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Does anything say Easter in Philadelphia more than the coconutty, buttercream center of a chocolate coated Butter Krak Egg? Or the smooth center of a Zitner’s Peanut Butter Egg? Or, you know, whatever center filling you like best in your Zitner’s candy?
Unfortunately, this year Philadelphians will have to go without their favorite local confection. Zitner’s is nowhere on shelves.
Delco resident Carl Stieger tipped Billy Penn off on the “very dire situation” the city finds itself in — noting that there were no Zitner’s products at his local Giant, Acme and Wawa.
“With Easter only a month away, this is very concerning to me!” Stieger wrote. “I do not want to start a panic, but I live in Delco and I really am concerned about what may transpire if people are unable to get their yearly dose of Butter Krak!”
Realizing the stakes were indeed high, Billy Penn got on the case.
We too went around to different stores — Acme, Giant, Wawa and Target. While the Easter candy displays were already on shelves, stocked with Cadbury Eggs, Peeps and chocolate bunnies, there were no Butter Krak, Double Coconut or Peanut Butter Eggs in sight.
“I don’t think I’ve seen them yet, which is strange,” Chris, a helpful Giant employee, noted. “We usually have them by now.”
Although Acme’s customer service said the chocolates would be out on display on Thursday, come March 5 Zitner’s chocolates were still not on shelves.
The situation didn’t appear to be any better on the Zitner’s website. Each product listed had the words “out of stock” written underneath. The last time Zitner’s posted to its Instagram and Facebook accounts was last April, and when we reached out to the “[email protected]” listed on their website, the email bounced back as “couldn’t be delivered.”
We were beginning to get worried.
Zitner’s isn’t the only beloved Pennsylvanian chocolatier having issues this year. Recently, there have been reports of Hershey’s Easter products getting the short end of the stick.
“According to a government database last updated in late 2023, Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs used to contain more peanuts and milk chocolate than anything else,” The New York Times’ Claire Brown wrote in February. “On Thursday, a nine-ounce bag of foil-covered eggs listed sugar and vegetable oil first, and no milk chocolate.”
Brad Reese, the grandson of the inventor of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, told Brown that he threw his Reese’s Valentine’s chocolates “in the garbage,” because they were so bad.
“That’s the first time in my life I’ve ever thrown a product of Reese’s out without consuming it,” he said.
Last October, WHYY reported inflated chocolate candy prices due to a cocoa bean shortage caused by climate change and labor shortages. Could this same cocoa-flation that’s plaguing Hershey’s, be what’s going on with Zitner’s?
Finally after a few days, Billy Penn got in touch with Evan Prochniak, CEO and President of Zitner’s Candy, who provided us with some answers.
“No, that is not a problem,” Prochniak said of the cocoa shortage. “That is not a problem at all for us.”
According to Prochniak, the longevity of the Zitner’s company was not in any trouble.
“Zitner’s is a brand that will go on because people want it,” he said. “The company’s over 100 years old, and I’ve only been involved for 15 years. It’s definitely something that is important enough to survive just about anything.”
So what gives, then? Why aren’t Zitner’s Easter products on shelves yet? While Prochniak couldn’t give BP the details, he noted that there was a temporary production issue and the company will be providing a public statement in the next few weeks with more information.
Sadly, the problem will not be resolved in time for Easter.
“I’ve tried my hardest not to be here,” Prochniak said. “But just, you know — timing, timing, timing.”
Prochniak said he understands what a loss this means for locals looking forward to their favorite annual treat. His favorite, he said, is the classic Butter Krak, calling it “something else.”
“It’s a gourmet candy,” he said. “It’s really old fashioned… I have handwritten recipes going back into the ‘50s, and I’ve even seen some as far back as ‘38 — handwritten stuff that I’ve inherited when I bought the company. The ingredients haven’t changed… If you think about it, there’s really not another product like it on the market.”
Prochniak said that Zitner’s is aiming to begin pretzel production again soon and have holiday candies ready for next Christmas.
“Hang tight,” he said. “I’m working hard to get them — to make sure that they can get it in the future.”