The History of Oreos

Nabisco, originally known as the National Biscuit Country, introduced the Oreo Biscuit on March 6, 1912. Although Hydrox cookies were invented two years earlier, Oreos would become the most popular cookie of the 20th century. This classic cookie continues to be an American favorite nearly one hundred years after it was introduced.

The Trio

In 1912 Oreos were one of three new cookies or "biscuits" that Nabisco called "The Trio." The other two cookies, called Mother Goose Biscuits and the Veronese Biscuit, were single-layer cookies without a cream filling. Oreos proved to be the only cookie in The Trio with staying power.

Name

Nabisco's advertising department came up with the name Oreo. While the exact origin is not known, it could refer to the Greek word oreo, which means hill or mountain. During the testing phase Oreos were supposedly slightly mounded, resembling a small hill. Another theory claims the name is a derivation of the French word for gold, the color of the first Oreo package. In 1913, the official name was Oreo Biscuit. In 1921 the name was changed to Oreo Sandwich, followed by Oreo Cream Sandwich in 1948 and Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies in 1975.

Appearance

The original Oreos were identical to today's version, except they were slightly larger. Over the years, Oreos have shrunk and grown. Today's size is in between the largest and the smallest versions. The cookies are stamped with their name and a design of four-leaf clovers by brass rollers.

Cost

In 1922, Oreos sold for 32 cents per pound. Today, an 18-oz. package costs approximately $4.29. In spite of the price increase, Americans still eat almost 12 billion Oreos every year.

Variation

Over the years Nabisco has developed several other Oreo products. In the 1920s, Nabisco introduced a lemon-filled Oreo. The deliberately misspelled Double Stuf, featuring twice as much cream filling as the original Oreo, appeared in 1975. Golden Oreos are vanilla cookies with the same vanilla frosting as the original Oreos. Golden Chocolate Crème Oreos, known as the "Uh-Oh Oreo" until 2007, are the reverse of the original cookie--vanilla cookies with chocolate cream frosting.

Novelty Items

Today, Oreos are also available in a snack cake called "Oreo Cakesters," miniature bite-sized cookies, "Fun Stix" in a tube shape, 100-calorie snack packs and a variety of ice cream novelties. Seasonal colored fillings are available in orange for Halloween, red for Christmas and pastel shades for Easter. Oreos are even available as a pie crust.

References

• Food Timeline: Oreos
• Nabisco World Oreo Brand List