(https://thegrio.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/patti-pies7.jpg?w=640)
Not long ago, no one had heard of golden-tongued YouTuber James Wright ?Chanel,? who burst onto the scene last week with a musical review of Patti LaBelle?s sweet potato pie. To say he went viral is an understatement ? to date, the video has been seen more than 1 million times. And ever since that video spread like wildfire, Walmart ? which developed the pie with LaBelle and sells it exclusively ? has been struggling to keep up with demand. Everyone wants a slice of Ms. LaBelle?s silky, autumnal pie.
A Walmart in Valley Stream, N.Y., which still shows online that they have the pies in stock, is actually sold out. ?Since Saturday,? a salesperson said. ?The warehouse is also sold out. You can thank Mr. James for that."
Halfway across the country, a Walmart store clerk in Kalamazoo, Mich., told Yahoo Food that the pies are selling so fast that she doesn?t have time to put dates and prices on them; she just hands them to waiting customers. According to the clerk, the store sold 120 cases of the sweet potato pie on Sunday ? a sharp uptick since Wright posted his video. Apparently the pies were "not selling? before the clip went viral. ?Check back Wednesday or Thursday,? the clerk suggested, adding with a note of caution, ?call before you come.?
Walmart representative John Forrest Ales confirmed to Yahoo Food that the sweet potato pies are selling like hot cakes (er, pies) at locations across the country. ?For 72 hours, we were selling one per second,? he told us. Ales wouldn?t go into specifics about sales figures, but at $3.48 a pie, that works out to just under $1 million in sales over the weekend. The pie?s product page is currently the most-visited food site on Walmart.com, Ales said. (For a bit of context, Walmart might sell two pumpkin pies every second in the month of November. But still, $1 million in sweet potato pie sales is a lot of pie.)
Walmart was caught off-guard by the frenzy, Ales said.
?Friday morning, the team was working with the [sweet potato pie] supplier to see how we can keep up with the demand,? Ales said. ?The supplier? was having a hard time finding [enough] sweet potatoes. So we walked down the hall to the produce department [and said,] ?We need about 2 million pounds of California sweet potatoes!? So that?s what we?ve been working through.?
Ales added that Walmart is working hard to replenish stocks at sold-out locations. ?We?re really sorry about that,? he said. ?We?re looking at where stores are out and how we can quickly move pies to that area.?
Meanwhile, Patti LaBelle has already chatted personally with Wright. The YouTuber recounted the telephone call to BET over the weekend: ?She kept thanking me and she kept telling me how much she loved me. She kept telling me to be me,? Wright said. ?She was like ?Boy, you can sang!??
Walmart followed suit, welcoming Wright to one of their stores over the weekend. Ales wouldn?t comment on whether or not the chain might consider using the viral video star in a commercial, saying only, ?We definitely are thanking him ? We love customers? feedback. And such entertaining feedback is always fun.?
:ohwow:
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they need to give that man a check!
not 1 million in a weekend
bitch i want a slice too! :(
I'm pissed
I went and they were sold OUT
I seriously went hunting for it at Walmarts that had it "In Stock". Came away empty-handed. He really got those pies moving! When he took that second bite before speaking...he had me.
What kinda hot shot debut
I hope he gets on. Superbowl commercial or something. :ohwow:
Yeah that guy needs some money for this
has anyone here tried it?
can we make a smiley from this pic btw?
(https://thegrio.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/patti-pies7.jpg)
ddddddddddddddddddddd
Quote from: tigernathan on November 16, 2015, 08:53:07 PM
they need to give that man a check!
not 1 million in a weekend
!!!
He needs something
No one was even thinking about those dusty pies before he came along
Yea...its cute but has a weird twang to it
(https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xfp1/l/t51.2885-15/e15/12224318_544856692330768_2114099205_n.jpg)
not the warehouse
Quote from: mauza on November 16, 2015, 09:15:20 PM
can we make a smiley from this pic btw?
(https://thegrio.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/patti-pies7.jpg)
Sbsbdbdbdbdbdbdbdbdbbddbbd
I can see many food brands reevaluating their marketing strategies after this.
Quote from: BigDawg on November 16, 2015, 09:16:02 PM
Yea...its cute but has a weird twang to it
I imagine that it's very buttery for some reason.
Walmart isn't known for sharing the wealth. He'll be lucky if they even give him a gift certificate
gor change ur got damns mutha fckin name
Quote from: Plank on November 16, 2015, 09:22:21 PM
gor change ur got damns mutha fckin name
v
dad, don't leave me
Quote from: tigernathan on November 16, 2015, 08:51:05 PM
(https://thegrio.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/patti-pies7.jpg?w=640)
m,
Omg
Quote from: Marilyn on November 16, 2015, 09:16:21 PM
(https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xfp1/l/t51.2885-15/e15/12224318_544856692330768_2114099205_n.jpg)
not the warehouse
DK:LSKD:LDKS
DL"S
:D
":SLDD
""DS
IM CRYING @ the lady in the back looking like " :everythingok: "
n
Bitch I gotta get me one of those damn pies now
lllllllllllllllllp
Quote from: tigernathan on November 16, 2015, 09:14:32 PM
has anyone here tried it?
It's pretty good to be a $3 boxed pie. I'd recommend putting it in the oven for a few minutes.
Nothin on mom's pie, though. :nowgorl:
Let me tell my gf to save me a piece
Wait Queen.
