As we prepare for the 2019-20 Girl Scout Cookie Program, Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts wants you to be aware of recent cookie product packaging updates from our cookie manufacturer, ABC Bakers, which may affect our Girl Scout members and consumers with food allergies, sensitivities, or dietary restrictions.

In response to mandatory Food and Drug Administration labeling requirements, you may notice several updates on ABC Bakers’ Girl Scout Cookie packaging:

• A voluntary “May contain” statement has been added to declare the presence of allergens in the bakery (also known as “Manufactured in a shared facility with…”)
• Calories are bold and in a larger font
• “Added sugars” are a new, separate category
• The footnote has been changed regarding the advice and daily values being based on a 2,000-calorie diet

While there have been no changes to the Girl Scout Cookie recipes or manufacturing processes this season, the bakery does manufacture other products that contain allergens, so they are now featuring a “May contain” statement. If there is an allergen in a cookie recipe, it is labeled and expressed in the “Contains” statement.

According to ABC Bakers, here’s how their production line breaks down:

• Thin Mints, Lemonades, and Thanks-A-Lot are produced on separate production lines, and are peanut-free, but they are baked in the same facility as cookies containing peanuts.
• S’mores, Shortbread, and Caramel deLites are produced on the same production lines as cookies containing peanuts (Peanut Butter Patties and Peanut Butter Sandwiches).
• Peanut Butter Patties, Thin Mints, Thanks-A-Lot, Lemonades, and S’mores are made with vegan ingredients and do not contain a milk ingredient. However, they may be produced on equipment that is also used to produce items containing dairy.
• The gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip Girl Scout Cookie is certified by the Gluten Free Certification Organization, produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility, and meets a 10-parts-per-million standard set by the Gluten Free Certification Organization.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts’ top priority is to keep our members and consumers safe while ensuring inclusiveness. We are committed to increasing our understanding of food allergens and seeking ways to improve how they are managed in our product programs, events, and program activities.

For more information about ABC Bakers, or questions regarding Girl Scout Cookies, please feel free to reach out to us or visit abcbakers.com.