Girl Scout cookie
Encyclopedia
Girl Scout cookies are cookie
s sold by Girl Scouts of the USA
(GSUSA) as one of its major fundraiser
s for local Scout units. Members of the GSUSA have been selling cookies since 1917 to raise funds. Girls who participate can earn prizes for their efforts. There are also unit incentives if the unit as a whole does well. As of 2007, sales were estimated at about 200 million boxes per year.
in December 1917. In 1922, the Girl Scout magazine The American Girl suggested cookie sales as a fund-raiser and provided recipes. In 1933, Girl Scouts in Philadelphia organized the first official sale, selling homemade cookies at the windows of local utility companies. The first Girl Scout cookie recipe was a sugar cookie. In 1936 the national organization began licensing commercial bakers to produce cookies.
During World War II
the Girl Scouts sold calendars in addition to cookies, because of shortages of flour, sugar, and butter. In 1942 there were 48 cookies per box, available in either vanilla or chocolate. Customers were limited to two boxes during some war years. By 1943 Girl Scouts also collected fat in cans with Girl Scout labels to aid the war effort and sold War Bonds at no profit.
Girl Scouts sell cookies to relatives, friends, neighbors, and others in their town or city. In recent years, because of safety concerns, an increased emphasis has been placed on cookie booths, where girls sell from tables in public areas under the supervision of adult troop leaders, rather than door-to-door. Many councils offer the option for customers to sponsor boxes of cookies to be sent to U.S. servicemen and women. In 2007, an official website was launched, with information on purchasing Girl Scout cookies.
As an incentive to sell, Girl Scouts are sometimes offered prizes, such as stuffed animal
s, trinkets, coupons, credits toward Girl Scout camp, activities, or uniforms. These incentives vary from Girl Scout council to council. The accumulation of prizes is usually cumulative, so that a girl who has won the prize for selling 100 boxes of cookies will also get the 75-box prize, the 50-box prize, the 25-box prize and the 20-box prize. In some councils, girls may choose to earn more money for their troop instead of prizes, if they are working toward a troop goal such as a trip or other expensive activity. This type of fund raising is intended to teach Girl Scouts valuable skills in planning, teamwork, finance, organization, communication, and goal setting.
Traditionally each regional Girl Scout council set the prices for cookies sold in that council. A 2006 article in the Boston Globe noted that price "is hardly ever a factor, until buyers find out that the same box of cookies is selling for less in the next town over." The Globe found that a box of Thin Mints sold for $3.50 in Rockland
and $4.00 in neighboring Norwell
.
As part of the change in organizational structure in August 2006, this variation was ended, and all troops now sell cookies at the same time, in the early months of each year, and at the same price, $3.50 per box.
In 2009 the number of Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Tagalongs in each box was reduced and Lemon Chalet Cremes became smaller because of the increasing costs of ingredients and transportation.
In February 2011, police shut down a Girl Scouts cookie stand that was operating without a permit in Villa Rica, Georgia
. Both the mayor and police chief stated the officer did nothing wrong, however the city provided the troop with a pizza party to make up for the confusion.
Revenues at all levels are used to pay for events and activities for the Girl Scouts, maintenance of the councils' Girl Scout camps and other properties, cookie sale incentives, and Council administrative costs.
In 2008, 15-year-old Jennifer Sharpe from Dearborn, Michigan
sold 17,328 boxes of cookies, a record for her troop and possibly an all-time record.
. ABC Bakers has been licensed to produce Girl Scout cookies since 1936.
The national Girl Scout organization reviews and approves all varieties proposed by the baking companies, but requires only three types: Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwiches (ABC)/Do-Si-Dos (LBB) and Shortbreads (ABC)/Trefoils (LBB). The other kinds can be changed every year, though several popular favorites, such as Caramel DeLites (ABC)/Samoas (LBB) and Peanut Butter Patties (ABC)/Tagalongs (LBB), are consistently available.
Girl Scout cookie varieties include:
In 2007, following reformulation of the recipes for a number of varieties, Girl Scouts of the USA announced that all their cookies had zero trans fat per serving.
Cookie
In the United States and Canada, a cookie is a small, flat, baked treat, usually containing fat, flour, eggs and sugar. In most English-speaking countries outside North America, the most common word for this is biscuit; in many regions both terms are used, while in others the two words have...
s sold by Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
(GSUSA) as one of its major fundraiser
Fundraiser
A fundraiser is an event or campaign whose primary purpose is to raise money for a cause. See also: fundraising. A fundraiser can also be an individual or company whose primary job is to raise money for a specific charity or non-profit organization...
s for local Scout units. Members of the GSUSA have been selling cookies since 1917 to raise funds. Girls who participate can earn prizes for their efforts. There are also unit incentives if the unit as a whole does well. As of 2007, sales were estimated at about 200 million boxes per year.
