Why Popular Girl Scout Cookies Get Discontinued
When you're out shopping for necessities and that iconic booth of young ladies selling Girl Scout cookies catches your eye, it's like seeing an old friend out of the blue. A giddy wave of elation sets in, and without thinking twice, you instinctively reach for your wallet. Some folks look forward to the distribution of the unbeatable confections all year round, which makes it even more disappointing when they realize the flavor they had their heart set on has been discontinued.
The notorious Thin Mints are always available, but other varieties come and go, to many a consumer's dismay. The once-beloved Juliettes are long gone, and the citrus-flavored Savannah Smiles are nowhere to be found these days. Kookaburras from the 1980s are buried in the annals of history like the Little Debbie Dessert you probably forgot existed. Some snack foods are discontinued for good reason, but why these often-adored assortments from the Girl Scouts cease to be available has had folks scratching their heads for years.
As it turns out, the answer is fairly straightforward. One reason a few flavors disappear is marketing. There are only eight or nine varieties of Girl Scout cookies available in any given year, and to keep customer engagement from becoming stale, the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) introduces new recipes in hopes consumers will find their fresh new favorite. The GSUSA also tries to keep up with what's trending, meaning other flavors might have to make way for what they think will be the next big hit.
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Outsourcing Isn't Without Its Complications
Historically, Girl Scout cookies were baked at home by the Girl Scouts themselves (perhaps with a little help from Mom). As demand for the iconic treats grew, there was no way to keep up with the supply. Production was ultimately outsourced to 29 bakeries across the country by 1948. In 1960, that number had dwindled to 14. By 1978, it dropped to four. Today, only two bakeries supply GSUSA with the esteemed desserts: Little Brownie Bakers and ABC Bakers.
These two facilities have their work cut out for them. Nearly 700,000 girls nationwide peddle 200 million boxes of cookies every year, raising almost $800 million to fund programs of local Girl Scout councils. Needless to say, producing such a staggering number of tasty confections annually is no small feat, and sometimes there are bumps in the road. These production obstacles can occasionally result in specific varieties of cookies being discontinued.
Two Bakeries With Separate Production Issues
You may have noticed that some varieties of Girl Scout cookies seem to have disparate names. This isn't the Twilight Zone -- the two companies that produce the treats name a few flavors differently because of licensing issues. Some folks know one of the classic peanut butter-flavored desserts as Tagalongs, made by Little Brownie Bakers. Others identify the same cookie as Peanut Butter Patties, prepared by ABC Bakers.
The two bakeries also have separate production issues. Raspberry Rally wafer cookies were recently an up-and-coming rival to the celebrated Thin Mints after their release, but Little Brownie Bakers had trouble sourcing ingredients for the cult cookie hit. They are now one of the foods discontinued in 2024 after only a one-year run.
Thin Mints are the Girl Scouts' best-selling confection by a longshot, so you don't have to worry about seeing them go away anytime soon. Two other flavors are also likely safe from discontinuation: Do-si-dos (named Peanut Butter Sandwich by ABC Bakers) and the shortbread Trefoils. It is unlikely that Samoas (called Caramel deLites from ABC Bakers) will be discontinued, given their popularity, but anything is possible.
Selling cookies not only raises money for the Girl Scouts but is also meant to teach young ladies about business and entrepreneurship. Sometimes tough decisions need to be made in the business world. Discontinuing certain brands for the good of the company, despite the backlash it may cause, is an important lesson to learn.
Read the original article on Foodie.