Burry's
Burry's was an American biscuit and cookie manufacturer known for consumer baked goods and for producing Girl Scout Cookies from 1936 to 1989.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
2requests
1companies- Anthropic2
- Profile
- 2
- Controversies
- 0
- JSON · MD
- 0
- First read
- Nov 4, 2026
- Latest read
- Nov 4, 2026
From this site's server log
Overview
Burry's was a historic biscuit and baked-goods manufacturer whose roots dated to cookie production begun by Christina Burry in Toronto in 1888. The business was later reorganized by George W. Burry, becoming Burry's Biscuit Corporation in 1933. After operating in Chicago, the company moved its base to Elizabeth, New Jersey, where it developed into a diversified producer of cookies, crackers, pretzels, tart shells, entrée shells, wafers, snacks, and other prepared bakery products. The company is particularly associated with Girl Scout Cookies. Burry's began manufacturing them in 1936 and continued to supply the organization until 1989. Its products included cookies sold under names such as Plantation cookies, Thin Mints, Scot-Teas, and Savannahs. Some of these products also appeared in the wider retail market under other names. For example, the Gaucho peanut-butter sandwich cookie was described as the consumer-market counterpart of the Savannah, using oatmeal wafers and a peanut-butter filling. Burry's production and packaging methods changed over time, including the use of sealed cardboard cylinders and later cans for certain cookie lines. During the 1940s, Burry's expanded beyond biscuits. It entered cleaning and hygiene products in 1944 and was producing pretzels by 1946. The company also worked on mechanizing pretzel production, reflecting the broader industrial shift from hand production to automated bakery manufacturing. Through acquisitions, Burry's broadened its geographic reach and product portfolio. It purchased Independent Biscuits of Davenport, Iowa, in 1950, acquired LeRoy Foods of Brooklyn and Empire Biscuit in the mid-1950s, and later acquired Cal-Ray Bakeries, a western United States baking company. Quaker Oats acquired Burry Biscuit in January 1962 in a transaction reported at approximately $25 million. At the time, Burry had about 1,600 employees, more than 40 products, revenue of approximately $22.5 million, and profits of roughly $730,000, according to the cited historical account. Under Quaker ownership, Burry's was described as the largest producer of Girl Scout Cookies in the United States. Marketing executive J. R. McAllister Borie is credited in the historical record with helping popularize the Thin Mint name. The business subsequently passed through several corporate reorganizations. Quaker sold its food division in 1980 to Générale Biscuit, which renamed the operation Burry-Lu to connect it with the LU brand. In 1985, Burry-Lu was merged with Salerno-Megowen Biscuit Company to create General Biscuit Brands. The combined operation reportedly produced approximately 13,000 tons of food and supplied about 30 percent of Girl Scout Cookies at that time. ABC Cookie Bakers purchased Burry's Girl Scout Cookie division in 1989, ending Burry's role as a Girl Scout Cookie manufacturer. The remaining business was purchased by Sunshine Biscuits in 1991. Burry's products also included Scooter Pies, a chocolate-coated marshmallow sandwich made with large graham crackers, as well as gourmet crackers and cookies, vended cookies and snacks, wafers, shells, and tart and entrée shells. The company promoted slow baking as a distinctive feature of its manufacturing process. Although the original company no longer operates as an independent business, Burry's remains notable in the history of American commercial baking and Girl Scout Cookie production.