History
The first cookie sales by an individual Scout unit was by the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, OklahomaMuskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
in December 1917. In 1922, the Girl Scout magazine The American Girl suggested cookie sales as a fund-raiser and provided recipes. In 1933, Girl Scouts in Philadelphia organized the first official sale, selling homemade cookies at the windows of local utility companies. The first Girl Scout cookie recipe was a sugar cookie. In 1936 the national organization began licensing commercial bakers to produce cookies.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Girl Scouts sold calendars in addition to cookies, because of shortages of flour, sugar, and butter. In 1942 there were 48 cookies per box, available in either vanilla or chocolate. Customers were limited to two boxes during some war years. By 1943 Girl Scouts also collected fat in cans with Girl Scout labels to aid the war effort and sold War Bonds at no profit.
Sales
Each Girl Scout regional council decides which licensed baking company to use for cookie sales in that council, thus determining which varieties are available in the area covered by the council.Girl Scouts sell cookies to relatives, friends, neighbors, and others in their town or city. In recent years, because of safety concerns, an increased emphasis has been placed on cookie booths, where girls sell from tables in public areas under the supervision of adult troop leaders, rather than door-to-door. Many councils offer the option for customers to sponsor boxes of cookies to be sent to U.S. servicemen and women. In 2007, an official website was launched, with information on purchasing Girl Scout cookies.
As an incentive to sell, Girl Scouts are sometimes offered prizes, such as stuffed animal
Stuffed animal
A stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw, beans, plastic pellets, cotton, synthetic fibres, or other similar materials. Stuffed toys are also known as plush toys A stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw,...
s, trinkets, coupons, credits toward Girl Scout camp, activities, or uniforms. These incentives vary from Girl Scout council to council. The accumulation of prizes is usually cumulative, so that a girl who has won the prize for selling 100 boxes of cookies will also get the 75-box prize, the 50-box prize, the 25-box prize and the 20-box prize. In some councils, girls may choose to earn more money for their troop instead of prizes, if they are working toward a troop goal such as a trip or other expensive activity. This type of fund raising is intended to teach Girl Scouts valuable skills in planning, teamwork, finance, organization, communication, and goal setting.
Traditionally each regional Girl Scout council set the prices for cookies sold in that council. A 2006 article in the Boston Globe noted that price "is hardly ever a factor, until buyers find out that the same box of cookies is selling for less in the next town over." The Globe found that a box of Thin Mints sold for $3.50 in Rockland
Rockland, Massachusetts
Rockland is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The 2010 census records its population at 17,489. As of December 31, 2009, there are 11,809 registered voters in the community.-History:...
and $4.00 in neighboring Norwell
Norwell, Massachusetts
Norwell is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population is currently 10,506 at the 2010 Census.Norwell was first settled in 1634 as a part of the settlement of Satuit , which encompasses present day Scituate and Norwell. It was officially created, in 1849 and soon became...
.
As part of the change in organizational structure in August 2006, this variation was ended, and all troops now sell cookies at the same time, in the early months of each year, and at the same price, $3.50 per box.
In 2009 the number of Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Tagalongs in each box was reduced and Lemon Chalet Cremes became smaller because of the increasing costs of ingredients and transportation.
In February 2011, police shut down a Girl Scouts cookie stand that was operating without a permit in Villa Rica, Georgia
Villa Rica, Georgia
Villa Rica is a city in Carroll and Douglas Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 4,134 at the 2000 census. By the 2010 census, the population had grown to 13,956. The estimated growth was around 211.34%...
. Both the mayor and police chief stated the officer did nothing wrong, however the city provided the troop with a pizza party to make up for the confusion.
Profits
Each Girl Scout council operates its own cookie sale. Approximately 70% of the proceeds stay in the local Girl Scout council to support Girl Scouting in that area, including a portion that goes directly to the group selling the cookies. The profits are divided by a formula, with local troops receiving about 10-15% of the retail price, the council more than 50%, and the manufacturer the remainder. In 1992 Girl Scouts sold 175 million boxes of cookies nationwide.Revenues at all levels are used to pay for events and activities for the Girl Scouts, maintenance of the councils' Girl Scout camps and other properties, cookie sale incentives, and Council administrative costs.
In 2008, 15-year-old Jennifer Sharpe from Dearborn, Michigan
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
sold 17,328 boxes of cookies, a record for her troop and possibly an all-time record.
Production
Girl Scout cookies are made by large national commercial bakeries under license from Girl Scouts of the USA. The bakers licensed by the organization may change from year to year, though this is not common. In 2008 the licensed companies were Little Brownie Bakers (LBB), a subsidiary of Keebler, which is owned by Kellogg's, and ABC Bakers, a subsidiary of Interbake Foods LLC, which is owned by George Weston LimitedGeorge Weston Limited
George Weston Limited , often referred to as Weston or Weston's, is Canada's largest food processing and distribution company. Founded by George Weston in 1882, the company today consists of Weston Foods, a wholly owned subsidiary, and Loblaw Companies Limited, the country's largest supermarket...
. ABC Bakers has been licensed to produce Girl Scout cookies since 1936.
