Nilla Wafers facts for kids
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| Owner | Mondelez International |
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| Introduced | 1898 |
| Previous owners | Nabisco |
Nilla Wafers are popular cookies shaped like thin wafers. They are made by Nabisco, which is part of a bigger company called Mondelēz International. The name "Nilla" is a shorter way of saying "vanilla," which was the main flavor of these cookies for many years.
These cookies were first called Nabisco Vanilla Wafers. In 1967, their name changed to Nilla Wafer. Originally, they were made with real vanilla. However, since at least 1994, they have mostly used a man-made vanilla flavor called vanillin. The ingredients list now says they have "natural and artificial flavor." Nilla has also made other products, like pie crusts. These crusts came out in 1992.
History of Nilla Wafers
The idea for vanilla wafers came from a German-American baker named Gustav A. Mayer. He invented the recipe in the late 1800s in Staten Island. He later sold his recipe to Nabisco. Nabisco started making these cookies in 1898, calling them Vanilla Wafers.
By the 1940s, Vanilla Wafers became a key ingredient. They were often used in a dessert called banana pudding, which is very popular in the Southern United States. Because of this, Nabisco began printing a banana pudding recipe right on the Vanilla Wafers box. The name of the cookies officially changed to "Nilla Wafers" in 1967.
In 2013, the Nilla brand tried a new way to advertise. They used social media websites like Facebook to reach mothers. This was a big deal because most companies at the time used a mix of advertising. This social media campaign worked well, and Nilla's sales went up by 9%. Before this, Nabisco also promoted Nilla Wafers in other ways. For example, they sponsored banana pudding eating contests at fun parks.
How Nilla Wafers Are Used
Nilla Wafers are most famous for being a main ingredient in banana pudding. This makes them very popular in the Southern United States. In cities like Atlanta and Houston, Nilla Wafers are often among the top five best-selling cookie brands.
Beyond desserts, these wafers are also used in some scientific studies. Scientists sometimes use them to help give medicines or other substances to animals in tests. Nilla's packaging has also been studied to understand what customers like best about how products look.
