The Great Pumpkin filling shortage

[jpinmaryland]

I am a bit confused. I went into Shoppers yesterday looking for pumpkin pie filling and the guy tells me that they havent had a supply since last christmas although they might get some any day now for the fall. I went to Safeway and the guy tells me the same story there was a problem at the processing plant and they had to throw the whole batch out, this was back last year but it might be here soon as the holidays are coming.

Today I went to the other Safeway in Rockville and lo and behold there are two different brands (Libby's and organic) on the store shelves.

Does anyone know what is going on? I suspect something like this happened, because the stories jive with one another, but for nine months we've been w/o pumpkin pie?

 

[Andy M.]

I recall a story from last holiday season that there was going to be a shortage. I don't remember the reason. It wan't an issue for us.

 

[mollyanne]

jpinmaryland...i admire your fortitude to bake pumpkin pies when it's not Thanksgiving . I love them too but fall into the stuck-in-tradition-hole of ignoring them until the holidays...someone, please snap me out of this mindset

Yes, I too remember the warning last Christmas that there would be a pumpkin shortage this year...i smell a marketing rat. I wonder how many stocked up at that time

.

 

[Barbara L]

I tried to buy canned pumpkin a couple months ago and was told that there had been a problem in the fields, so none of the stores were getting any in. Canned sweet potatoes worked fine for my purposes, so I bought them instead.

Barbara

 

[Andy M.]

Barbara L is right on. Either sweet potatoes or butternut squash would be great subs for pumpkin in a pie.

 

[GrillingFool]

I dunno, Costco has lots of pumpkin pies all year long... hmmmmmm....

 

[jpinmaryland]

good idea. Do they sell butternut squash in cans? for pies?

We didnt really notice the shortage for a long time because I had several cans stocked up (my daughter likes to bake pumpkin) and when those ran out someone gave me another one a couple months ago. So my daughter and I baked another pumpkin pie with creme cheese back in July and we had no idea.

We have been baking breads: banana, zuccchini, and carrot cake mostly and she said she wanted to do something different. But I found a can today so...

Very strange.

 

[Sprout]

There sure seem to be plenty of fresh pumpkins around!

 

[jpinmaryland]

here is one story:

{link removed}

i love this quote: "Butternut squash has a taste similar to sweet potatoes."

Yes, not to mention that stuff in your can of PUMPKIN PIE FILLING.

some comments from around the country here:

Canned Pumpkin Shortage of 2010

more in depth explanation here:

Pumpkin Shortage May Plague Pie Season - Holidays News - Holidash

 

[Andy M.]

I've seen both canned squash and sweet potatoes. Of course, you can use fresh as well.

BTW, I woud buy either Libby's or the One Pie brand. They're the same thing - 100% pumpkin. However, I prefer the recipe on the One Pie can over the Libby's recipe.

 

[bakechef]

I work in a grocery store and we ran out last year and haven't had any since, this was the Libby's brand. We got in a shipment of Stokley's (a brand we usually don't carry) and that got us through thanksgiving. We still don't have any in the store.

I was in Aldi last week and they had some, just one case left and I snatched it up, went to another Aldi and got another case (I make and sell a 100 or so pumpkin breads every thanksgiving). It seems that Aldi gets in one shipment of pumpkin a year and when it is gone, it's gone. They also had a great price of 89 cents a can., and it is 100% pumpkin, just like the Libby's.

So I have the pumpkin I need to get through the holidays, hopefully! I have people wanting to put in the orders already.

 

[bakechef]

I've seen both canned squash and sweet potatoes. Of course, you can use fresh as well.

BTW, I woud buy either Libby's or the One Pie brand. They're the same thing - 100% pumpkin. However, I prefer the recipe on the One Pie can over the Libby's recipe.

We don't get One Pie here. When I lived in Maine, that is what my mom used. She always used the recipe on the can, and it was great. Sometimes she would replace the canned milk with heavy cream or half and half and it was even better!

I don't even think we saw any other brand on the shelves until the 90's when libby's showed up.

 

[DaveSoMD]

Here is the story. I couldn't find the one I read last fall but this pretty much tells the whole story.

Amid pumpkin shortage, growers hope for a dryer summer

 

[mollyanne]

...I prefer the recipe on the One Pie can over the Libby's recipe.

Why? (just curious...i love the Libby's recipe but never tried any others)

 

[4meandthem]

here is one story:

{link removed}

i love this quote: "Butternut squash has a taste similar to sweet potatoes."

Yes, not to mention that stuff in your can of PUMPKIN PIE FILLING.

some comments from around the country here:

Canned Pumpkin Shortage of 2010

more in depth explanation here:

Pumpkin Shortage May Plague Pie Season - Holidays News - Holidash

I don't know about anyone else but the pumpkin bars on your link are def a keeper.

Canned Pumpkin Shortage of 2010

If you can find the pumpkin of course!

 

[Navymommy]

Thanks for the heads up. I just checked one of my supermarket's online shopping website and they have it. I will stock up!

 

[n2cookin]

We just went to the Nashville, TN Farmer's Market today and there was no shortage of pumpkins in all shapes, sizes and colors. If there is a shortage of pie filling this holiday season it will definately be "suspect" and probably price increases to up their profits during out slow economy.

 

[bakechef]

We just went to the Nashville, TN Farmer's Market today and there was no shortage of pumpkins in all shapes, sizes and colors. If there is a shortage of pie filling this holiday season it will definately be "suspect" and probably price increases to up their profits during out slow economy.

The "pumpkins" used for canned pumpkin don't resemble jack o lantern or even sugar pumpkins sold as "pie pumpkins" they are a totally different breed, likely a hybrid bred to produce a high ratio of flesh to seed and skin.

Since these pumpkins are only harvested once a year, the issues from last year will affect supplies this year since there are no stockpiles and they are trying to play catch up.

 

[joesfolk]

If I find out that this is all hype from the marketing types I'm going to learn to love mincemeat.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I always buy more than I will ever use...I have plenty! Love that pumpkin pie!