Whipped Topic Crisis Looms As Holidays Approach

For many, this will be no laughing matter. The ready-made whipped cream that you’re used to getting on top of your hot chocolate or specialty coffee drink may not be there for you this holiday season. That’s because the whipped topping is in short supply after an explosion at an Airgas Inc. facility in August actually shook up the supply of nitrous oxide.
As Stephanie McVaugh, VP of Natural Dairy Products Corporation, said, “The timing is really unfortunate.” She explained that the company actually had no supplies for a few months. The expectation this year was that the whipped cream market would reach $505.3 million in 2016 according to research firm Euromonitor International.
Many true chefs, however, don’t see the problem. The problem is only if you buy manufactured whipped cream, not if you make it from scratch.
But for those who are in a panic, Airgas has reassured consumers that it will make “all possible efforts to remedy the situation as quickly as possible.” And while you may not have your holiday treat, you should have that whipped topic back in full supply by February. Just in time for Valentine’s Day.