By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Stacy’s Pita Chips is launching a delicious partnership with Girl Scouts to help empower young girls in the US.
Stacy’s is a woman-founded company that grew from a single sandwich cart to a popular, nationwide food brand.
Today, Stacy’s Pita Chips is in important part of the $19 billion Frito-Lay division of PepsiCo, but the company has remained true to its roots. This year, Stacy’s Pita Chips says it’s continuing its ongoing commitment to “help women rise” with a comprehensive licensing relationship with Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA).
As part of that relationship, Stacy’s is now releasing a new, limited-edition Girl Scout Cookie inspired flavor, Stacy’s Girl Scout Thin Mints Flavored Pita Thins, and pledging a donation of $50,000 to Girl Scouts to support the next generation of women entrepreneurs.
“Stacy’s believes that when women rise, we all rise, and now, we’re expanding this idea by supporting these entrepreneurs in partnership with Girl Scouts,” said Rhasheda Boyd, vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay, “We always seek to bring more meaning to everyday moments, whether through impactful actions for our community or unexpected and delicious new flavors.
“Just like our pita chips, this is an artfully crafted partnership that we are thrilled to share with our fans.”
Aligned with Stacy’s mission, GSUSA has a long legacy of helping girls develop confidence, courage, character and the skills needed to thrive in today’s world. The new product is inspired by the popular cookie flavor that has helped fuel the entrepreneurial skills of young leaders for decades. As the number one-selling Girl Scout cookie, the classic Thin Mints flavor will now also take the form of Stacy’s Pita Thins, delighting both Stacy’s and Girl Scout fans with the perfect sweet and crunchy mashup.
The GSUSA says the licensing deal, brokered by its agency Earthbound LLC, is a huge step in expanding its reach into other verticals, and will help the organization expand its efforts to promote positive life skills for its millions of members.
“Girl Scouts has always encouraged our members to discover their strengths, learn new skills and rise to new challenges, gaining friends and mentors along the way,” said Corby Herschman, director of institutional giving at Girl Scouts of the USA. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Stacy’s Pita Chips, a brand that knows the importance of empowering women entrepreneurs to succeed and thrive.”
GSUSA has been rapidly expanding its licensing business in recent years with its agency Earthbound, which specializes in creative brand activations, and is a major force in the world of retail licensing.
Earthbound is a leading product design, licensing, and brand growth company that expands the reach of brands in the market on a global scale. With 22 plus years of expertise in retail brand licensing, product development, and product design, Earthbound augments brand potential by offering unprecedented growth for powerhouse brands. The company is responsible for tens of thousands of SKUs in major retailers around the world.
The partnership with Stacy’s was seen as a natural fit for the Girl Scouts organization.
Since 2017, Stacy’s has connected thousands of women entrepreneurs with each other and invested thousands of dollars in women-founded businesses through the Stacy’s Rise Project, a grant and mentorship program dedicated to helping women grow their businesses. Over the years, Stacy’s has created a community that demonstrates the power of women coming together to lift each other up and celebrate each other’s successes.
In this project, Stacy’s is bringing the popular Thin Mints flavor to stores nationwide starting in September for a limited time only. Shoppers can join Stacy’s in supporting the next generation of women entrepreneurs by scanning the on-pack QR code to learn more about the partnership. For more information, please visit www.stacyssnacks.com/girlscouts or check out @stacys on Instagram.
Anyone interested in licensing opportunities with Girl Scouts of the USA can contact Abe Cohen at Earthbound LLC: abe@earthboundllc.com