Patti LaBelle's Sweet Potato Pie Sells Out At Several SoCal Stores After Viral Online Review
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — One man's hilarious review of Patti LaBelle's sweet potato pie has caused a tremendous surge in sales of the baked good, even resulting in the pie being sold out at locations across the Southland.
James Wright first posted the online review of the pie on his Facebook page last week.
Since being posted, it's been viewed more than 3 million times and has gone viral.
Not only have Wal-Mart stores sold out, their warehouses are empty as well.
Kerry Robinson, the vice president of Wal-Mart's bakery and deli, told one publication that it would take 2 million pounds of sweet potatoes to make enough pies to get them back on store shelves.
Prior to the video, the pies hadn't been a big seller.
LaBelle herself called Wright to thank him for making them such a big hit.
Calls placed by CBSLA.com to Wal-Mart stores in Baldwin Hills, in Los Angeles on Cesar Chavez Boulevard, Panorama City, and Rosemead indicated that the pies had in fact sold out.
It was not immediately clear when the pies would be made available, although at least one store employee said she'd received many calls inquiring about the pies.
The pie costs $3.48.