Philadelphia Cream Cheese was not invented in Philadelphia but was accidentally prepared by a New York Dairyman William Lawrence, while trying to re-create Neufchâtel cheese when he "accidentally added a bit too much cream." He was advised to brand the product "Philadelphia," because the city was correlated to high-quality dairy at that time.

Kraft purchased Philadelphia Cream Cheese in 1928, and the product has monopolized the world of cream cheese ever since. Recipes for "Philadelphia cake" began to be published in various magazines in the early 1990s, advertising a new dessert that called for five-and-a-half packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese to create.

This was the classic cheesecake that we now know and love and it ‘spread’ the product for home cooking and entertaining. Viewed as an absolute necessity in kitchens countrywide, Philadelphia Cream Cheese also became a staple for dips, desserts, sushi, and more.

The Cheese is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. There are some changes in the 2020 version that have helped increase the product's stability and shelf life. Apart from the fact that USDA notes that cream cheese must be at least 33 percent fat, the product is pretty much what it was over a century ago.