Oreos Get a Makeover: Meet the ‘Thinner’ Cookie

The 103-year-old Oreo cookie is getting a much-needed makeover. It’s slimming down.

Oreo maker Mondelez has confirmed to the Associated Press that “Oreo Thins” will be a permanent fixture on U.S. retail shelves starting next week. The cookies look like a regular Oreo except they are slimmer: with four of the “Thins” containing 140 calories vs. 160 calories for three regular sized Oreos.

Mondelez joins a number of other food and beverage companies that are toying with the idea of serving smaller portions for calorie-rich snacks at a time when more Americans are favoring fresher foods and snacks, putting pressure on snacks found in the middle aisles of the grocery store. Starbucks, for example, earlier this year debuted a smaller, “Mini” Frappuccino for likely the same reason Oreo is getting slimmer. Both want to lure consumers that don’t want the guilt associated with consuming the larger snacks.

Oreo is a key brand for Mondelez, one of the world’s biggest snack companies. Oreo is one of the company’s $9 billion brands, so any successful innovation in flavors, packaging, and sizing for large brands such as Oreo can potentially move Mondelez’s sales trajectory. It has already seen a $40 million sales jump for Oreo Thins in the first eight months that the item was sold in China, the AP reported.