The Cookie That Changed Its Spots
Rea,
Being called a copycat never feels good. But here’s something you might not expect: sometimes the best ideas come from taking something that already exists and finding ways to make it even better.
Back in 1908, a company called Loose-Wiles created a new kind of cookie called Hydrox. It had two chocolate wafers with cream in the middle. People loved it! The cookie had beautiful designs on top, including tiny flowers and a laurel wreath. For four years, Hydrox was the only cookie of its kind.
Then in 1912, another company called Nabisco looked at Hydrox and thought they could make something similar - but better. They created a cookie called Oreo. They didn’t just make an exact copy. They studied what people liked about Hydrox and started experimenting.
While Hydrox kept saying “We were first!” and “Don’t accept copies!”, Nabisco focused on making their cookie better. They made the cream filling sweeter. They created fun, colorful advertisements instead of serious ones. They even made their cookies cost less, so more people could try them.
The real transformation happened gradually. Year after year, Nabisco kept improving their recipe. They tried different amounts of cream filling. They adjusted how crunchy the cookies were. They listened to what people liked and didn’t like. Meanwhile, Hydrox stayed exactly the same.
Today, Oreos are so popular that about 40 billion cookies are made every year. That’s enough for every person on Earth to have 5 Oreos! They’re sold in more than 100 countries. And here’s the most surprising part: most people today think Hydrox was the copy, not the other way around!
The story of Oreo shows that being first isn’t always what matters most. What matters is learning from what works and finding ways to make things even better. Sometimes the best ideas don’t come from starting from scratch - they come from seeing how to improve something that’s already there.
Love, Abba
P.S. Next time you feel like you’re not being original enough, remember: every great idea builds on other ideas. The magic happens when you find ways to make something better!
