14 Interesting Facts about Oreos

  I remember those commercials growing up. The ones where someone would always twist the cookies apart to eat the filling first, then the crunchy cookie sides.

I seldom ate them because my mother did not buy cookies.  Instead we made them but occasionally I'd visit a friend whose mother served them as a snack after school.

The other day I discovered there are quite a few different varieties of Oreos including one with a chocolate hazelnut filling.  Have you ever wondered when Oreos first made their appearance?  They've been around for over 100 years.

The story begins in 1898 when several bakery companies merged to form the National Biscuit Company now known as Nabisco.  Their first successful entry is the box of Animal Crackers just four years later but in 1912, they began production and marketing of Oreos.  They successfully filed a trademark on these cookies in 1913.

Apparently, these cookies were originally released in 1912 but were sold at 30 cents per pound rather than per package as they do now.  It appears the first package made its appearance to a grocer in Hoboken, New Jersey.

The cookie in 1912 is quite similar to the current design dating from 1952.  It was called the Oreo Biscuit when it was originally released but the company changed the name to the Oreo Sandwich in 1921 before they changed the name to the Oreo Creme Sandwich in 1937.  The cookie was renamed with the current name of "The Oreo Chocolate Sandwich cookie" in 1974.

No one is sure where the name came from.  There are lots of different theories but no one knows for sure.  Now for 10 interesting facts about the cookie.

1. Since 1912, Nabisco has manufactured enough cookies to circle the globe 312 times if lined up end to end.  If you stacked the cookies you could travel from the earth to the moon 5 times.

2.  The original filling recipe called for pork fat as part of the recipe.  This lead to problems with being classified as kosher but in 1998 Nabisco took steps to change that so all Oreos are now kosher and the packages carry the symbol.

3.  In 1912, when Oreos hit the market, there were two flavors, original and lemon meringue.  The original proved to be more popular so Nabisco discontinued the lemon meringue flavor in the 1920's.

4. Since 1912, over 450 billion cookies have been sold world wide.

5.  For its 100th birthday, a special birthday oreo with a cake flavored filling and sprinkles.  Over the years, they've created other flavors such as green tea, blueberry ice creme, root bear float, caramel apple, and other flavors created to appeal to consumers in different countries.

6.  Oreos are sold in over 100 countries.

7.  The Hydrox cookies looks like a copy cat cookie but it was actually released four years prior to Oreos.

8. There was an oreo breakfast cereal produced from 1998 to 2007 but it can still be purchased in Korea.

9.  The cookies have a 71:29 ratio of cookies to cream but the double stuff one is only 1.86 or 1.67 times as much filling, not twice as indicated by the label.  It depends on whose article you read as to the figure given.

10. The cookie has a pattern of 12 dots, 12 flowers, 12 dashes, and 90 ridges in each one.

11. Nation Oreo day is celebrated on March 6th

12.  Each cookie takes 59 minutes to make from start to finish.

13.  A portion of West 15th  Avenue between 9th and 10th avenue in New York City was renamed "Oreo Way" to celebrate the fact the first cookie was produced at the factory there.

14. When Oreos were originally introduced in 1912, they were one of three.  The other two, Mother Goose Biscuits and Veronese Biscuits were never as popular.

I hope you found this interesting.  Have a great day.