History
Burry's originated in 1888, when Christina Burry began making cookies in Toronto. The enterprise was later reorganized by George W. Burry, becoming Burry's Biscuit Corporation in 1933. The reorganized company was initially based in Chicago and subsequently moved to Elizabeth, New Jersey. This New Jersey base became associated with the company's development as a large-scale commercial bakery and snack producer. Burry's began making Girl Scout Cookies in 1936. Its Girl Scout products were marketed under names including Plantation cookies and, according to the historical account, included Thin Mints, Scot-Teas, and Savannahs by 1944. The company used changing packaging formats, including sealed cardboard cylinders and later cans. Its Girl Scout production became one of the most important parts of its identity, although Burry also sold products through ordinary retail channels and supplied other food categories. The company broadened its activities in the 1940s. It entered cleaning and hygiene products in 1944 and was producing pretzels by 1946. Burry also pursued mechanization, pioneering a machine-made pretzel process intended to automate production. Its bakery portfolio included cookies, crackers, pretzels, tart and entrée shells, wafers, and snack products. A retail outlet associated with the company reportedly sold broken or defective baked goods in bulk at discounted prices. Acquisitions supported Burry's expansion. In 1950, it bought Independent Biscuits of Davenport, Iowa, for $125,000 and continued operating the business as a division. On March 29, 1954, it acquired LeRoy Foods, a Brooklyn food company, and also acquired Empire Biscuit around the same period. These transactions were reported to have doubled Burry's sales. Around 1960, Burry acquired Cal-Ray Bakeries, extending its presence into the western United States. Quaker Oats acquired Burry Biscuit in January 1962. The reported value was approximately $25 million. At the time, the business had about 1,600 employees, more than 40 products, revenue of approximately $22.5 million, and profits of roughly $730,000. Burry was described as the country's largest Girl Scout Cookie producer in 1962. The historical record credits marketing executive J. R. McAllister Borie with helping popularize the Thin Mint Cookie. In 1980, Quaker sold its food division to Générale Biscuit. The Burry operation was renamed Burry-Lu, linking its identity to Générale Biscuit's LU brand. In 1985, Burry-Lu merged with Salerno-Megowen Biscuit Company to form General Biscuit Brands. The new company was reported to produce about 13,000 tons of food and approximately 30 percent of Girl Scout Cookies. Burry's relationship with Girl Scout Cookies ended in 1989, when ABC Cookie Bakers purchased the division. The rest of the company was acquired by Sunshine Biscuits in 1991. These transactions brought the independent Burry's business to an end, although several product concepts and historical associations continued to be remembered in accounts of American bakery manufacturing. Burry's is also associated with products such as Gaucho peanut-butter sandwich cookies and Scooter Pies. The former used oatmeal wafers and peanut-butter filling, while Scooter Pies combined graham crackers, marshmallow, and a chocolate coating. The company promoted slow baking as the defining secret of its process.
- 1991
Sunshine Biscuits acquires the remaining company
[1]Sunshine Biscuits purchased the remainder of the Burry business.
- 1989
Girl Scout Cookie division is sold
[1]ABC Cookie Bakers acquired Burry's Girl Scout Cookie division.
- 1985
Burry-Lu merges into General Biscuit Brands
[1]Burry-Lu and Salerno-Megowen Biscuit Company were combined to form General Biscuit Brands.
- 1980
The food division is sold to Générale Biscuit
[1]The operation was renamed Burry-Lu after its sale to Générale Biscuit.
- 1962
Quaker Oats acquires Burry Biscuit
[1]Burry Biscuit became a Quaker Oats division in a transaction reported at approximately $25 million.
- 1954
LeRoy Foods is acquired
[1]Burry's acquired Brooklyn-based LeRoy Foods and also bought Empire Biscuit around the same period.
- 1950
Independent Biscuits is acquired
[1]Burry's purchased Independent Biscuits of Davenport, Iowa, and operated it as a division.
- 1946
Machine-made pretzel production is developed
[1]Burry's produced pretzels and worked on mechanizing pretzel manufacturing.
- 1944
Product range expands beyond biscuits
[1]The company expanded into cleaning and hygiene products and was associated with Girl Scout Cookie varieties including Thin Mints, Scot-Teas, and Savannahs.
- 1936
Girl Scout Cookie manufacturing begins
[1]Burry's began producing cookies for the Girl Scouts, a relationship that continued until 1989.
Products and positioning
Mass-market baked-goods manufacturer emphasizing industrial production, broad product variety, and a slow-baking process. The company also held a significant institutional position as a producer of Girl Scout Cookies.
