Chloe Taylor

Several different Girl Scout Cookies line up next to each other. In recent years, Girl Scouts has had many Girl Scout Cookie-flavored items throughout large grocery store chains.

Every year, Girl Scouts and consumers alike eagerly await the arrival of cookie season. A time-honored tradition that has lasted since 1917 involves young girls around the country selling several different flavors of Girl Scout Cookies to eager customers.

For many, the excitement of Girl Scout Cookies comes with its scarcity. Only once a year do these treats show up in booths outside stores and restaurants or by a little girl with a wagon on your doorstep. In fact, consumers show their appreciation in the approximately 200 million boxes of cookies that are sold each year. 

However, the past few years have proved difficult for the organization. In 2024, the organization suffered a financial loss of about $6 million. To compensate, a controversial decision was made: to sell the rights of its distinct Thin Mint flavor to select brands.

To compensate, Girl Scouts has sold the rights to its distinct cookie flavors to large companies. Thin Mint-flavored items like Jell-O pudding, Wendy’s Frosty, Edward Marc’s Snappers, Nestle’s Crunch, Cake Bites, Nestle’s Coffee Mate, Chex Mix’s Muddy Buddies, and Think’s protein bars are now available year-round.

While this may appear to be a harmless initiative to expand the brand, it undermines the essence of what made Girl Scout Cookies special. In 1939, Girl Scouts first came out with the beloved Thin Mint. The chocolate cookie with peppermint flavoring and a chocolate coating has become the most popular flavor.

Now, one can find this once coveted and unique flavor at major grocers like Costco and Walmart, as well as in the drive-thru of fast food establishments like Wendy’s. The scarcity was part of what made Girl Scout Cookies so special to consumers. With the widespread access to the flavor, the excitement and magic are lost. 

Even more concerning is the effect that it has on the young girls who are a part of Girl Scouts. Selling cookies teaches young girls the importance of money management, setting and reaching goals, entrepreneurship, and interacting with the community. 

While some may argue that the marketing tactic is making money to help keep Girl Scouts alive, it is only doing so short-term. While there was money gained on the part of Girl Scouts, the effects on the girls and the consumers are drastic and lasting.

With less engagement from consumers who know they can get the flavor at any time of the year, young girls lose these important skills. Girl Scouts are no longer able to stand out against the growing market of corporations with rights to these products. 

Further, the money that is received from selling Girl Scout Cookies goes to the troop. Consumers who buy cookies are supporting young girls on the local level. Selling the essence of Girl Scouts and using it as a marketing tactic undermines the benefit of buying the treats locally and funding female youth.

Girl Scouts should stop selling the rights to its cookie flavors in order to preserve the value of selling Girl Scout Cookies to young girls and to make Girl Scouts more than just a marketing tactic. 

Girl Scouts sold its soul in pursuit of short-term financial gains. What was once a scarcity and special treat that symbolized a positive mission for young girls across the country has become just another flavor. The excitement and uniqueness of Girl Scout Cookies have been diluted, and, with that, the organization’s mission.