Oreo: Little Known Facts | Mondelēz International, Inc. (2024)

Sunday, March 03, 2019

Ten Facts You Never Knew About the Iconic Cookie!

We’re celebrating Oreo National Day! Magic happened on March 6, 1912 when two decoratively embossed chocolate-flavored wafers met up with a rich crème filling. Today, Oreo is the world’s top selling cookie. Whether you enjoy the original, green tea, dulce de leche or one of the many flavors found around the world, one thing remains right at the heart of milk’s favorite cookie: the iconic “twist, lick, dunk” ritual that brings people together like no other biscuit can!

But there is more behind the cookie than you can imagine. Here are 10 facts about the iconic brand that you never knew!

10. The Story Behind Oreo Way

Oreo Way is a street in New York that was formerly known as West 15th (between 9th and 10th Avenues). The street was renamed to honor where the very first cookie was made and where the very first Nabisco factory was located.

9. You Can Find Oreo Cookies in Over 100 Countries

It’s true! The cookies have truly become ubiquitous, so if you’re traveling, chances are you’ll see those infamous sandwich cookies wherever you’re going.

8. The Number of Oreo Cookies Made in a Year Would Circle the Earth Five Times

We have factories that make Oreo cookies in 18 countries all over the world. These factories help produce 40 billion cookies every year. If stacked together, these cookies would circle the earth five times!

7. 50% of Oreo Consumers Pull the Cookies Apart Before Eating Them

Rather than nibble on the outsides or eat them whole, 50% of Oreo consumers prefer to twist their cookies open before eating (or dunking) them. The other half, presumably, eat them stuck together.

6. Ladies Are More Likely to Twist

If you are someone who takes your cookies apart before eating them, pay attention next time. Women are more likely to twist Oreo cookies open than men, who are more likely to just pull them apart.

5. Record Number of Fans

Oreo’s Facebook page has over 42 million likes. This ranks it in the top 10 brands in terms of Facebook likes (it’s currently at number six). Impressive!

4. Oreo Cookies Were Part of the World’s Largest Blind Taste Test

In 2009, the cookies were part of a blind taste test that took place in Madrid, Spain. The taste test, which included 1,471 people, was the largest blind taste test in recorded history.

3. It’s the Most Popular Cookie of the 21st Century

In 2018, the brand brought close to $3 billion in worldwide annual revenues. Clearly, we’re doing something right!

2. Two Flavors Originally Debuted

Along with the classic chocolate flavor rolled out in 1912 was a lemon meringue flavor. However, the lemon meringue flavor wasn’t popular enough and was eventually discontinued.

1. It takes Two Hours to Make and Bake One Oreo Cookie

Sure, it takes 120 minutes to produce a cookie … but does it take that long to eat one?

Oreo: Little Known Facts | Mondelēz International, Inc. (2024)

FAQs

Oreo: Little Known Facts | Mondelēz International, Inc.? ›

Upset with the Chicago-based company's efforts to diminish his brand's presence in the competitive cookie aisle, he filed an official complaint with the Federal Trade Commission in 2018 seeking $800 million in damages. Kassoff said he has yet to hear back from the agency.

How much did Hydrox sue Oreo for? ›

Upset with the Chicago-based company's efforts to diminish his brand's presence in the competitive cookie aisle, he filed an official complaint with the Federal Trade Commission in 2018 seeking $800 million in damages. Kassoff said he has yet to hear back from the agency.

What did Oreo stand for? ›

Etymology. The origin of the name "Oreo" is unknown, but there are many hypotheses, including derivations from the French word or, meaning "gold", or from the Greek word ωραίο (oreo) meaning "nice" or "attractive". Others believe that the cookie was named Oreo simply because the name was short and easy to pronounce.

How old is the oldest Oreo? ›

First introduced in the U.S. in 1912, Oreo has become the world's top selling cookie and is enjoyed in more than 100 countries.

