Behind the $800 Million Girl Scout Cookie Empire | WSJ The Economics Of

Girl Scout cookies like Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs are sold only a few months each year, yet they generate $800 million in revenue annually for Girl Scouts of the USA. In fact, the organization is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world, helping young girls practice unique skills like goal setting and money management.
WSJ takes a look at how cookies have served as the key ingredients for Girl Scouts' longstanding success.
0:00 Girl Scout cookies have been around for over 100 years
0:41 How Girl Scout cookies’ nimble business model led to a boost in online sales
1:35 How Girl Scout cookies’ limited supply and changing flavors works in their favor
2:42 How the Girl Scout cookie program works and why it is effective
The Economics Of
How do the world's most successful companies generate revenue? In this explainer series, we'll dive into the surprising stories behind how businesses work--exploring everything from Costco's "treasure-hunt" model to the economics behind Amazon's AWS.
#GirlScouts #GirlScoutCookies #WSJ

[@animaaura]

I too can push 800million worth of almost anything with an army of cute free labour.

[@rpishyao629]

exactly lol

[@noirto2]

it's not child slavery if you spin it off as financial education

[@MichaelBabich]

So, not a single word on the topic of how the empire actually works. Just pure shameless advertising of the corporation and how everybody loves cookies.

[@coolnout3765]

Excuse me, but take a bow for exposing the obvious. I am serious, you defined exactly what the business of Girl Scouts will never admit.

[@tedspradley]

Totally didn’t tell what the video title says “How Girl Scouts’ $800 Million Cookie Empire Works”. So how does it work? Where does the money go?

[@saklee1777]

I heard rumors that part of the cookie money goes to planned parenthood

[@spencerl-yf6bg]

Like most fundraisers, they are wildly overpriced. However, we buy them out of obligation, guilt, and charity.

[@ericcartmansh]

Yeah, seems like social pressure is the primary thing being used to increase sales

[@vilmabock478]

NOT ME! 😋 I buy them out of pure delight because they are YUMMILICIOUS!!! 😉

[@wills242]

I buy them cuz I like them too and the price is not unreasonable in my state. I also don’t think the generics taste as good, but that could be wrong!

[@coolnout3765]

Guilt = cookie? Obligation = cookie? Charity = cookie? Cookie; a small, usually round and flat cake, the size of an individual portion, made from stiff, sweetened dough, and baked. Girl Scouts (business) = is all about the cookies (The all-mighty dollar).

[@A1Kira]

Nah, I just like the cookies lol. The fact that you’re helping girl scouts is good though. It teaches them work ethic.

[@JonasWilms]

A MLM with Child Labour? That's the most American thing I heard today.

[@zachpw]

Feel like this didn’t really say anything beyond what the cookie marketing says. Except for “the parents have to buy them first”, everything else is well known and obvious.

[@walli6388]

Sounds like a MLM scheme.

[@andrewmcintyre9722]

When my girls were young selling cookies seem like about 90% of what the girl scouts did. It was sell cookies and then oh maybe we'll do some other things but mostly cookies selling. Don't worry girl. So you're learning to be entrepreneurs by pushing cookies on people?

[@JustBill82]

Ive noticed it prepares girls to become women (Who sell MLM diet items and candles)

[@ieshadover]

I was a leader for a couple of years and you are corrrect. The way they stage things means cookie sale do take up most of the troops times.

[@carlosprieto1242]

Overpriced, for processed terrible cookies....disguised as a charity, the ones who makes the big bucks is the company, paying in ADVANCE for the parents the cookies, so they made their sale no matter what.....man what a RIPOFF..........

[@Fellowtellurian]

Child labor and free, so it is actually slavery

[@Icetor01]

Honestly, these business practices are highly suspect. The use of multilevel marketing (MLM) + child labor is pretty sketchy. Also, someone below mentioned the cookie sales were the main thing the girl scouts did, so what is the money going towards? I notice boy scouts don't do them (instead doing fun things like knot tying and wilderness survival). People speak with pride about being an Eagle Scout, but I've never heard anyone speak similarly about being the highest level of a girl scout. Where do the boy scouts get their funding, and why can't the girl scouts do that? It seems like a huge disparity. I've watched several WSJ videos on various businesses, and they're never as deep or, frankly, as critical as I'd want. They're basically glorified ads for whatever company is being discussed.

[@JonasWilms]

The most highly compensate employee was Sylvia Acevedo, CEO who received $1.6 million in 2021 although she departed in August, 2020. They are paying tens of millions for E&Y, Salesforce, legal services etc with essentially child labor. And I bet the pro profit "producer" company massively overcharges for the cookies to move hundreds of millions out of the non profit.

