All About ABC Bakers

Who is ABC Bakers?

ABC Bakers is the oldest and most experienced licensed Girl Scout Cookie baker. We became "Official Girl Scout Cookie Bakers" in 1939, just two years after the first sale of commercially baked Girl Scout cookies took place. ABC is part of Interbake Foods LLC, a Richmond, Virginia based manufacturer that has been baking cookies and crackers for 100 years.

Is ABC the only Girl Scout Cookie baker?

No, ABC is one of two licensed Girl Scout Cookie bakers that can serve councils across the country. Each council may choose its baker independently each year. ABC supplies about 40% of the Girl Scout councils throughout the United States.

Do both bakers of Girl Scout Cookies offer the same varieties?

The licensing agreement with Girl Scouts of the USA allows bakers to offer up to eight varieties of cookies, three of which must be of a certain type and weight: a mint cookie in a 10 oz. package (Thin Mints), a peanut butter sandwich cookie in a 9 oz. package (Peanut Butter Sandwich), and a shortbread cookie in a 9 oz. package (Shortbread). Two other types of cookies the general public has come to expect as part of the Girl Scout Cookie Sale are Caramel deLites and Peanut Butter Patties. All five core Girl Scout Cookie items are among the 15 most popular cookies in the United States, even though they are available on a very limited basis. The other items offered by ABC are: Lemonades, Reduced Fat Cartwheels and Thanks-A-Lot.

Are cookies all ABC provides to councils?

No. In addition to cookies, ABC provides its Girl Scout council partners with marketing, training and girl activity materials that are designed to support girls and volunteers and to help make the cookie sale activity a fun and developmental learning experience.

How much do councils pay for Girl Scout Cookies?

Less than 1/3 of the price consumers pay for the cookies goes to the baker, an amount far less than the wholesale price food retailers pay for similar products. This means that most of the money raised goes to support Girl Scouting.

What do local Girl Scout councils do with cookie revenue?

Cookie sale revenue allows councils to offer Girl Scouting to as many local girls as possible. It also funds numerous essential expenses such as insurance, property expense, maintenance and repair, program subsidies, volunteer training, printing and financial aid. A portion of the money raised during the cookie sale is also distributed directly to the troop selling the cookies where girls decide how it is spent on their plans for the year.