If you stacked all the Oreos ever made on top of each other, they would reach the moon!
Oreos are not only the most popular cookie in America but also worldwide.
These cream-filled cookies have been around for a long time and have undergone changes in shape, size, and flavor over the years.
Here are 13 fascinating facts about Oreos that will make your mouth water for their creamy goodness.
Oreos have been around for more than 100 years.
Oreos were first sold on March 6, 1912, and marketed by Nabisco. They have become one of America’s best-selling cookie brands.
Although Kraft Foods now owns the brand, it is still the same cookie sandwich that was created in 1912.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Oreo cookies in 2012, a birthday cake flavor was launched worldwide.
These 100th-anniversary Oreos had a special birthday cake flavor cream filling, with sprinkles. “OREO 100” was printed on one of the cookies.
Oreos have had more than 50 different flavors.
The development of the Oreo cookie’s great taste never stops! Over the years, different flavors have been released worldwide, including flavors inspired by favorite desserts like Key Lime Pie, which was launched in July 2015.
Cinnamon bun flavor was launched in January 2016, while Mississippi Mud Pie and Waffles and Syrup were both limited editions in May 2017.
Other creative Oreo flavors include cotton candy, peppermint bark, chocolate hazelnut, jelly donut, chocolate strawberry, and toasted coconut.
Oreos come in more than 10 different shapes and sizes.
While everyone is familiar with the famous double biscuit and cream center filling, did you know it has been adapted into many shapes and sizes over the years?
The first adaptation of the Oreo was in 1974 when the Double Stuf Oreo was introduced. It supposedly had double the amount of filling and was available in original, peanut butter, cool mint, chocolate cream, and golden.
In 1976, the Football-shaped Oreo cookie was launched! This was the same beloved cookie but just reshaped to look like a football.
The Big Stuf cookie was introduced in 1987. These were sold individually and were much bigger than the original Oreo cookie.
The mini Oreo was launched in 1991 as bite-size versions of the original cookie.
A stack of Oreos could reach the moon!
Since their launch in 1912, enough Oreos have been produced that if you stacked them, they would reach the moon!
With an estimated 40 billion cookies sold each year, if you stacked them on top of each other, you would be able to circumnavigate the earth five times.
Oreos are a different cookie in China.
Oreos were introduced to the Chinese market in 1996, but they were not as popular as in America.
They were so unpopular that they almost removed them from the shelves.
Instead of trying to sell their regular Oreos in China, Kraft decided to get feedback from Chinese consumers and adapt the cookie to the market. They rebranded, tested new ingredients, and created a new Oreo that was more like a wafer with four layers of crispy cookie filled with vanilla or chocolate cream. This adapted Oreo became the bestselling biscuit in China and was later expanded to other parts of Asia, Australia, and even Canada.
In the 21st Century, Oreos have become an iconic part of popular culture. They have collaborated with the film industry, supported the LGBT community, and even had a math class experiment debunk their “double stuffed” claim.
There was also a cereal version of Oreos called Oreo O’s, which had a rocky journey to success due to a collaboration between Kraft Foods and Post Cereals. However, they made a comeback in the US in 2017 and even appeared in selected stores in the UK since 2020.
For those who love dunking their Oreos in milk, there is a tool called the Dipr that acts as the ultimate cookie spoon to ensure you don’t lose your cookie in the milk.
The Dipr was created in 2011 by a couple who were tired of losing their cookies to milk. While it is marketed as a tool to use specifically with Oreos, it is a separate enterprise. Oreos are the bestselling cookie in the world, having sold over 450 billion since their launch in 1912. Kraft has partnered with other food companies to produce Oreo-related products, such as the Oreo McFlurry and Krushem Oreo drink. In some countries, savory flavored Oreos are a hit, such as hot chicken wing and wasabi. Oreo ran a competition in 2019 where they released a special edition mystery flavor, which turned out to be churros. National Oreo Day is celebrated on March 6th in the USA by eating Oreos and playing games centered around them. People are encouraged to share how they eat their Oreos on social media with the hashtag #NationalOreoCookieDay.
FAQ
1. What is the history behind Oreos?
Oreos were first introduced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company (now known as Nabisco). The original design featured a simple design of two chocolate wafers with a vanilla cream filling. Over time, the recipe and design have evolved, but the classic Oreo remains one of the most recognizable cookies in the world.
2. What is the most popular Oreo flavor?
The classic Oreo flavor remains the most popular, but there are many other flavors available today, including Double Stuf, Golden, and Mint. Nabisco also releases limited edition flavors throughout the year, such as Pumpkin Spice, Red Velvet, and Peppermint Bark.
3. How many Oreos are sold each year?
According to Nabisco, over 40 billion Oreos are sold each year worldwide. That’s enough cookies to circle the Earth five times!
4. Are Oreos vegan?
While Oreos are not officially vegan, they do not contain any animal products. However, they are made in a facility that also processes milk, which may be a concern for some vegans.
5. What is the proper way to eat an Oreo?
There is no one “proper” way to eat an Oreo, but some people prefer to twist off one cookie and eat the cream filling first, while others prefer to dunk their cookies in milk. Some even like to crush up Oreos and use them as a topping for ice cream or other desserts.
Zayn Anderson is a prolific writer with a passion for uncovering the world’s intriguing facts. Armed with an insatiable curiosity, he delves into various subjects, from history and science to nature and technology.