[@Jammin1288]

I loved being a Girl Scout. We went camping several times and learned to build a fire, etc etc. My troop earned tons of badges. I think the productivity of the Troop is the responsibility of the parents.

[@saklee1777]

I Never did anything in Girl Scouts except sell cookies

[@laurien2640]

I’m from the Netherlands and we have a similar program where kids sell stamps nationwide

[@andrewmcintyre9722]

Selling cookies doesn't teach the girls a darn thing

[@JonasWilms]

It does prepare you to create profit for someone unknown above you without asking questions.

[@jamiecolter5156]

It helps fund their troop, camp and other activities

[@dennyluu1282]

As a Boy Scout, I wonder why our popcorn merch doesn’t sell much.

[@CHMichael]

Sex sells

[@spades9048]

Because the popcorn is extremely overpriced and honestly no different than any other popcorn. Girl Scout cookies are overpriced as well but not nearly, at least in my opinion, to the same extent. You get people who say “no” and that’s fine - you have people who buy a box or two to be nice - and then you have a considerable amount who are generally excited to buy these cookies and they’ll buy $50-60. You can easily freeze these cookies. I don’t think the popcorn has the last segment and it is actually a pretty big segment.

[@for_reals_tho]

Because the cookies are lower cost then the high cost popcorn.

[@Xenon-4300]

I'd much rather just have a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies tbh.

[@larsthorwald3338]

I always just give 'em a donation because for some odd reason, the Girl Scouts refuse to sell anything healthy.

[@Fiery154]

We get $0.11 a box. Your donation goes much further than our sales ever could. Thank you greatly for your donation.

[@maestrovso]

Very disappointed with this cheesy piece that is supposed to show us the who gets what in the whole supply chain to final sales. Like many commented below, the corporate involvements is never address. I agree the cookie sales teach these girl jack S, except to make adults feel good. WSJ can do better? May be not.

[@RB-kh6fo]

Child labor

[@newvillagefilms]

"Are they made from real Girl Scouts?" ~ Wednesday Addams

[@weird-guy]

MLM for kids🤣

[@JRPGGUY]

I'm in the mood for trefoils now

[@jennmende2673]

As a Girl Scout for 13 years, cookie season was always my favorite!

[@saklee1777]

I always made the most sales every year in Girl Scouts. I always loved getting the prizes that u get. I still have this huge cute dog stuffed animal for selling 300 cookies

[@calebmaina]

remember that movie by Melissa McCarthy

[@christhe95irrelevant98]

A uniquely good part of American culture.

[@stephenwoodard2686]

years ago two old rich women who lived on Park Ave. New York OWNED Girl Scout Cookies .They also had two Rolls Automobiles.

[@ropro9817]

The ideals of this program sound great but I can't help but feel like this is just a breeding ground for future multilevel marketing salespeople. Do the Girl Scouts do any tracking of how many girls grow up to run successful businesses? Historical info like that could help inform and tune the program, if they're not already doing this.

[@jaydibernardo4320]

I believe this is how Elizabeth Holmes (Theranos) got her big start to business stardom.

[@davidmagen415]

You know I don’t mind the high price even though only Pennie’s go to the girls. My pet peeve is that there’s almost nothing in the dam box. Charge $6 a box fine but put some cookies in it.🏖️

[@525Lines]

Bring back those apple shaped shortbread cookies.

[@saklee1777]

I think they’re called lemon drops

[@javiertorres9114]

The most successful cookie sell was right next to a marijuana dispensary in San Diego. 300 boxes in 6 hrs.

[@louieuy7607]

Girl scouts doing sales and marketing better than actual "pros" lol

[@SoCalFreelance]

Pull back the curtain WSJ, Who is really behind this cheap cookie empire? 🧐

[@chriscunnane7596]

I am 72 and LOVE gs COOKIES the best

[@drmode]

Too expensive

[@Chorizo1]

I just want to help them ☺️

[@jasonyau326]

The 1980s movie "Troop Beverly Hills" exemplified and exagerrated what girls guides are about especially the selling of cookies 😂

[@kristensorensen2219]

Teaching capitalism in fundraising?

[@shaduck06]

memories of eating them when we grow up- $2/box

[@mrtrailesafety]

I’m partial to the Samoas.

[@marym7104]

Within 11 hours!

[@lindapindabelinda3570]

How much did the GSA pay for this puff piece?

[@marym7104]

Within 13,900 views!

