Did Oreo Rip Off Hydrox Cookies? (2024)

FAQs

Did Oreo Rip Off Hydrox Cookies? ›

Oreo was created in 1912 as an imitation of Hydrox. Oreo eventually surpassed Hydrox in popularity, which resulted in the Hydrox cookies being perceived by many as an Oreo off-brand, despite the opposite being the case.

Kassoff has expressed concern about Mondelēz's before. Upset with the Chicago-based company's efforts to diminish his brand's presence in the competitive cookie aisle, he filed an official complaint with the Federal Trade Commission in 2018 seeking $800 million in damages.

Hydrox aren't a knockoff — they're the original sandwich cookie. Hydrox debuted in 1908, a full four years before Oreo came out, and they were revolutionary at the time.

“There were probably associations that you and I as consumers didn't like about the brand.” Kassoff said it was sales and marketing decisions, not the product, that led to Hydrox's demise. “The misconception about resurrecting brands is, 'Oh, these brands must have died because nobody wanted them anymore,'” he said.

When iconic Oreo cookies first debuted over 100 years ago, they were actually an off-brand of Hydrox, a kosher chocolate sandwich cookie on the market in 1908. But Oreos eventually rose to the top, building the brand's popularity that still exists today.

It debuted in the United States in 1908, and was manufactured by Sunshine Biscuits for over 90 years. Hydrox was largely discontinued in 1999, three years after Sunshine was acquired by Keebler, which was later acquired by Kellogg's which in turn sold the cookie line and the rights to the Keebler name to Ferrero SpA.

Yet Oreo's dominance is unparalleled, accounting for roughly 10% of all cookies purchased in the US. Nabisco, the maker of Oreo (and a subsidiary of Mondelez Inc.), commands nearly 40% of the cookie market. Hydrox, meanwhile, was discontinued in 2003.

The biscuits are substantial and dense, with excellent cocoa flavor, not too sweet. The filling is creamy with a hint of real vanilla, and seems more generous than I expected. I may have eaten Hydrox once or twice 50 years ago as a kid, not often enough to have a memory. Premium price to be sure, but worth every penny.

The most common version asserts that Oreo derives from or, French for "gold" and supposedly the color of the original packaging. Others say it stands for "orexigenic," a medical term for substances that stimulate the appetite (including cannabis).

The name Oreo was trademarked on March 14, 1912. It was launched as an imitation of the original Hydrox cookie manufactured by Sunshine company, which was introduced in 1908. The original design on the face of the Oreo featured a wreath around the edge of the cookie and the name "OREO" in the center.

Does Hydrox or Oreo taste better? ›

Oreo cookies may be crumblier, but they also have a slightly sweeter flavor. The cream in between cookies differs as well, with Hydrox opting for a smoother, less sweet option. Oreo icing is thicker in consistency and adds some extra sweetness.

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

OREO, the world's bestselling cookie with $4 billion in annual revenue, is actually a knockoff.

Mondelez owns the Cadbury and Toblerone chocolate brands as well as Oreo and Chips Ahoy cookies, Triscuit crackers and Perfect Snacks nutrition bars.

In the United States, they were sold for $0.25 (equivalent to $7.89 in 2023) a pound (454 g) in novelty metal canisters with clear glass tops. The first Oreo was sold on March 6, 1912, to a grocer in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Leaf Brands filed a complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission in 2018 against Mondelez International, maker of Oreo cookies, for hiding Hydrox cookies from customers on store shelves.

The truth of the matter is that Oreos outpaced its rival not just with a superior name, but with superior marketing. The patented Oreo twist was launched as a marketing idea in 1923, and in subsequent decades, Nabisco would also tailor marketing to female consumers and noticeably improve the product's packaging.

Pokemon Mew Oreo Cookie - Ultra Rare.