Who Owns Oreo?

Oreo was introduced on March 6, 1912, by the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) at its Chelsea Market bakery in New York City. The cookie was initially called the "Oreo Biscuit" and consisted of two embossed chocolate wafers with a white cream filling. The design was intended to compete with the Hydrox cookie, a similar sandwich cookie introduced by Sunshine Biscuits in 1908, which was the original chocolate sandwich cookie in the American market.

The origin of the name "Oreo" is uncertain. Several theories have been proposed, including derivation from the French word "or" (gold, referencing the original gold-colored packaging), from the Greek word "oreo" (mountain or hill, referencing the cookie's shape), or as a simple combination of the letters "re" from "cream" sandwiched between two "o"s representing the chocolate wafers. Nabisco has never officially confirmed the etymology.

The cookie's distinctive embossed design, featuring the Nabisco logo and the word "OREO" on each wafer, was introduced in 1952 and has remained largely unchanged since then, becoming one of the most recognizable product designs in the food industry. The Double Stuf Oreo, featuring twice the cream filling of the original, was introduced in 1974 and became one of the brand's most successful line extensions.

Nabisco was acquired by RJR Nabisco in 1985 in a leveraged buyout that became one of the most famous corporate transactions of the 1980s, depicted in the book and film "Barbarians at the Gate." RJR Nabisco was subsequently acquired by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) in 1989 in what was then the largest leveraged buyout in history. Philip Morris Companies acquired Nabisco Holdings in 2000 for approximately $19 billion, integrating it into Kraft Foods. When Kraft Foods split in 2012, Oreo became part of Mondelez International's portfolio.

Under Mondelez's ownership, Oreo has expanded dramatically in geographic reach and product variety. The brand now offers more than 85 distinct varieties globally, including Double Stuf, Mega Stuf, Thin, Birthday Cake, Mint, Peanut Butter, and numerous limited-edition and seasonal flavors. Oreo has also expanded into adjacent product categories including Oreo-flavored ice cream, Oreo-flavored chocolate bars (in partnership with Cadbury and Milka), and Oreo-branded merchandise. The brand's "Most Stuf" Oreo, introduced in 2019, and various "mystery flavor" limited editions have generated significant social media engagement and consumer interest.