Girl Scouts of the USA Announces Two New Girl Scout S'mores™ Cookies for 2017 Cookie Lineup

NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, National S'mores Day, Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) announced, in celebration of 100 years of Girl Scouts selling cookies, the organization will introduce two commemorative Girl Scout S'mores™ cookies. One is a clever take on the time-honored campfire treat, and the other is a s'mores-inspired cookie made with specialty ingredients. Joining legendary classics like Thin Mints® and Samoas/Caramel deLites, select markets will carry one of the two new Girl Scout S'mores™ cookies during the 2017 cookie season.

As a nod to the different ways people "s'more," the new variety includes two versions: a crispy graham cookie double dipped in a crème icing and enrobed in a chocolatey coating and a crunchy graham sandwich cookie with a chocolate and marshmallowy filling. The cookies will be the first new addition to the Girl Scout Cookie lineup since 2015.

"The new Girl Scout S'mores™ cookies capture the adventurous spirit, love of the outdoors, and feeling of community that are synonymous with Girl Scouts," said Sylvia Acevedo, interim CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. "As we approach the 100th anniversary of the first known sale of cookies by Girl Scouts, it only seems natural to celebrate it with a new cookie flavor that ties to our heritage and captures the adventurous, take-charge, and civic-minded spirit of our girls. Now consumers will have another delicious way to support girls as they hone leadership, financial literacy, business, and people skills, while using their cookie earnings to address community issues, or invest in fun and educational experiences."

To celebrate the new Girl Scout S'mores™ cookies, many Girl Scout councils around the country will be hosting campfires tonight and beyond, inviting communities to join in the fun of making s'mores and learn more about the exciting and impactful programs Girl Scouts offers girls. Additionally, the organization will be prompting consumers to share how they "s'more" on social media, using #NationalSmoresDay and tagging @GirlScouts.

The tradition of making and enjoying s'mores in the outdoors was popularized by Girl Scouts as early as the 1920s. The organization was one of the first to publish the iconic recipe under the name "Some More" in a 1925 issue of Girl Scout Leader magazine, and then as "somemores" in an official 1927 Girl Scout publication. The popular s'mores recipe is just one component of Girl Scouts' longstanding commitment to the outdoors, which is a cornerstone of the organization that plays an important role in girls' leadership development. According to the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) More Than S'mores report, there is a clear connection between outdoor experiences and girls' understanding of their leadership potential. Girls who spend time outdoors through Girl Scouts eclipse their peers in environmental stewardship, more readily seek challenges, and are better problem solvers, all of which are traits needed for twenty-first-century leadership. When consumers purchase a box of Girl Scout S'mores or any other variety of Girl Scout Cookies, they are investing in a girl's future and can feel good that their Girl Scout Cookie purchase powers amazing experiences for girls.  

Both cookies are new introductions for the organization, developed in response to popular consumer trends, much like the gluten-free varieties introduced in recent years. The chocolatey coated Girl Scout S'mores™ cookie is vegan, free of artificial colors, preservatives, and partially hydrogenated oils. The sandwich Girl Scout S'mores cookie contains no artificial flavors or colors, high fructose corn syrup, or hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. All current and new Girl Scout Cookie varieties are kosher and free of trans fats. These new cookies are the first of their kind for Girl Scouts. Like other similar consumer products, the cookies could be priced higher than other Girl Scout Cookies, reflecting the cost of production. Cookie prices vary and are set by local Girl Scout councils, and not all cookies are available in every market; contact your local council to inquire about cookie offerings in the coming cookie season.

One hundred percent of the cookie earnings stays with local councils and troops, benefitting girls through programmatic experiences. Girl Scout troops then decide how those funds are invested in educational experiences and Take Action projects that benefit their local communities—through girl-led activities that foster leadership skills. Girls who participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program learn how to manage money, set goals, make decisions, and communicate with adults—skills that aren't necessarily taught in school, but are invaluable to their future and the future of the global economy.

To learn more about the new cookie varieties and find out when Girl Scouts will be selling cookies near you, visit www.girlscoutcookies.org or use the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder app, free for your iOS or Android phone or mobile device. For more information about Girl Scouts and how to join or volunteer, visit www.girlscouts.org/join.

We're Girl Scouts of the USA

We're 2.7 million strong—1.9 million girls and 800,000 adults who believe girls can change the world. It began over 100 years ago with one woman, Girl Scouts' founder Juliette Gordon "Daisy" Low, who believed in the power of every girl. She organized the first Girl Scout troop on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, and every year since, we've made her vision a reality, helping girls discover their strengths, passions, and talents. Today we continue the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. We're the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs for girls from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to do something amazing. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.girlscouts.org.

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SOURCE Girl Scouts of the USA

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