Vienna Fingers facts for kids
Vienna Fingers are a popular American cookie. They are made by the Keebler Company, which is part of Ferrero SpA.
These cookies are like a delicious sandwich. They have two vanilla-flavored cookie pieces with a creamy vanilla filling in the middle. Just like an Oreo, the cookie surface has a special design and the name "Vienna Fingers" on it. But Vienna Fingers have a unique round, finger-like shape. You can find them in a red and yellow package with "Vienna Fingers" written in white. Another cookie, Nabisco's Cameo, is quite similar.
Contents
History of Vienna Fingers
How Vienna Fingers Started
Vienna Fingers were first sold by a company called Sunshine Biscuits. These cookies appeared in stores in 1915. They were officially given the name "Vienna Fingers Sandwich" in November 1947.
Vienna Fingers in Pop Culture
The cookies became very well-known. An American writer named Neil Simon even mentioned them in his famous play, The Odd Couple, in 1965. This play was later made into a movie in 1968. In the story, a character named Oscar Madison tries to cheer up his sad friend, Felix Ungar, by offering him snacks. He asks, "How about vanilla wafers? Or Vienna fingers? I got everything." This shows how popular the cookies were!
Changes and New Versions
In January 1985, the cookies were simply renamed "Vienna Fingers." A few years later, in 1994, Sunshine Biscuits introduced new versions. They launched low-fat Hydrox cookies and also reduced-fat Vienna Fingers.
Cookies for Troops
In August 1994, Sunshine Biscuits sent over 21,000 Vienna Fingers and Hydrox cookies to American troops. These soldiers were from Fort Eustis Army Base. The company had also sent cookies to troops during the 1990–1991 Gulf War. A soldier had even written a note on an Oreo box saying, "Please deploy cookies." Sunshine Biscuits wanted to give the troops "a taste of home" to make their time away from their families a little nicer. The cookies went with the troops to help refugees near the border of Rwanda and Zaire.
Keebler Takes Over
In 1996, the Keebler Company bought Sunshine Biscuits. Keebler decided to keep Vienna Fingers as part of its cookie collection. At that time, Vienna Fingers were selling very well, bringing in $50 million each year. After Keebler took over, they even created a new version of the cookie with a lemon filling.
