Honolulu Cookie Company: Unexpected Hawaiian Treat
Impressing my palate doesn’t happen too often. Savory is more my style, so something sweet falls down on my list of edibles. When I do look for a dessert it’s not chocolate I crave, but something along the line of a shortbread cookie or NY style cheesecake. A chocolate chip cookie might win me over if there aren’t too many chips, I like a higher dough-to-chip ratio. Let’s just say I was won over by the cookies I discovered on my trip to Hawaii. Specifically, the Shortbread Chocolate Chip Macadamia. I still crave them from time to time. When I heard it was their 20th anniversary, I took a trip down memory lane.
My trip to Honolulu had been a blend of business and pleasure and I was looking forward to both as I packed my suitcase for a what turned out to be a trip I would not soon forget. I was heading to the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers conference, and the focus of our trip was to discover the “Real Hawaii” through history, arts, culture, and food. We had a variety of food adventures to experience during our island stay. We visited a poi farm, sipped the locally produced Oceans Vodka and enjoyed dinner on the beach. The most unexpected delights to hit my taste buds while on my visit to Hawaii…the cookies.
The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort was only steps away from the Honolulu Cookie Company shop. At the cookie boutique the aroma of butter, sugar and a dash of Heaven overwhelms the senses. Your mouth waters anticipating the first bite and your stomach aches for the satisfaction of a steady stream of cookies until there is no more room. There is no chance you can simply walk past the shop, the fragrance is too enticing. Your biggest challenge will be which flavor to try.
20th Anniversary Celebration
Celebrating twenty years in the business, entrepreneurs Keith and Janet Sung founded the business based on Janet’s original recipe and Keith’s love for shortbread cookies. They wanted to create their own variety and really own it, to create “a cookie that represented true Hawaiian hospitality.” The pineapple shape that you see in all their cookies is trademarked.
Honolulu Cookie Company is celebrating their 20th Anniversary by introducing a special year-long line just for the occasion. You can view them at http://www.honolulucookie.com/20years. The celebration includes two new flavors to mark the event, a Guava-flavored cookie and the White Triple Chocolate cookie.
Honolulu Cookie Company Facts
Most Popular Flavors
Chocolate Dipped Macadamia Nut (by far is always #1), then current other top flavors are: Dark Triple Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Dark Chocolate Kona Coffee, Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut, White Chocolate Dipped Macadamia Nut, White Chocolate Coconut. Their top fruit flavor is Pineapple Macadamia Nut.
Total Number of Cookies Sold Annually
Roughly 70 million cookies were sold in 2017. Sales fluctuate annually between 68 and 70 million plus. That’s a lot of cookies!
Outside of the United States, Where Are the Most Cookies Sold?
At the retail level, the answer would be Guam. There are two store locations on the island. Their online sales are tops in Japan. They have a variety of partners that allow them to distribute cookies outside of their retail zones like Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Bloomingdale’s (New York, San Francisco, Costa Mesa) and Tommy Bahama stores throughout the US and Japan. In the mainland US, there are two stores in Las Vegas.
The Honolulu Cookie Company cookies were my most gifted item on my return from islands. I must confess, I ended up keeping a box I had purchased as a gift. They were just too delicious to share! Happy 20th Anniversary Honolulu Cookie Company!
To learn more go to honolulucookie.com.
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