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Philadelphia Turns Up the Heat with its First-Ever Sweet Heat Cream Cheese in the United States in Partnership with Mike's Hot Honey®

Business

Philadelphia Turns Up the Heat with its First-Ever Sweet Heat Cream Cheese in the United States in Partnership with Mike's Hot Honey®
Business

Business

Philadelphia Turns Up the Heat with its First-Ever Sweet Heat Cream Cheese in the United States in Partnership with Mike's Hot Honey®

2026-09-15 19:03 Last Updated At:19:30

PITTSBURGH & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 15, 2026--

As temperatures cool off, Philadelphia is turning up the heat on a familiar favorite with the introduction of Philadelphia Mike’s Hot Honey Whipped Cream Cheese. In a collaboration with America's original and leading hot honey brand, the craveable new spread swirls the iconic sweet heat of Mike’s Hot Honey into Philadelphia’s light and fluffy whipped cream cheese, bringing a little kick to everything from bagels and charcuterie boards to pizza. Available exclusively at Walmart now, the new flavor will expand to additional retailers beginning in January 2027.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260915992886/en/

HOT HONEY IS HERE TO STAY

Since Mike’s Hot Honey first hit the food scene in 2010, hot honey has evolved from buzzworthy newcomer to menu mainstay. Philadelphia has been part of that journey from the start, with founder Mike Kurtz using the brand’s cream cheese as a canvas for his creation. More than 15 years later, nearly half of consumers have tried hot honey, led by millennials and Gen Z, and sweet-and-spicy flavors have surged nearly 230% on menus over the past four years.¹ Now, the pairing that helped introduce consumers to hot honey is becoming official.

“Philadelphia has been part of the Mike’s Hot Honey story since the early days,” said Mike Kurtz, founder of Mike’s Hot Honey. “When I was first building the brand, I used to sample our hot honey on bricks of Philadelphia cream cheese to show people just how delicious and versatile the combination could be. To now bring that pairing to life in a partnership with Philadelphia feels like a full-circle moment. Together, we worked closely to get the balance of creamy, sweet heat just right, creating a schmear ready for everything from breakfast sandwiches to pizza — or straight from the tub.”

Featuring Mike’s Hot Honey’s signature blend, the new flavor marks Philadelphia’s first-ever sweet heat cream cheese flavor in the U.S. Made with real milk and cream and no artificial preservatives, flavors or dyes, the result is a smooth, subtly indulgent cream cheese finished with just the right kick.

DOUBLING DOWN ON FLAVOR

The flavor innovation doesn’t stop there. Continuing to evolve its portfolio around changing consumer tastes and flavor preferences, Philadelphia is also introducing two new fall-inspired flavors: Cranberry Orange, a limited-time seasonal spread, and Salted Caramel, a permanent addition to the portfolio. With 85% of consumers saying familiar flavors influence what they eat and drink, 2 both varieties tap into the comfort and familiarity consumers crave while bringing something new to the cream cheese aisle. From baking and spreading to snacking, the new flavors offer an easy way to elevate everything from cinnamon rolls and cookies to salty snacks like pretzels.

“Philadelphia has set the cream cheese standard for over 150 years, and staying at the forefront means continuing to evolve with the way people eat and the flavors they crave,” said Maddy Zingle, Vice President of Marketing at Philadelphia Cream Cheese. “Hot Honey, Cranberry Orange and Salted Caramel are proof points in how we’re accelerating flavor innovation, with 10 new flavors joining our lineup in the last two years. We’re building on our legacy by bringing fresh energy, bold flavors and new possibilities to the cream cheese category.”

Starting today, shoppers can find Philadelphia Mike’s Hot Honey Whipped Cream Cheese exclusively at Walmart, while Philadelphia Cranberry Orange and Salted Caramel Cream Cheese are available at major retailers nationwide. For a limited time, fans located near Pedaler’s Pub in Bentonville, Arkansas and Pizza One in Wayne, New Jersey can visit in-store to try limited-edition edition menu items made with the new Philadelphia Mike’s Hot Honey Whipped Cream Cheese.

To learn more, visit creamcheese.com and follow Philadelphia ( Instagram, TikTok ) and Mike’s Hot Honey ( Instagram, TikTok ) on social media.

ABOUT THE KRAFT HEINZ COMPANY

Kraft Heinz (NYSE: KHC) is one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, with approximately $25 billion in net sales in 2025 and a portfolio of iconic brands enjoyed by consumers in more than 40 countries. By investing in our capabilities and brands, including Heinz, Kraft, Philadelphia, Primal Kitchen, and Lunchables, we are unlocking the full power of our portfolio. We deliver high-quality, great-tasting, and affordable food for the consumers of today, while shaping the future of food. Learn more at www.kraftheinzcompany.com.

ABOUT MIKE’S HOT HONEY

Mike's Hot Honey is America's original and leading brand of hot honey and has been elevating everyday eating experiences since 2010, when its first drizzle on a pizza at Paulie Gee's in Brooklyn sparked a word-of-mouth sensation and created a new category of pizza topping. By popular demand, Mike started selling his small-batch, hand-labeled hot honey bottles to visitors of the pizzeria, as well as other local restaurants and businesses. Today, Mike's Hot Honey can be found in thousands of restaurants and retailers across the country, with the same original recipe in the bottle. Using only 100% pure honey infused with real chili peppers, Mike's Hot Honey's one-two flavor punch of sweetness then heat makes any dish more dynamic, from the original pairing on pepperoni pizza to chicken, cheese and charcuterie, ice cream, cocktails, and so much more. Mike's Hot Honey empowers chefs and eaters everywhere to customize, create, and share extraordinary meals. Happy drizzling! For more information about Mike's Hot Honey, please visit mikeshothoney.com.

