Sweet potato pies go hot off Walmart shelves

Sweet potato pies sold under rhythm-and-blues icon Patti LaBelle’s name and likeness at Wal-Mart Stores are a scarcity after a video (warning: video contains a few profanity) extolling their deliciousness went viral. Now both he and the pie have become sensations. But this year a revamped recipe and partnership with LaBelle – who called Wright after hearing about the video – showed enough promise that the company ordered twice as many pies as last year.

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.

LaBelle has a cookbook and is famed for dishes like macaroni and cheese, but for the first three days after Chanel posted his review literally singing the praises of Patti’s $3.48 pie Walmart says it sold a pie per second.

With the pies coming up rare, consumers are using eBay to get their fix and/or feed their curiosity.

“You know Patti has a little distinctive voice”, he said. LaBelle reached out to Wright to thank him for his video. He told FOX 32 News Grammy-Award winning singer called him Friday morning to say “thank you” for his sweet review! “She kept telling me to be me”, Wright told Yahoo Food. He talked about LaBell’s greatness, sang snippets of her songs, urged shoppers to support black-owned businesses, and never let dead air take over any of the action.

Prior to the video, sweet potato pie hadn’t been a top seller for the retailer.