Institutional and fundraising cookies · 1936
Girl Scout Cookies
Burry's manufactured Girl Scout Cookies from 1936 through 1989. Its historical product list included Thin Mints, Scot-Teas, and Savannahs, while the company also used the Plantation name for some Girl Scout Cookie products. Packaging evolved from sealed cardboard cylinders to cans and other formats.
Mint chocolate cookies · 1944
Thin Mints
Thin Mints were among the Girl Scout Cookie varieties manufactured by Burry's. The historical account credits Burry marketing executive J. R. McAllister Borie with helping popularize the Thin Mint Cookie name during the company's period of prominence.
Shortbread cookies · 1944
Scot-Teas
Scot-Teas were described as sugared shortbread cookies included in Burry's Girl Scout Cookie manufacturing range during the 1940s.
Oatmeal sandwich cookies · 1944
Savannahs
Savannahs were oatmeal sandwich cookies with peanut-butter filling. A closely related consumer product was sold as Gaucho, with a small opening in the top wafer that allowed excess filling to escape during production.
Peanut-butter sandwich cookies
Gaucho
Gaucho was a retail peanut-butter sandwich cookie described as the consumer-market equivalent of the Savannah. It used oatmeal wafers and peanut-butter filling and was sold in a coarse-cardstock box covered with a wax-coated paper label.
Chocolate-coated marshmallow snack
Scooter Pie
Scooter Pie consisted of two large round graham-cracker cookies surrounding a thick marshmallow layer and covered in chocolate. It occupied a similar product space to Moon Pie-style chocolate-coated sandwich snacks.
Crackers and cookies
Burry's Gourmet Crackers and Cookies
This range represented Burry's broader retail bakery offering beyond Girl Scout Cookies, covering packaged crackers and cookies marketed as gourmet products.
Baking shells
Burry's Tart and Entrée Shells
Burry's produced prepared tart and entrée shells for household and food-service use, reflecting the company's expansion into component bakery products rather than finished snack cookies alone.
Wafers and pastry shells
Famous Euphrates Wafers and Shells
The Famous Euphrates line formed part of Burry's assortment of wafers and shells, demonstrating the breadth of its commercial bakery manufacturing portfolio.
Brand decisions
1991
Sell the remaining business to Sunshine BiscuitsM&ABackground
After the Girl Scout Cookie division had been sold, the remaining Burry business continued under the reorganized bakery ownership structure.
Action taken
Sunshine Biscuits purchased the rest of the company.
Aftermath
Burry's ceased to operate as an independent company.
1989
Exit Girl Scout Cookie manufacturingStrategyBackground
Burry had manufactured Girl Scout Cookies since 1936, but its bakery operations were being reorganized under new ownership.
Action taken
ABC Cookie Bakers purchased Burry's Girl Scout Cookie division.
Aftermath
Burry's ended its more than five-decade role as a Girl Scout Cookie manufacturer.
1985
Combine Burry-Lu with Salerno-MegowenM&ABackground
Générale Biscuit consolidated bakery operations under a larger business structure.
Action taken
Burry-Lu was merged with Salerno-Megowen Biscuit Company to create General Biscuit Brands.
Aftermath
The combined company reportedly produced approximately 13,000 tons of food and about 30 percent of Girl Scout Cookies.
1980
Sell the food division to Générale BiscuitM&ABackground
Quaker Oats reorganized its food interests and sold the Burry operation as part of its food division.
Action taken
Générale Biscuit acquired the food division and renamed the operation Burry-Lu.
Aftermath
The Burry identity was connected with Générale Biscuit's LU brand before the subsequent formation of General Biscuit Brands.
1962
Join Quaker Oats through acquisitionM&ABackground
Burry Biscuit had expanded through acquisitions and had become a substantial bakery producer with a major Girl Scout Cookie business.
Action taken
The company became a division of Quaker Oats in a transaction reported at approximately $25 million.
Aftermath
Burry continued operating within Quaker's food structure and remained a major Girl Scout Cookie producer until later divestitures.
Reported acquisition value. $25 million (1962)
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/burrys · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled