In the United States, December 4th is National Cookie Day. But most people don’t wait for a holiday to indulge in their favorite sweet treat. In a survey conducted by Ask Your Target Market, 22.75% of U.S. consumers reported buying cookies once a month and about the same percentage, 22.25%, reported buying cookies more than once a month.

The love of cookies extends beyond the United States. Cookies are a beloved treat all over the world. Amaretti in Italy, macarons in France, kleicha in Iraq, rafioli in Croatia, stroopwafel in the Netherlands, and chocolate chip in the United States. Cookies come in many shapes, sizes, flavors, and textures. To pique the interest of consumers, bakery manufacturers add unusual flavorings such as pineapple and chai spices to their products. However, in developed countries like the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom, chocolate cookies continue to be highly favored. Nabisco Oreos are the best selling cookies in the world with more than $2 billion in annual sales. In 2018, Oreo sales totaled more than $698 million in the United States.

To capitalize on consumers’ health-consciousness, cookie manufacturers add oats, quinoa, and other whole grains to their products. Consumers’ concerns about gluten intolerance, especially in North America and Europe, will continue to create product demand for gluten-free products and growth in the market. Consumers’ continued demand for on-the-go foods is also expected to increase revenues in the coming years.

Today’s market size shows worldwide cookie revenue in 2018 and projected for 2025. North America, the Asia-Pacific region, and Europe were the largest markets for cookies in 2018. Cookie revenues in North America alone totaled more than a third of all worldwide revenue in this category in 2018, $10.42 billion. By 2025, 25% of worldwide cookie revenues are expected to come from the Asia-Pacific region due to rising incomes and changing lifestyles.

Most people buy cookies at supermarkets and convenience stores; however, online sales are expected to experience the fastest growth between 2018 and 2025. By 2025, nearly 20% of cookie sales are projected to take place online. Some top cookie manufacturers include The Kellogg Co.; Nestlé S.A., PepsiCo, Inc.; Britannia Industries Ltd.; The Campbell Soup Co.; Mondele̅z International, Inc.; Danone S.A.; and Parle Products Private Ltd.

Geographic reference: World
Year: 2018 and 2025
Market size: $30.62 billion and $44.01 billion, respectively
Sources: “Cookies Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Product (Bar, Molded, Rolled, Drop), by Distribution Channel (Offline, Online), by Region (North America, APAC, MEA, Europe, CSA), and Segment Forecasts, 2019 – 2025,” Grand View Research Press Release, April 2019 available online here; “Cookies Market Size Worth $44.01 Billion by 2025 | CAGR: 5.3%: Grand View Research, Inc.,” CISION PR Newswire Press Release, May 22, 2019 available online here; Anne Pilon, “Cookie Survey: People Buy More Cookies Over the Holidays,” AYTM, December 4, 2014 available online here; Stephanie Ashe, “13 Things You Didn’t Know About Oreo Cookies,” Insider, March 5, 2019 available online here; “2017 Fact Sheet,” Mondele̅z International available online here; “Top 50 Most Popular Cookies in the World,” TasteAtlas, November 19, 2019 available online here; “Top 8 Most Popular African Cookies,” TasteAtlas, November 19, 2019 available online here; “U.S. Cookie and Snack Sales,” The Manufacturing Confectioner, February 2019, p. 15 available online here.
Image source: Steven Giacomelli, “cookies-chocolate-chip-cookies-1264263,” Pixabay, March 18, 2016 available online here.