What has Oreo done to the packaging to keep parents cookies away from their kids? ›

The limited edition wrapping makes a package of cookies look like a vehicle owner's manual, frozen vegetables, plain white t-shirts or a classic cookbook. That way, parents can slip sweets into the glove box, sock drawer, freezer or bookshelf and the kiddos will be none the wiser.

Do they still sell Hydrox? ›

Nabisco, the maker of Oreo (and a subsidiary of Mondelez Inc.), commands nearly 40% of the cookie market. Hydrox, meanwhile, was discontinued in 2003. It came back in 2015 thanks to Leaf Brands, a San Diego-based company that specializes in reheated nostalgia.

Why did they stop making Hydrox cookies? ›

“There were probably associations that you and I as consumers didn't like about the brand.” Kassoff said it was sales and marketing decisions, not the product, that led to Hydrox's demise. “The misconception about resurrecting brands is, 'Oh, these brands must have died because nobody wanted them anymore,'” he said.

What did Oreo knock off? ›

Oreo was created in 1912 as an imitation of Hydrox. Oreo eventually surpassed Hydrox in popularity, which resulted in the Hydrox cookies being perceived by many as an Oreo off-brand, despite the opposite being the case.

What is the Lady Gaga Oreo? ›

Lady Gaga teamed up with America's favorite cookie to create a new music-inspired Oreo that will help spread musical messages of kindness. The two cultural iconics concocted these one-of-a-kind pink Chromatica Oreos with green creme filling inspired by her feel-good dance album, "Chromatica."

Who owns Oreo? ›

The Oreo brand has been owned by Mondelez International since 2012. According to Mondelez, it takes two hours to make and bake one Oreo cookie.

What is Oreos rival? ›

Its rival Oreo would become the definitive creme-cookie sandwich, while Hydrox would languish in obscurity, eventually being discontinued until revived, discontinued again, and brought back. Hydrox isn't a causality of any major misstep; it simply lost out in the cutthroat world of snacks.

What is the rarest kind of Oreo? ›

Pokemon Mew Oreo Cookie - Ultra Rare.

Can dogs eat Oreos? ›

But Oreos aren't recommended for dogs. Of course, chocolate is toxic to dogs, but there's not enough baking chocolate in an Oreo to cause immediate alarm. That said, it's not wise to feed your dog anything containing even a small amount of a toxic ingredient.

Why is it so hard to stop eating Oreos? ›

Several of the limbic brain regions, including the nucleus accumbens, the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the hypothalamus are highly responsible for food cravings. The nucleus accumbens is stimulated when eating sugary or fatty foods.

What is the Oreo cookies in China case? ›

One problem: Kraft offered Chinese consumers the same type of Oreos that it sold in the U.S. Kraft believed that what was good for the U.S. was good for the world. After surveys showed that Chinese consumers found Oreos too sweet, Kraft put Andrade to work coming up with a new formula to better suit local tastes.

How do you crush Oreos without a bag? ›

You can crush Oreos in just a few minutes with a food processor or blender. Before you crush them, lay your Oreos out on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer for 30 minutes. This will make them easier to blend.

How much did Oreos cost in 1912? ›

The very first Oreos were sold to a grocer in Hoboken, New Jersey, named S.C. Thuesen in March of 1912. Nine and a quarter pounds of Oreos cost the store $1.85 and the tin they came in cost an additional 50 cents.

How much is the Mew Oreo worth? ›

An eBay search yields dozens of Mew Oreo cookies for sale, with prices listed everywhere from $50 to $10,000 to $100,000. Some listings promise a "mint condition" cookie; one claims the cookie was only handled with tongs, while others include photos showing the snack tucked safely in a plastic baggie.

Is Oreo a knock off of Hydrox? ›

Oreo was created in 1912 as an imitation of Hydrox. Oreo eventually surpassed Hydrox in popularity, which resulted in the Hydrox cookies being perceived by many as an Oreo off-brand, despite the opposite being the case.

How did Oreo beat Hydrox? ›

So when and why did Oreos become more popular than Hydrox? The truth of the matter is that Oreos outpaced its rival not just with a superior name, but with superior marketing.

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