How Two Cousins Turned a Kitchen Experiment into a $1 Billion Cookie Empire, One Batch at a Time

In 2017, two cousins who didn't know much about baking decided to start a cookie business. Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley had never made cookies before, but they loved them. So, they opened their first Crumbl Cookies store in Logan, Utah.

Fun idea

At first, Crumbl was just a fun idea. Jason was good with technology, having worked for companies like Ancestry.com, and Sawyer was studying marketing in college. Together, they thought they could make something special. They started with one simple idea: to make the best chocolate chip cookies ever.

Even though they didn't have any experience baking, Jason and Sawyer were determined to figure it out. They spent a lot of time in the kitchen, trying out different recipes and asking friends and family to taste-test their cookies. Eventually, they found a recipe they loved and decided to build their whole business around it.

But making delicious cookies was only part of the equation. Jason and Sawyer knew they needed to get people excited about their cookies if they wanted their business to succeed. So, they turned to social media. They started posting pictures and videos of their cookies on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, and people loved them.

Weekly Cookie Drop

One thing that set Crumbl apart was their weekly "cookie drops." Every week, they would announce a new, limited-edition cookie flavor on TikTok, and people would go crazy for it. It created a lot of excitement and made people want to try their cookies even more. McGowan explains that the weekly "cookie drops" on TikTok generate a lot of excitement and anticipation among customers. He mentions that it also adds a sense of scarcity because each new cookie flavor is only available for that specific week. On average, individual Crumbl cookies usually range between $4 and $5 each. However, if you purchase them in packs of four, six, or 12, the price per cookie decreases. This pricing strategy aims to provide customers with flexibility and value for their money.

Attention from Consumers & Investors!

Before long, Crumbl had become a huge hit. They had millions of followers on social media, and their cookies were selling like hotcakes. TikTok loves them, where they have more than 7 million followers and a viral hashtag, "#TasteWeekly." On TikTok, users post reviews, both good and bad, about Crumbl's latest cookie flavors. People couldn't get enough of them! And it wasn't just regular people who loved Crumbl—investors and entrepreneurs were taking notice too. 

$1 billion in sales

Today, Crumbl Cookies has over 980 stores spread across the United States. Co-founders Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley proudly announce that their cookie empire has surpassed a remarkable milestone: over $1 billion in sales across all franchises. In 2022 alone, Crumbl sold over 300 million of their scrumptious cookies.

They never could have imagined that their little cookie business would become such a big success. But they're grateful for every cookie they sell and every smile they bring to their customers' faces. And as long as people keep loving their cookies, they'll keep baking them, one delicious batch at a time.