Why NH Girl Scouts Are Out of Your Favorite Cookie (for Now)
Girl Scouts set up their cookie booths around the Seacoast this weekend, but supply chain issues that have impacted food, transportation, and manufacturing are now affecting the availability of some varieties of cookies.
Problems for Little Brownie Bakers, one of the two bakers that supply cookies to councils around the country including the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, have limited the availability of several tasty treats according to Carrie Green, the council's Vice President of Engagement.
The newest cookie, Adventurefuls, are completely out of stock and unavailable. It is described as "an indulgent brownie-inspired cookie with caramel-flavored crème and a hint of sea salt" But there is hope for other varieties.
"We do not have any Adventurefuls. We have some delays because of transportation issues and some staffing distribution issues at the factory on Samoas, Tagalongs, and Treffoils," Green told Seacoast Current. She added that there's a good chance more Treffoils and Tagalongs are headed to the Seacoast soon, but she doesn't have a definite date for their arrival.
Cookies Are Still Available
The good news is that orders made with individual scouts will be fulfilled. They account for around 70% of all the cookies sold during the sale period.
"Those are all delivered in one go. We were able to fulfill those orders. If people placed an order with a girl back in January, those should be delivered in the next few weeks depending on how the girl gets those out to her customers," Green said.
The bad news is that many of the affected varieties may not be available at cookie booths outside retailers and other locations. They're ordered separately and delivered to the homes of volunteers in New Hampshire and Vermont who organize the booth sales.
"We have lots of Thin Mints, so it's a good time to stock up or try a new variety you maybe haven't tried in the past," Green said,
Pivoting During a Pandemic
Like many businesses, Girl Scouts have had to find new ways to sell during the past two years when the pandemic put a damper on selling door-to-door and in-person.
"They really dived into our online digital cookie platforms that allows girls to set up their own online cookie stores. They can record videos, they can add messaging, they can set their goals on there," Green said. "Then they can either email that link to friends and family or share in other ways so customers can go online to their specific cookie site and purchase cookies," Green said.
The girls were also provided with door hangers for contact-free sales. The pandemic also offered a chance to get creative while maintaining social distancing at the cookie booths.
"They used chutes to send the cookies down so customers didn't have to get close to the booths, or very elaborate displays with vending machines and plexiglass set up," Green said.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH