The Girl Scout cookie crumbled this year. Here’s what happened

CNN ^ | Mar 25, 2023 | Danielle Wiener-Bronner

[where's_the_Outrage?]

For decades, Girl Scouts has used cookie sales to raise funds and teach scouts about entrepreneurship. This year, thanks to the Raspberry Rally cookie, members got a painful lesson in what can happen when high demand meets limited supply.

The much-hyped Rally, a raspberry-flavored spin on the Thin Mint, was always supposed to be a limited-edition cookie. But interest in it seemed to have taken Girl Scouts leadership by surprise — perhaps because of a new online-only ordering system.

As demand surged, with some cookies even ending up on eBay, in some cases listed for about $40 per box, supply stayed the same because cookie makers couldn’t quickly pump out more Rallies. One of the Scouts’ manufacturers, ABC Bakers, said it needs lots of lead time to make limited-edition cookies. The other, Little Brownie Bakers, said bad weather caused power outages at a Kentucky plant, contributing to other inventory issues that lead to tight supply.

As a result, the Rallies sold out rapidly, leaving scouts and parents to explain the situation to annoyed shoppers even as they tried to make sense of it themselves.

Girl Scouts USA seemed surprised by the level of interest in the Raspberry Rally. - Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service/Getty Images For young scouts, having to tell customers there are no Rallies available “is a particularly frustrating transaction,” scout parent Betsy Everett told CNN. “When people ask for the new cookie, we tell them the situation and then they don’t want to buy anything. It’s disappointing for the girls.”

Some parents have been frustrated not only by the shortages, but by what they say is piecemeal communication from Girl Scouts USA. And after years of Covid-related disruptions, their own patience is wearing thin.

[SamAdams76]

Regarding the Babylon Bee sandwich article, a real woman would cut the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches diagonally before inserting them into the plastic wrap that would go inside of their child's school's lunchbox. My mother would even take the crust off the bread as she knew I didn't like bread crust. I had a Partridge Family lunchbox complete with thermos.

Echoing other comments, the Girl Scout cookies would have a lot more appeal if the Girl Scout troops baked the cookies themselves as opposed to contracting conglomerates to mass manufacture them with artificial ingredients.

Imagine going to Dunkin Donuts and seeing a table outside groaning with homemade cookies by actual Girl Scouts (with perhaps a little help from their mothers).

I can almost smell those soft oatmeal raisin cookies now, with steam coming off of them in the frosty air. Gooey chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven. We don't need those fancy schmanzy "Raspberry Rallies" or whatever they call them, with all the heavily processed and artificial ingredients.

Keep the cookies simple and the prices high (we are raising mony after all).

[Jemian]

Girl Scouts [have] used cookie sales to raise funds and teach scouts about entrepreneurship.

I sold those cookies back in the late '60s and early '70s. I was one of the top sellers in my town. I received exactly ZERO results for my efforts. When I became a Cadette Scout, I decided the my rewards did not equal my efforts. I immediately found some other line of work with salary commensurate for my work.

[fella]

I haven’t bought their cookies since they started supporting abortion.

[fella]

In many places it is against the law to sell cookies not baked in a government certified and inspected facility.

[scrabblehack]

Dollar General sells Thin Mints for around $2. I can do without them completely - I was surprised that the GS were charging $6 per box.

[Fido969]

Then why are they selling for more than that outside the girl scout system?

[MotorCityBuck]

I always purchase @ 10 boxes. I give then to coworkers who come from other countries. They are always greatly appreciated.

[Fido969]

Has anyone posting to this read the article? It says there is a shortage of cookies.

[camle]

very clever marketing - use child labor to sell your products and you make a killing, while they get a bone. the cookie manufacturer makes tons, the GSA make tons, the troop gets a little, and the kids do all the work for free.

[gundog]

The invisible hand gets caught in the cookie jar. The girls could be taught some economic realities...or that capitalism doesn’t work.

[napscoordinator]

They weren’t out in front of grocery stores this year so I also didn’t buy my usual 40 bucks worth. However, clearly they did good when demand is higher than supply. You want that as a company.

[Jewbacca]

I don’t see how “entrepreneurship” has anything to do with femininity.

My wife (ironically) owns several desert/bakery franchises she purchased with a little inheritance from her aunt. She’s made her money back many times over. And employs our daughters and their friends. There’s so much estrogen in the place it makes me uncomfortable.

The privilege with GSA is its full of lesbians, teaches girls to hate men, and is just another means of liberal/democrat indoctrination.

[Cowgirl of Justice]

I see knock offs of the PB cookies in stores - those are my absolute favorite. I haven’t tried any yet but have also seen recipes that were supposed to be close copies.

[napscoordinator]

I’m glad you mentioned the knockoffs. I knew there were some but couldn’t remember where. Walmart of course.

[deport]

Has anyone posting to this read the article?

//////////

Are we supposed to read the article? That
would take time and some thought.

[Cowgirl of Justice]

Yep- same here. Years of going door to door, setting up a stand in my front yard, - all for my GS troop to get pennies per box so the little girls can protest for abortion rights.

[napscoordinator]

They will never do that in this litigious world. I’d imagine the lawsuits would be overwhelming For a host of BS reasons.

[glorgau]

Sorry girls. I’ve woken up and moved on. It is so, so sad.

[Steven Tyler]

Me three

[siamesecats]

We stopped buying GS cookies when we found out they send money to Planned Parenthood.