese shortage is clever in that it softens the blow of empty cream cheese shelves while reminding customers how precious the product is and surreptitiously keeping it on their minds.

Why the shortage? 

Kraft says the reason for the shortage goes back to a spike in cream cheese demand during the pandemic.

The company reports that in 2020, as more people began baking and eating at home, demand for cream cheese jumped about 18% compared to 2019. It's stayed at that high level in 2021, according to Kraft. In addition to home cooks purchasing more cream cheese, restaurants also ordered an increasing amount of the product.

Will we eventually run out of the product altogether?

Kraft is working hard to get its popular product back on store shelves in full supply.

To keep up with demand, the company is pumping funds into its Philadelphia brand, CNN reports.

Basak Oguz, Philadelphia marketing director, told CNN Business, "We're investing millions of dollars on Philadelphia cream cheese."

She added that the money will help increase production capacity.