Girl Scout cookies are back — and there’s a new online-only flavor – Sun Sentinel

Grab your glass of milk for dunking and clear out a space in the freezer for a box of Thin Mints.

The Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida are back, offering their cookies from Feb. 1 to March 5 in front of stores, restaurants and other businesses, as well as through their website and the Digital Cookie platform. Rest assured, the classics are available, including Samoas, Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Do-si-dos, Trefoils, Lemon-Ups, Adventurefuls, Girl Scout S’mores and Toffee-Tastic cookies.

But make way for a new addition that’s sold online only: Raspberry Rally, a thin, crispy raspberry-flavored cookie coated in chocolate. It’s available to order now from the Girl Scouts and their Digital Cookie Store, with shipping starting Feb. 26.

New for the 2023 Girl Scout Cookie season is the Raspberry Rally cookie. (Girl Scouts of the USA/Girl Scouts of the USA/TNS)

The goal behind the sale of these limited-time treats has always been to teach girls entrepreneurial skills, with the focus on digital sales in recent years.

“Expanding the Girl Scout Cookie lineup through an online exclusive allows us to provide girls additional opportunities to grow their digital sales and more rapidly respond to e-commerce trends and consumer desires for innovative Girl Scout cookie options,” said Melinda Glasco, spokeswoman for the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, which serves Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties.

Of the more than 1.2 million boxes of cookies sold in their Southeast Florida region last year, 344,373 were from online sales — the highest number of boxes sold on their digital platform. It was an increase of 38.3% from the number of boxes sold online in 2021, she said.

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Despite inflation affecting many food items (eggs!), Girl Scout cookies don’t have a price increase this year.

“Cookie prices in our market have stayed steady this year at $5 per box for traditional varieties and $6 per box for our specialty cookies, including Girl Scout S’mores and our gluten-free Toffee-Tastic,” said Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida CEO Lisa Johnson.

A total of $3.36 of the $3.88 in revenue generated from each box of cookies sold goes directly to the girls, according to the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. More than $1.1 million in troop proceeds last year were directed by girls to support their Girl Scout experiences, including educational travel and community service efforts, Johnson said.

The boxes are ready for the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida’s cookie sale. (Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida / Courtesy)

Johnson said the girls are ready to go above and beyond their cookie-selling goals.

“They have practiced their sales pitch, designed their booths and are ready with lots of cookie knowledge to help customers make delicious decisions throughout the sale,” she said. “We anticipate higher sales this year due to a number of factors, including a growing membership and wider access to booth locations, which is a primary way that girls sell.”

The girls also plan to use social media and online ordering to further their reach and meet new customers, Johnson said.

There are several ways to buy cookies from the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida – in person at one of their booths or online through the website or a QR code.

(Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida / Courtesy)

The Digital Cookie platform allows supporters to order cookies to be delivered by the Girl Scout or shipped directly to their home.

“Girls also learn and use lots of technical skills for this part of the sale, from developing their site, creating and uploading content and managing a customer database,” she said.

Jamilah Johnson, of Cooper City, a member of Troop 10450, has been a Girl Scout for 13 years. She hopes to sell 1,800 boxes of cookies this year.

What’s her favorite cookie? “Thin Mints, hands down,” she said. “I love anything mint and love chocolate. Who doesn’t love chocolate?”

Johnson said she feels like she is making a difference when people support the cookie sale.

“It shows that others care about the experience girls can have as a Girl Scout,” she said.

Troop 10276 member Myalin Santana, who lives in Fort Lauderdale, recommends the Tagalongs because “I love chocolate and peanut butter separately but together, they are the best!”

Her goal is to sell 1,023 boxes. She plans to rely on her five years of experience as a Girl Scout when making sales.

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“I have learned how to interact confidently with people I have never met before,” she said.

Arabella Kostecki, of Troop 14218 in Davie, said she has sharpened her entrepreneurial and money management skills during her four years as a Girl Scout. She wants to sell 555 boxes and suggests the Samoas for their chocolatey coconut flavor and crunchy texture.

She said she appreciates her customers’ support: “It makes me feel happy and really thankful to the person who bought them.”

The Southeast Region’s Cookies for the Military program has allowed supporters to donate boxes or cases of Girl Scout cookies to service women and men domestically or overseas for the past 15 years. With 60,121 boxes donated in 2022 — a 9.38% increase over 2021 — the Girl Scouts have set a lofty goal to collect enough donations to give 75,000 boxes this year, Glasco said. They work with organizations such as Forgotten Soldiers, Operation Homefront, the American Legion and Soldiers’ Angels to get the cookies to the military.

From Thin Mints to Samoas, the Girl Scout cookies you know and love are back, along with a new cookie called Raspberry Rally. (Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida / Courtesy)

“Since 2009, our local communities have donated more than 700,000 boxes,” Johnson said. “Partnerships with local civic organizations as well as support from local businesses who sponsor Cookies for the Military donation events continue to grow and will be instrumental in our reaching our goal of 75,000 boxes this cookie season.”

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Give a Box, Get a Box — a one-day promotion from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 17 at all 22 Duffy’s Sports Grill locations in South Florida — will give a free box of cookies to anyone who donates one to Cookies for the Military. Visit cookiesforthemilitary.org.

• Cookie Finder: Use their Find Cookies! tool at gssef.org/en/cookies/find-cookies.html to enter your ZIP code and find a booth near you at an area Walmart, Publix, Winn-Dixie, Duffy’s Sports Grill, Hooters or other participating business. Text COOKIES to 59618 to receive a link to the tool or call 561-427-0177.
• Digital Cookie Store: Purchase cookies online through a troop member’s Digital Cookie Store using a QR code she creates and shares.
• Website orders: Visit digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/scout/troop32100-321?fpkp=1 to purchase cookies online either for local delivery by a Girl Scout, as a shipment to your door (between Feb. 27 and March 12), or to have them donated.

For more information on all things related to Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, or their cookies, visit gssef.org.

Originally Appeared Here