:ohwow:
vvvcc
Come on Patt'
Dsssssss
I had some, it's a normal sweet potatoe pie
Quote from: SUPREME on November 17, 2015, 09:41:55 AM
Dsssssss
I had some, it's a normal sweet potatoe pie
jo9hi08gu79fy68cdt7x5srz46
bae is not phased by u gorls' theatrics :supluv:
Nnn get money. I hope the singer gets something out of it too... Maybe he can come in your with Pattie or record a TV ad
Quote from: Young on November 16, 2015, 09:09:04 PM
I'm pissed
I went and they were sold OUT
:everythingok:
and they have walmarts in hawaii
waitt
i've never had sweet potato pies before...are they vegan?
just pie crust and sweet potatoes and sugar right?
Quote from: Stewie on November 17, 2015, 09:59:10 AM
waitt
i've never had sweet potato pies before...are they vegan?
just pie crust and sweet potatoes and sugar right?
vv
Did you convert for good? :wellheythere:
Quote from: squid on November 17, 2015, 10:01:13 AM
Quote from: Stewie on November 17, 2015, 09:59:10 AM
waitt
i've never had sweet potato pies before...are they vegan?
just pie crust and sweet potatoes and sugar right?
vv
Did you convert for good? :wellheythere:
no because i believe milk and eggs are involved .. i think
i went to two walmarts and cant find them yet :/ imma go look again today
i dont think my walmart ever had it ssssssssssss
Quote from: asdfghjkl on November 17, 2015, 10:06:43 AM
i dont think my walmart ever had it ssssssssssss
thats what i thought too but my walmart says "IN STOCK" online ki
Quote from: squid on November 17, 2015, 10:01:13 AM
Quote from: Stewie on November 17, 2015, 09:59:10 AM
waitt
i've never had sweet potato pies before...are they vegan?
just pie crust and sweet potatoes and sugar right?
vv
Did you convert for good? :wellheythere:
dsfds trying (http://uploadir.com/u/mitj8fmt)
im still eating seafood...but i plan on making the full transition slowly
Quote from: Nicholas_Styles on November 17, 2015, 10:05:55 AM
i went to two walmarts and cant find them yet :/ imma go look again today
hjhkhh i cant picture you eating sweat potato pies.
you seem so......caucasian :young:
Quote from: Stewie on November 17, 2015, 10:44:28 AM
Quote from: Nicholas_Styles on November 17, 2015, 10:05:55 AM
i went to two walmarts and cant find them yet :/ imma go look again today
hjhkhh i cant picture you eating sweat potato pies.
you seem so......caucasian :young:
LOL i like sweet potato pie hun i am from the south luv
Ok, Now..my black community is doing the most over this sweet diabetes potato pie. It was good but damn is she trying to kill us. It was too sweat.
Quote from: Nicholas_Styles on November 17, 2015, 10:51:10 AM
Quote from: Stewie on November 17, 2015, 10:44:28 AM
Quote from: Nicholas_Styles on November 17, 2015, 10:05:55 AM
i went to two walmarts and cant find them yet :/ imma go look again today
hjhkhh i cant picture you eating sweat potato pies.
you seem so......caucasian :young:
LOL i like sweet potato pie hun i am from the south luv
Hi Nich', how are you luv?
Quote from: Mista 19.9k on November 17, 2015, 04:09:43 PM
Quote from: Nicholas_Styles on November 17, 2015, 10:51:10 AM
Quote from: Stewie on November 17, 2015, 10:44:28 AM
Quote from: Nicholas_Styles on November 17, 2015, 10:05:55 AM
i went to two walmarts and cant find them yet :/ imma go look again today
hjhkhh i cant picture you eating sweat potato pies.
you seem so......caucasian :young:
LOL i like sweet potato pie hun i am from the south luv
Hi Nich', how are you luv?
I am good and yourself??
This damn video makes wanna buy a damn Best of Patti CD, I don't be knowing none of the hits he chanting, but they sound iconic dddd
Not asking if a $3 pie from Walmart is vegan
Quote from: Herbie on November 17, 2015, 04:18:29 PM
Not asking if a $3 pie from Walmart is vegan
dsafjhasd
i was asking about sweet potatoe pies in general
i just pictured mashed potatoes and sugar in a crust..
i guess not
Quote from: Mack on November 17, 2015, 04:14:20 PM
This damn video makes wanna buy a damn Best of Patti CD, I don't be knowing none of the hits he chanting, but they sound iconic dddd
They are. :ohwow:
:diddraispoot: are we sure Pats made this pie or they using her name cause it taste like regular Walmart pie. ... Which taste like ass BTW.... I kinda want a refund a Lil bit :uhh:
jkhjhjhjhjhjkjkj who buys fucking pastries at walmart
disgusting
Quote from: Mista 19.9k on November 17, 2015, 04:09:04 PM
Ok, Now..my black community is doing the most over this sweet diabetes potato pie. It was good but damn is she trying to kill us. It was too sweat.
Fff
There were white people in line with it as well bby :plzstop:
Quote from: G L O C K on November 17, 2015, 08:23:15 PM
Quote from: Mista 19.9k on November 17, 2015, 04:09:04 PM
Ok, Now..my black community is doing the most over this sweet diabetes potato pie. It was good but damn is she trying to kill us. It was too sweat.
Fff
There were white people in line with it as well bby :plzstop:
I'm talking about majority lol. You know sweet potatos is a urban thing
True
But yeah
These pies are good .. They aren't bad at all
They aren't, just very sweet. My mom thought she was going to get away with making her sweet potato pies with this Pat mess. I've taste better, no shade, but it's good for a good fix-me-up and those who can't make them.
yea its probably best for those that dont care to make it themselves, but my fam >>>
I'll be eating theirs instead lolz
Quote from: RIG on November 17, 2015, 08:38:39 PM
yea its probably best for those that dont care to make it themselves, but my fam >>>
I'll be eating theirs instead lolz
!!!!
:plzstop:
Shit taste home made