It’s that time of the year again when familiar sweet treats are being sold door-to-door.
These treats are part of the annual cookie sale by Girl Scouts, an organization that offers opportunities for leadership, community service, friendship, and fun adventures for over 2.5 million members worldwide.
The cookie sale is a fundraiser where troops sell different types of cookies to finance their projects and events.
“It provides the girls with access to activities, events, and opportunities like community service projects and day camps that they wouldn’t have had access to otherwise,” said Danielle Murray, a troop leader and cookie mom.
As a cookie mom, Murray is the one who facilitates cookie sales. She orders cookies, distributes them to the scouts, keeps track of inventory, helps booth sales, and reconciles all of the stock and money at the end of the sale.
This year’s cookie sale in Northern California occurs from March 8 to April 27, a month later than usual because of a supply shortage.
“The Northern California Council wanted to smooth out the demand curve for the cookies because councils across the United States are all selling cookies at the same time, and they were anticipating inventory shortages of flavors,” Murray said.
However, the sale still operates the same as in previous years. Northern California has ten cookie options, including the new Raspberry Rally™ online exclusive.
Girl Scouts sell their cookies in-person and online, providing delicious cookies to customers and opportunities for Girl Scouts.
“For Girl Scouts who are shy, cookie sales are a great way of getting out of your shell and making sure you can talk to people. Cookie booths help my people skills because I get to talk to people,” said Asha Mehta, a Carlmont sophomore in one of Murray’s troops.
In addition to people skills, Mehta learns about marketing and budgeting through sales. As a member since kindergarten, she has sold cookies for several years and has seen prices increase from $4 to $5 per box to $6 per box, and sales have become more difficult.
“It is a little harder to sell Girl Scout cookies now because they’re more expensive, and not many people want to buy cookies that expensive. But people really love Girl Scout cookies, so it’s good to have a group of people that still like to buy cookies,” Mehta said.
While rising cookie prices challenge the sale, Girl Scouts have continued to have successful sales.
This year, Girl Scouts Northern California initially ordered 3.4 million boxes of cookies, and Mehta’s troop sold more than 400 boxes in the first two weeks of the sale, according to Murray.
The scouts achieve success because of the popularity of their cookies. Despite rising prices, Carlmont freshman Carter Tsui plans on buying Samoas®, his favorite Girl Scout cookies, because of their taste.
“They’re crunchy, crispy, good, and sweet. They’re a good treat,” Tsui said.
For Girl Scouts, success is exciting and ensures more opportunities.
“It gives them more avenues to come together as a group of kids and more opportunities to do things that give back and contribute to the community,” Murray said. “The girls are really excited to do cookie sales.”
