No Shortage On Popular Pumpkin Filling in Minnesota…Yet
We're a little over a week until Thanksgiving 2019 and, so far, this incredibly popular pumpkin filling is still available here in Minnesota... so far.
I'll admit that I'm not much of a baker, so I really didn't know much about this way-popular pumpkin filling-- and how it sometimes is in such demand that you can't even find it. (Of course, I probably wouldn't notice the difference in a pumpkin pie made with this magical filling compared to a pie made with another brand of filling, either so take that for what it's worth.)
The magical filling I'm talking about is the Festal brand Golden Pie Pumpkin filling, and according to this Minnesota Public Radio story, there's a HUGE demand for it. So much so, the story says, that people are willing to pay big bucks for it online.
The story notes the magical filling was known for making the perfect pumpkin pie. What set it apart from other pumpkin pie filling is somewhat of a mystery, though. But I know this: Festal's Golden Pie Pumpkin filling was made right here in southeast Minnesota, originally at the Owatonna Canning Company. It was sold in the 90's and gradually became tougher to find across the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Which lead some Minnesotans to buy it by the case and then resell it online-- for a lot more money! Sure enough, a quick check of eBay shows you can buy a case of 8 cans of Festal brand's Golden Pie Pumpkin filling for $40 or a case of 6 for the much-cheaper $30. (If my math's correct, that's still $5 a can, right?)
The good news, though, is that the real deal is apparently still available. At least it appears to be the same, genuine Festal Golden Pie Pumpkin filling. I stopped at HyVee Barlow Plaza in Rochester last week and found several cases of said Festal brand Golden Pie Pumpkin filling selling for around $1.50 a can. (Full disclosure, though: I haven't been there yet this week to know if they're still available. And, darn it, I didn't buy any when I had the chance, either!)
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