NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – The Girl Scouts kicked off their cookie season in New York City on Thursday, with the price for a box of the seasonal staple rising to $7 in the five boroughs.
The beloved cookies are available online starting this month before troops hit the streets for their in-person booth sales in March and April.
While the price of a box is now $7 in NYC, it's unlikely that will stop devotees from getting their hands on such cookie classics as Samoas, Tagalongs, Thin Mints and Do-si-dos.
The Girl Scouts attributed the price hike to “the rising cost of goods and services nationwide.”
The organization said the updated price tag will help “better support Girl Scout programming.” It also noted that all proceeds remain in the five boroughs, with a portion going directly to the troop that sold the box.
The price will allow for “a 50% increase in the amount of funds that go back to NYC troops,” the Girl Scouts said.
Funds will also support Troop 6000, which serves scouts whose families live in city shelters. The troop was expanded this past year to serve newly arrived asylum seekers.
“Every year, Girl Scouts across all five boroughs of New York City get to showcase their own businesses and learn how to deal with money, all while making new friends and meeting new people during Girl Scout Cookie Season,” said Meridith Maskara, the CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater New York.
“I’m always so proud to see girls challenge themselves to reach new heights through their cookie goals. They always rise to the occasion and show off what it means to be a Girl Scout,” Maskara said.
In addition to buying cookies, people can donate boxes to service organizations through the Gift of Caring program. This year, all donated cookies will be distributed to food pantries in NYC.
Girls who sell more than 500 boxes qualify to become members of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York’s Cookie Executive Committee. The top-sellers of 2023 were Avi Spatz, Julia Lin and Mai McCarthy, who sold a total of 11,763 boxes during the season.