Varieties
Up to 28 varieties of Girl Scout cookies are offered. The same cookies may be sold under different names by different bakeries, with the choice of bakery determining the name. There has been no move to standardize names. The merger of many councils (from 312 to 109) following the August 2006 reorganization resulted in many councils changing bakery, thus causing some confusion at that time.The national Girl Scout organization reviews and approves all varieties proposed by the baking companies, but requires only three types: Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwiches (ABC)/Do-Si-Dos (LBB) and Shortbreads (ABC)/Trefoils (LBB). The other kinds can be changed every year, though several popular favorites, such as Caramel DeLites (ABC)/Samoas (LBB) and Peanut Butter Patties (ABC)/Tagalongs (LBB), are consistently available.
Girl Scout cookie varieties include:
- Thin Mints (green box): Thin, mint-flavored chocolate wafers dipped in a chocolate coating.
- Peanut Butter Sandwiches/Do-si-dos/Savannahs (orange box): Peanut butter filling sandwiched between crunchy oatmeal cookies.
- Peanut Butter Patties/Tagalongs (red box): Crispy vanilla cookies layered with peanut butter and covered with a chocolate coating.
- Shortbreads/Trefoils (blue box, previously yellow): A traditional shortbread cookie made in the shape of the Girl Scout trefoil insignia.
- Caramel deLites/Samoas (purple box): Vanilla cookies coated in caramel, sprinkled with toasted coconut and laced with chocolate stripes. The name "Samoas" is presumably an allusion to the tropical island of SamoaSamoaSamoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, derived from the tropical ingredients of coconutCoconutThe coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
and cocoaCocoa solidsCocoa solids are the low-fat component of chocolate. When sold as an end product, it may also be called cocoa powder, cocoa, and cacao....
. - Lemonades (yellow box): Round shortbread cookie with lemon icing.
- Lemon Chalet Cremes (yellow box): Cinnamon sandwich cookies with lemon creme filling. Previously rectangular, they were changed to round cookies in 2010.
- Shout Outs! (pink box): Belgian-style caramelized cookies.
- Dulce De Leche (turquoise box): Latin caramel cookies with caramel chips. The earlier versions had a caramel topping, which was later removed because of the high amount of trans fat.
- Thank U Berry Munch (cranberry-colored box): Cranberries and white fudge chunks. Discontinued in most markets for 2011, but still available in NYC suburbs.
Discontinued
- Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips (brown box); Small sugar- free cookies. Discontinued in 2011.
- Cinna-spins: Cinnamon-flavored cookies shaped like miniature cinnamon rolls that come in 100-calorie packs. Retired and replaced by Daisy Go Rounds.
- Daisy Go Rounds (light green box): Cinnamon-flavored cookies shaped like daisies. Replaced Cinna-spins for the 2009 sale. Advertised as low fat, they also come in 100 calorie packs. Retired and replaced with Shout Outs! in 2011.
- All Abouts/Animal Treasures/Thanks-A-Lot (pink box): Shortbread cookies dipped in fudge and topped with an embossed thank-you message in one of five languages: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Swahili. ABC Bakers still makes the Thanks-A-Lots (turquoise box). The retired All About cookies were shortbread topped with chocolate fudge embossed with a phrase such as "Girl Scouts is all about friendship" or "Girl Scouts is all about honesty".
Best-selling Girl Scout cookies
- Thin Mints (25% of total sales)
- Samoas (Caramel deLites) (19% of total sales)
- Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties) (13%)
- Do-si-dos/Savannahs (Peanut Butter Sandwiches) (11%)
- Trefoils (Shortbread) (9%)
Trans fat content
Federal guidelines issued in early 2005 called for people to minimize their consumption of trans fat, which is now widely understood to be unhealthy for the heart. Concerned parents urged the Girl Scouts to address this and other health concerns about the cookies, suggesting that the cookie program was at odds with the Girl Scouts' healthy living initiative. The Girl Scout organization replied that the cookies were a treat which "shouldn't be a big part of somebody's diet," and said that they are "encouraging" the companies that bake the cookies to find alternative oils.In 2007, following reformulation of the recipes for a number of varieties, Girl Scouts of the USA announced that all their cookies had zero trans fat per serving.
High fructose corn syrup
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is used in some cookies. The bakers indicate that it is a necessary ingredient in ensuring the quality of the cookie.Recall
On February 23, 2010, Little Brownie Bakers announced a recall of some batches of their Lemon Chalet Crèmes. While they were safe to eat, some of the cookies had an off odor and taste.See also
- Girl Guide Cookies, sold by Girl Guides of CanadaGirl Guides of CanadaGirl Guides of Canada - Guides du Canada is the national Guiding association of Canada. Guiding in Canada started in 1910 and was among the founding members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1928. As of 2006, the association had 116,206 members.-History:Mary Malcolmson...
- Trail's End popcorn, sold by the Boy Scouts of AmericaBoy Scouts of AmericaThe Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...