At the start of 2020, Girl Scout cookie season couldn’t have launched at a worse time.
The coronavirus pandemic struck just as cookie sales were scheduled to take off, and as lockdowns were enacted, the Girl Scouts of the USA was forced to think on its feet.
In just a few short weeks, the GSUSA created a system that enabled the scouts to sell cookies through contactless sales and online delivery.
Now, after a full year of planning, the GSUSA is fully prepared to take on a second season of cookie sales in the COVID-19 era.
Starting Feb. 1, cookie lovers can order their favorite GSUSA treats through the organization’s first national delivery services collaboration with Grubhub, Good Morning America reports.
In select locations, customers can order cookies through the food delivery app and get the treats delivered right to their door.
This new cookie purchasing format will not wholly replace direct sales from local Girl Scouts, though. Food & Wine reports that the GSUSA prefers that individuals reach out to Girl Scouts in their community before using GrubHub to see how they’re selling cookies.
According to the site, many members are still selling cookies in creative, contact-free ways, like drive-thru stations and direct shipments.
Judith Batty, the interim GSUSA CEO, recently shared her feelings on this cookie season in the announcement. She said (via Food & Wine):
“We’re proud of the resourceful ways Girl Scouts are running their cookie businesses safely and using their earnings to make the world a better place. ... This season, our girls will continue to exemplify what the cookie program taught them — how to think like entrepreneurs, use innovative sales tactics, and pivot to new ways of doing business when things don’t go according to plan. The cookie program is what keeps Girl Scouts thriving in communities across the country and is proven to build girls’ leadership skills and help them become successful in life.”
In addition to these new delivery methods, the organization is also unveiling a new cookie in 2021. In August, the GSUSA announced the advent of the “Toast-Yay!” cookie, a treat the Girl Scout’s website describes as a “delightful, toast-shaped cookie is full of French toast flavor and flair.”