Despite its name, this widely popular cheese had its origins in New York State.
The Origin of Cream Cheese
The story began in 1872 in Chester NY, a small town northwest of New York City. A dairy farmer named William A. Lawrence was trying to make Neufchâtel, a French soft cheese, and accidentally added extra cream, creating a creamier cheese which he quite sensibly called “cream cheese.” He started marketing this product and the name "Philadelphia Cream Cheese" was adopted as a marketing move because the city of Philadelphia was, at the time, known for excellent dairy products. The cheese has become popular worldwide although it does not and never did have an association with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Philadelphia Cream Cheese brand has been owned by Kraft since 1928. The cheese continues to be made in New York State as well as other locations in the US and other countries.
