A Great American Cover-Up: Sunshine's Hydrox Cookie

One topic of discovery in recent years is the disappearance of a childhood staple in my household and neighborhoods. A delectable treat that millions of Americans remember and so many did not appreciate enough throughout it’s almost 50 years of production. The iconic and entirely irreplaceable: Sunshine Hydrox cookie. Contrary to popular belief Oreos were not the first chocolate sandwich cookie created in the USA. That honor actually belongs to the Hydrox. Unfortunately, not unlike many other industries created in this country, Sunshine was bullied out of their rightful place in history. Oreo’s creator, Nabisco Biscuit Company, observed the success of its smaller predecessor and created its own version, essentially a knock-off, of the Hydrox original. Due to their dominance over advertising, marketing and production size poor Sunshine and their Hydrox didn’t stand a chance.

Due to this act of corporate bullying (it’s the American way after all) Nabisco proudly dubbed their version, the Oreo, “America’s First Sandwich Cookie”. However false this statement  was did not matter to the public abroad since many had not heard of Sunshine Biscuit Company much less knew about their Hydrox cookie. Of course as time went on Oreo not only became the “First” however it transcended into American pop culture, becoming an iconic brand permanently cementing a place within the American conscious and as a symbol of American culture. Meanwhile the Hydrox cookie got unfairly targeted and labeled as an “off-brand” or knock-off of the Oreo. Most consumers created a negative view of the cookie based of corporate lies and marketing schemes; again the American way. To this dismay of all those who actually consumed and knew of Hydrox’s superiority to Oreo, the smaller company just couldn’t stand up to the dominance of its competitor in the marketplace.

 As a result over a few decades this tasty treat stayed mostly under the radar. The cookies were usually only sold in certain retail outlets usually within an urban center or the like. I found them primarily in Thriftway shopping stores as a kid in Kansas City, Missouri. I remember their taste distinctly and never threw away my opinion that they were light-years ahead of any Oreo I had ever had. This belief still stands true with me today as an adult. No matter how hard they try, and the success that the Oreo brand has had it will never measure up to the Sunshine, latter Keebler, Hydrox cookie. Ever.  That is why as a loyal fan to the brand it was a great dismay to find that the brand was dissolved; only making a short return a few years ago to celebrate what would’ve been its 50 anniversary. It is a shame that it never had the opportunity to take its rightful place among the confectionary greats, maybe one day it’ll get the recognition it deserves. Until then, I’ll continue searching high and low for a box that I believe exists out there somewhere.