 

Philadelphia turns up the heat with new Philadelphia Mike’s Hot Honey Whipped Cream Cheese, combining Philadelphia’s light and fluffy whipped cream cheese with Mike’s Hot Honey’s signature sweet heat.

Philadelphia turns up the heat with new Philadelphia Mike’s Hot Honey Whipped Cream Cheese, combining Philadelphia’s light and fluffy whipped cream cheese with Mike’s Hot Honey’s signature sweet heat.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s Supreme Court is in the throes of an unprecedented crisis. Sessions are being canceled. Justices are overruling one another’s decisions. And suspicions of graft, political bias and police interference loom over several of its members ahead of the country's presidential election in October.

The justices at the heart of the crisis are perceived as being at opposing ends of Brazil’s polarized political spectrum. Next month, incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is expected to face off with Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, son of the former President Jair Bolsonaro, in what is likely to be a close election, as it was four years ago.

The court is set to meet Tuesday to discuss whether one of the justices should be investigated for corruption.

Here’s what to know.

The chaos gripping the court stems from the collapse of Banco Master, a mid-sized bank worth up to $16 billion in assets, which was shut down last November after a sprawling investigation into a fraud scheme involving billions of reais. Several top politicians and members of the judiciary were linked to it.

Justice Andre Mendonca, an appointee of Jair Bolsonaro, was in charge of the case at the Supreme Court.

Banco Master’s former head, Daniel Vorcaro, was arrested earlier this year. Investigations show he had business dealings with several high-ranking politicians, including Sen. Bolsonaro. Additionally, Justice Alexandre de Moraes — a rival of Mendonca — provided legal advice to Vorcaro, and his wife had a 130 million reais ($23 million) contract to provide legal services to Banco Master, according to documents related to the ongoing investigation.

Meanwhile, investigations into Flávio Bolsonaro's relationship with Vorcaro and the banker's $12 million in payments for a movie on his father's life have been much slower. Sen. Bolsonaro has admitted receiving the payments but denied allegations of wrongdoing.

Some members of Brazil's top court have openly accused Mendonca of selectively releasing parts of the sprawling Banco Master case and purposely slow-walking the release of parts of the investigation that relate to Sen. Bolsonaro to coincide with the upcoming elections.

Mendonca denies the accusations of bias.

Multiple Brazilian media outlets have reported that Mendonca wants de Moraes suspended while the court decides whether he should be investigated for graft. De Moraes has filed a request to have Mendonca investigated by the court and potentially impeached by the Senate for investigating him in an unauthorized proceeding.

Brazil’s next president will appoint at least four new Supreme Court justices, who can serve until they are 75 years old. Some Senate candidates allied with Flávio Bolsonaro have promised to push to impeach members of the country's highest court, while Lula allies are considering term limits.

De Moraes is a hero for many Lula supporters for overseeing the case that led to the conviction of Jair Bolsonaro for attempting a coup after his 2022 defeat.

Ahead of the 2022 vote, de Moraes used his double role as a high court judge and head of Brazil’s electoral court to fight disinformation and protect the integrity of the electoral process as the former president cast unfounded doubts on Brazil’s electronic voting system.

According to analysts, de Moraes' demise could embolden the Bolsonaros to once again question results if they lose. Justice Kassio Nunes Marques, a Bolsonaro appointee, currently chairs Brazil's top electoral court.

At a rally of nearly 30,000 people in Sao Paulo for Brazil’s Independence Day on Sept. 7, Sen. Bolsonaro directly linked Lula to de Moraes. “Whoever votes for Lula votes for Alexandre de Moraes,” Sen. Bolsonaro said, vowing to reshape the court if elected.

“Because it’s an extremely polarized campaign, all that is negative for de Moraes is immediately positive for the Bolsonaro family,” said independent political consultant Thomas Traumann, noting that the crisis at the Supreme Court has become a central issue in the presidential campaign.

The court meets on Tuesday when it is expected to discuss whether de Moraes should be investigated.

Chief Justice Luiz Edson Fachin is trying to turn down the political heat and has removed Mendonca from overseeing the Banco Master investigations. Fachin also ordered the unsealing of all documents related to the Banco Master case at the Supreme Court, which were made available on Friday.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, right, speaks with Federal Police Director General Andrei Rodrigues, center, next to Justice Minister Wellington Cesar, far left, during Independence Day celebrations in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, right, speaks with Federal Police Director General Andrei Rodrigues, center, next to Justice Minister Wellington Cesar, far left, during Independence Day celebrations in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro attends a news conference after visiting a Honda motorcycle factory in the Manaus Free Trade Zone during a campaign event in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)

Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro attends a news conference after visiting a Honda motorcycle factory in the Manaus Free Trade Zone during a campaign event in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)

Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro sits on a motorcycle during a visit to a Honda motorcycle factory in the Manaus Free Trade Zone during a campaign event in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)

Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro sits on a motorcycle during a visit to a Honda motorcycle factory in the Manaus Free Trade Zone during a campaign event in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)

A child holds a Brazilian flag during an election campaign march in support of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

A child holds a Brazilian flag during an election campaign march in support of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

The Statue of Justice stands outside the Supreme Court building ahead of a plenary session in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

The Statue of Justice stands outside the Supreme Court building ahead of a plenary session in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

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