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Area Girl Scout troops report record cookie sales

By: J. Werner
| Published 03/25/2013

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The Girl Scouts have found themselves thin on “Thin Mints,” their perennial best seller. Local troops have sold out of the mint-flavored cookie dipped in chocolate to the dismay of customers, specifically the ‘chocoholics.’ The San Jacinto Council of the Girl Scouts of America announced earlier in the week that cookie sales were higher this year over previous years, and that some flavors were in short supply.

Increased sales resulted in thin supply on 'Thin Mints'

Members of Troop 11997 of Coulson Tough Elementary School didn’t let the lack of variety damper their enthusiasm at the Sterling Ridge Kroger store where they set up their cookie booth. Troop members Jordyn Wren, Lauren McClain, Sydney Moore, and Zara Chapman encouraged disappointed customers in search of Thin Mints to try one of the other cookies. They insisted that the other available cookies were equally delicious, and that chocoholics would be pleased with the “Thanks-a-lot,” a shortbread cookie with a side of chocolate, and the “Peanut Butter Patties,” a soft peanut butter cookie center covered in chocolate.

“The Peanut Butter Patties taste just like a Reese’s peanut butter cup,” said Jordyn Wren of Troop 11997.

“It’s not just our troop,” said ‘cookie mother,’ Jen Wren. “The whole council is out of Thin Mints.”

The Girls Scout cookie finder app released just prior to the annual cookie sale, could be partially responsible. The app for iPhone and Android devices allows cookie customers to locate the nearest cookie booth, familiarizes themselves with the cookie varieties for sale, and provides tips on how to interact with the Girl Scouts. Locations can be found using a smartphone’s built-in GPS or by entering a ZIP code.

Troop leader, Lisa McClain said she was unable to locate any Thin Mints from other area troops.

“We’ve asked around, and nobody has any,” said McClain. “The only Thin Mints I know of are the ones I purchased.”

Bobbie Lange, troop leader for Super Troop 11433 dropped by and confirmed the shortage. To qualify as a ‘Super Troop’ each Girl Scout in the troop has to sell 240 boxes of cookies. No wonder there are no Thin Mints to be found.

Kroger customer Zhengnin Qian, an engineer for EMAS, a global offshore marine construction contractor, stopped by and made a nice donation to the girl scouts but declined the cookies.

“I’ll wait until they sell a cookie with less sugar and sodium,” said Qian. “I don’t think the public would be receptive to a sugar-free cookie, because that’s why people buy cookies…for something sweet. But I’d like to see them offer a healthier alternative.”

The Girl Scout cookie operation, the largest girl-led business in the world, will raise $790 million this year. The program is designed to teach girls goal setting, decision making, money management, business ethics, and people skills. If you’re looking for girl scouts in order to buy those sweet delicious treats, it may be too late; the cookie sale ended this past weekend. That is, unless you can use the people skills you learned from scouting, to coerce Troop Leader Lisa McClain to sell some of Thin Mints from her private stock.

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