All Girl Scout Cookies Are Not Created Equal

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

The Los Angeles Times revealed, to national dismay, that not all Girl Scout cookies are equal—they are made by two different bakers and their products differ significantly.

A Canada-based company called ABC Bakers has baked for the Girl Scouts since 1937, and Little Brownie Bakers, a division of Keebler Company, began their licensing with the Girl Scouts in 1974. As a result, the Los Angeles Times created this handy interactive graphic that allows you to search by zip code and find out if you’re getting Little Brownie Baker cookies or ABC Baker cookies. The Little Brownie Bakers dole out heavier caramel and darker chocolate Samoas, while ABC Bakers produces the milky chocolate, vanilla cookied Caramel deLites, to name one difference. With Thin Mints, ABC Bakers produce crunchier, more minty cookies that are inferior to Little Brownie Bakers’ smooth, peppermint products. You can check out visual comparisons of the different cookies at the Los Angeles Times.

It’s important to note that supporting the Girl Scouts is supposed to be about the girls learning important business skills, nevertheless the debate rages on over which version of Thin Mints is better (note, it doesn’t really matter as long as you put a box in the freezer).