Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery was recently able to talk to Joe Ens, co-CEO of HighKey, about cookie sales and adapting during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Liz Parker: How has the pandemic affected cookie sales?

Joe Ens: The pandemic has triggered a return to comfort foods, and cookies are the ultimate comfort food. The issue is that most comfort foods are bad for you, which is why we’re seeing the “COVID 15 pounds” show up as people let their health guard down. Our mission at HighKey is to change how Americans eat by delivering low-carb, sugar-sucks comfort food that tastes as good as the original so there’s no guilt indulging in their favorite cookie.

LP: What has contributed to the growth of the cookie market from last year to this year?

JE: The pandemic has caused a seismic shift in eating patterns, especially in snacking patterns. Pre-pandemic, it was all about "on-the-go" snacking, and granola bars were where the growth was. The increase in working from home has reduced the need for portable convenience, and categories like cookies have benefited.

LP: How has HighKey adapted during the pandemic?

JE: Sugar and high-carb diets are literally killing us, and the pandemic has only amplified the risks associated with the issue. We’ve accelerated our innovation during the pandemic to ensure there are as many low-carb, sugar-sucks comfort foods available to help Americans eat a healthier diet as possible. Our mission is to change the way America eats before, during, and after the pandemic.