The newest Girl Scout cookie, Adventurefuls, has fallen victim to supply chain and labor disruptions. The brownie-inspired treat features a caramel-flavored creme and a dash of sea salt. (Bill Chappell/NPR)
First it was toilet paper. Then cars, then juice boxes, then cream cheese.
Now, you can add Girl Scout cookies to the list of items that have been hit by supply chain woes.
The newest Girl Scout cookie, Adventurefuls, has fallen victim to some supply chain and labor disruptions. The disruptions, first reported by The Washington Post, were short-lived and only affected some local markets, including the greater Washington, D.C., area, a Girl Scouts of the USA spokesperson said in a statement to NPR on Wednesday.
According to a recent update for cookie sellers in Suffolk County, N.Y., the disruptions amounted to a "nationwide shortage" of Adventurefuls. But in an interview with NPR, a Girl Scouts of the USA spokesperson stressed that the disturbances were not nationwide.
Adventurefuls, which feature a "caramel-flavored crème" and a dash of sea salt, were much more popular than expected, according to the early January update. To help address the shortage, sales of these "brownie-inspired" cookies for each council will now be capped at just 7% of what was forecasted last November, according to the update. The message asked sellers to "immediately discontinue" sales of the Adventurefuls cookie for in-person orders.
Across more than 100 regional councils, the Girl Scouts rely on two bakers: Little Brownie Bakers and ABC Bakers. More than 70 councils selected Little Brownie Bakers as their baker, said Lidia Soto-Harmon, the chief executive officer for the Scouts' nation's capital council.
After labor shortages at Little Brownie Bakers, production of Adventurefuls shifted to ABC Bakers.
"While recent labor shortages have affected production of Adventurefuls, we are working diligently to fulfill Adventurefuls orders," Little Brownie Bakers said in a statement. "We appreciate our cookie fans' patience as Girl Scouts work hard to deliver their favorite cookies to them."
The Nation's Capital council opted out of ABC's product, Soto-Harmon told NPR. With booth sales set to begin on Feb. 4 and limited volunteers, a second shipment wasn't feasible, she said.
But fear not. So far, Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs — and all other flavors — have come out unscathed. The Girl Scouts don't expect shortages to affect other varieties. And Adventurefuls can still be purchased online.
And the young merchants are still eager to sell, according to Kelly Parisi, head of communications at Girl Scouts of the USA. About 11,600 booths are already planned in the Greater Washington area alone.
"I wish we had the Adventurefuls for the booth, but, you know, with everything that we've gone through, that is nothing," Soto-Harmon said.