[@kristensorensen2219]

#184👍😤From door to door to online🤷🤔 means year round sales? It's all about fundraising.

[@sour7lemons]

I expected the economics of gs cookies to cover sales, locations, and growth for the past 70 years not the economics of parenting gs

[@rpishyao629]

I think boys probably need this training either to some extent.

[@juliannaokike3359]

Why not just make a go fund me page for all the supporters of the cause.

[@Amandaxt25]

....while im eating Girl Scout Cookies

[@sharontapolcsanyi7632]

I'm a girls scout

[@Jacknocap1998]

Dad’s nightmare

[@UHaulShorts]

*INDOCTRINATED* in2 unplanned parenthood

[@JasonGastrich]

Many things wrong with this situation. My mom was obese when she died and she bought a lot of these cookies for a long time. I won’t eat anything unless it’s vegetarian and organic, so they have a long way to go before I’ll eat them. They have a long way to go before I would give them away or consent to putting them in landfills. They should quit until they have better ingredients. Also, how about marijuana cookies?

[@mrmakeshft]

Raspberry Rallies

[@TheLoneComic]

You’d think of all youth organizations, the girl scouts would have a big bout of woke and remove the validation of toxic foods in our culture, and turn to something progressive instead of training hundreds of thousands of impressionable young women toxic enabling skillsets.

[@containedhurricane]

Any society has its own cultural foods that are always in demand

[@juliaskinner6911]

I am a Girl scout leader. My girls get .85$ cents per box They stand out in the cold, rain, snow. But if we don't sell cookies then we can't do any type of fund raiser.

[@Chaloves]

Those cookies are just too overpriced, too sweet & unhealthy. People are just forcing people to buy it just because they’re their parents family,friends & co-workers most of the time. You can’t say no out of guilt.

[@jewelweed6880]

Overpriced, small, not soft, fills half the box, and not flavorful enough. The sweetness is as much as I expect, but that isn't enough for me to buy them. I would rather give them cash donation so they keep every penny towards activities. I wonder if GS company takes part of cash donations for themselves, though. I wish we could pay them to not stake out the grocery store entrance. 🤔

[@user-qz1eq2rc1h]

我的先生元Boy Scouts…

[@djp1234]

Diabeetus.

[@jeffreyrichardson]

girl scouts mike jodi scott richardsons ryobi krakowskis toby

[@paillette2010]

Two words make it super easy to pass up: PALM OIL

[@sunnydaze3131]

What about all the seed oils that seem to be in everything we eat these days, especially processed foods. I'm referring to corn, sunflower, safflower, canola, soy, grapeseed, and cottonseed oils. The foods you eat every day contain two or more of these seed oils and, despite what google tells you, they are NOT good for you. At least Girl Scout cookies only pop up once a year.

[@jewelweed6880]

​@@sunnydaze3131are all of them as problematic in the way palm oil is, with the rampant exploitation and such?

[@oursalvationisinunity6224]

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[@painfullyhonest]

Your use of the word behind clearly reflects your inability to understand the word or you're just looking for clicks and you got it. You did absolutely nothing looking into the corporation that actually makes the cookies. Where the ingredients comes from how much does it cost? How many cents per dollar goes to the troop and goes to the corporation? It used to be 80 cents per dollar went to the corporation and not the troupe I hope that's changed by now

[@jeffreyrichardson]

elishas granddad kristens sister lisa sad gregs scott ziplock bag

[@dee-exotica]

I enjoy the caramel delights flavor cookies. If I were to see an asian girl scout selling cookies, I would buy a bunch of boxes from her so she would out sell the other girls. I’m mixed with asian myself so aside from enjoying the cookies, I would be helping her out. 😊☺️ 😋 He he he he 🤭

[@theamericanhandyman3213]

As a man I went out of my way always to buy three or four boxes of Girl Scout cookies for the little girls to have fun and do what they need to do but today will be my last time I ever buy cookies from there you can keep your devilish ways I will not donate anymore

[@bradweir5579]

Child labor and guilt.

[@intheshell35ify]

Little tax collectors.

[@patrickbateman580]

True slave labor

[@jijiji9520]

Overpriced, say it

[@saklee1777]

Girl Scouts sucks. I never remember doing ANYTHING in Girl Scouts except selling cookies

[@sunnydaze3131]

You never went to a Girl Scout sleepover camp? That is one big thing the cookie sales help fund, and all the girls are allowed to go, even those who don't participate in cookie sales. That is the way I remember it, anyway.

[@PG-tc6os]

When you use children as employees to sell expensive cookies, it is disgrace. This people are getting rich at the expense of children.