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Girl Scout cookie shortage sparks resale market

Girl Scouts sell cookies as a winter storm moves in on February 8, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

(NewsNation) — Those who look forward to Girl Scout cookie season each year may be facing disappointment, as supply chain disruptions lead to a shortage of cookies and black market prices.

Raspberry Rallies, a new flavor introduced this year that is a “sister cookie” to the popular Thin Mint, sold out within days in some parts of the country. The limited edition cookie was only available online and typically sold for $4-$7 per box , but is now being listed on sites like EBay for astronomical prices. Boxes of cookies are being listed online for upward of $20 a box, including a listing for 12 boxes being sold for $499.


But it’s not just the limited edition flavor that’s out of stock.

Girl Scouts of the USA announced in December that customers ordering online could face shortages due to supply chain issues affecting Little Brownie Bakers, one of two bakeries that produces the iconic cookies.

While the Girl Scouts said bulk orders for in-person sales would not be affected, people have taken to social media to report they aren’t able to find their favorite cookies in person either, and some troops are cutting their cookie sale season short.

Whether or not you can find your favorite flavor depends on where you live, as Little Brownie Bakers and ABC Bakery supply different parts of the country. That’s also why cookies may have different names or taste slightly different depending on what state you’re in.

Some parts of the country are sold out of multiple flavors, and while some are turning to resellers to get their cookie fix, Girl Scout leaders have asked people to avoid secondhand markets.

“When cookies are purchased through a third-party seller, Girl Scout troops are deprived of proceeds that fund critical programming throughout the year,” Girl Scouts said in a statement to CNN.