March 16, 2021
General Mills’ Pillsbury brand is debuting a line of Soft Baked Cookies, marking its first product for the ready-to-eat cookie space in its more than 150-year history. The cookies are made with a blend of butter and shortening, which gives them a soft texture, and they will be available in four varieties — Chocolate Chip, Confetti, Sugar with Drizzled Icing and Peanut Butter with Chocolatey Drizzle — in packages of 18 cookies.
Pillsbury, better known for its refrigerated bake-and-eat cookie, crescent, and biscuit dough has expanded its reach into the snacks segment and different eating occasions as consumers seek out comforting, indulgent sweets and reconnect with baking.
The Soft Baked Cookies mark Pillsbury’s second baked snack product, joining its Snack Cakes, which debuted this past June. Shortly after, General Mills announced that all Pillsbury refrigerated cookie and brownie dough was being reformulated so that consumers could safely eat it raw — or bake it if they have the time. These introductions show how the company is trying new innovations for the century-old brand as consumer habits and needs shift.
Cookies have seen renewed sales during the pandemic, as consumers seek indulgent treats. General Mills’ premade cookie sales were growing in the mid-single digits before the pandemic. That growth rate has since jumped to nearly 12%. General Mills’ research found that customers who bought Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough were also shopping for ready-made options, revealing a growth opportunity for the brand.