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What could possibly be better than pizza? A pizza with Girl Scout cookies, says one brand

A Northern Kentucky-based pizza brand learned the pandemic was stifling cookie sales for local Girl Scouts, so it made a quick move to boost the troops' annual sales that fund many Girl Scout activities.

Snappy Tomato Pizza in Northern Kentucky is putting smiles on both local Girl Scouts' and customers' faces with its community-minded initiative to boost cookie sales locally. (Artwork provided by Snappy Tomato Pizza)

April 20, 2020

What do Americans love at least as much as pizza? That's right, Girl Scout cookies. And that's what one Northern Kentucky-based pizza brand realized when they heard Girl Scouts in part of their Snappy Tomato Pizza brand's operating area were losing cookie sales this selling season because the scouts can't do any direct selling this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

So the two organizations decided to unite and create what is proving to be a mutually beneficial arrangements for both scouts and pizza brand, by offering a free pack of a selected flavor of the cookies with every Snappy Tomato Pizza purchase of $25 or more, according to an email from the delivery-centered brand. 

Girl Scout cookie season this year kicked off in January for the 1.7 million girls who count on the annual campaign to fund scouting programs, while learning a few business skills along the way. The season lasts through June 1 for many scouts in the Northern Kentucky and Western Ohio areas, but because the sales effort was stymied just as better weather was beginning to break in the areas, a lot of cookies weren't being sold and were stacking up in warehouses. 

Snappy Tomato Pizza caught wind of the predicament, and decided to make it a win-win-win situation for pizza brand, the Girl Scouts and the customers, through its cookie giveaway with orders. The brand bought 200 cases of Girl Scout cookies to give away with qualifying restaurant purchases. That's 2,400 boxes of the delectable seasonal treats. 

"The moment we heard about the Girl Scouts' dilemma with their inability to sell cookies door-to-door we knew we needed to help. …" Andy Ritter, director of marketing at Snappy Tomato Pizza, told Pizza Marketplace. "The leadership attributes fostered through the Girl Scouts program are the same qualities that make for a good community citizen — perhaps one of these young ladies will be our next Snappy Tomato employee or franchisee?"

More than half of the brand's 47 locations are taking part in the cookie giveaway in Southwest Ohio, Southeast Indiana and Northern Kentucky. Flavors to be included in the orders are selected randomly and include Thin Mints, Caramel deLites, Peanut Butter Patties and Lemonades, while supplies lasts.

"It is with great appreciation that we thank the teams at Snappy Tomato Pizza for purchasing cases of our Girl Scout cookies, and it is outstanding to see Snappy Tomato pay it forward by sharing our boxes of cookies as gifts to their patrons," said Haleigh McGraw, communications director, Girl Scouts of Kentucky's Wilderness Road, via email. "Thinking "out-of-the-cookie-box" with actions of caring such as these are the essence of what we strive to instill in our young ladies. Our Girl Scout sisterhood thanks Snappy Tomato for setting such a wonderful example."

Ohio and Kentucky cookie sale revenues support multiple camp properties, provide financial assistance to an estimated 4,000 girls, training for over 6,000 volunteers and numerous Girl Scout activities throughout the year.

Snappy Tomato Pizza has also challenged other U.S. pizza brands to try similar efforts with Girl Scouts in their areas to boost cookies sales this year.