Leaf Brands says it’s being approached for Hydrox's application in ice cream and candies.

NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. — Leaf Brands L.L.C. relaunched Hydrox cookies in September 2015. Now, the company has its sights set on entering new markets and reaching more consumers.

Garvey Daniels, vice-president of sales for Leaf Brands

“Many of the largest ice cream manufacturers, bakeries and candy makers in the U.S. have approached us to replace their current cookie with our non-G.M.O., ‘clean label’ Hydrox, and we see this as a growing trend in the market,” said Garvey Daniels, vice-president of sales for Leaf Brands.

Mr. Daniels noted that while some competitors are focused on lowering costs with their cookies, Leaf Brands has turned its attention to making “a superior cookie.” The effort, he said, is paying off.

“We see this reflected in our growing requests for crushed Hydrox within the food service and industrial segments,” Mr. Daniels said. “Next up in the pipeline are mini Hydrox cookies, which we expect to hit stores in 2018.”

Related Reading: Hydrox cookies go clean label at Sweets & Snacks

Hydrox cookies debuted in 1908 and were manufactured by Sunshine Biscuits. Keebler purchased Sunshine Biscuits in 1996, and in 1999 Keebler replaced Hydrox with a similar but reformulated product named Droxies. Keebler was acquired by the Kellogg Co. in 2001. Kellogg removed Droxies from the market in 2003 and then revived Hydrox in 2008 in celebration of the cookie’s 100th anniversary. Distributed under the Sunshine label, Hydrox cookies shipped in late August 2008 with a slightly different recipe from the original. Less than a year later the products again were off the market.

Earlier this year at the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago Leaf Brands debuted a reformulated Hydrox cookie containing no artificial colors and flavors, trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup or bioengineered ingredients. Two weeks ago, the company began selling the reformulated product on Amazon.com, and the product climbed to the No. 1 new sandwich cookie on the site. Hydrox also earned the designation as an “Amazon Choice” product, which means Amazon recommends Hydrox as a highly-rated and well-priced product to its customers.

Ellia Kassoff, c.e.o. of Leaf Brands