Crumbl Cookies is a national cookie subscription and retail brand that began in 2017 when cousins Jason McGlamery and Sawyer Howean founded the company in Salt Lake City, Utah. The brand is known for selling fresh-baked cookies in rotating weekly varieties through both a subscription model and walk-in stores. This evergreen profile explains how old Crumbl Cookies is, outlines its growth milestones, and clarifies its business model and evolution, drawing on public founding details and reported company timelines rather than time-sensitive news.
When Crumbl Cookies was founded and key milestones
Crumbl Cookies launched in 2017 with its first pop-up shop in Salt Lake City during the summer. In 2018, the brand began expanding to a small number of states and started testing its subscription model. By 2021, Crumbl had reached over 300 store locations across the United States. The following table summarizes key dates, events, and their significance for context on how old the brand is and how quickly it scaled.
Company milestones and timeline
| Year | Event | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | First pop-up store in Salt Lake City, Utah | Marks the brand’s founding and initial proof of concept |
| 2018 | Start of multi-state expansion and subscription pilot | Shift from pop-up to scalable retail and direct-to-consumer models |
| 2019–2020 | Rapid growth in store footprint and brand awareness | Increased national visibility and adaptation of recurring revenue through subscriptions |
| 2021 | Reported more than 300 locations nationwide | Demonstrates fast scaling and national reach within four years of founding |
| 2022–2023 | Continued store growth, menu innovation, and digital membership enhancements | Signals maturation phase with focus on unit economics and customer retention |
| 2024 | Plans for continued expansion and store format refreshes reported | Indicates sustained, though possibly moderated, growth as the brand matures |
How Crumbl Cookies operates and its business model
Crumbl Cookies positions itself as a fresh-baked cookie subscription and destination retail brand rather than a packaged grocery product. The company typically offers weekly rotating cookie varieties, encourages recurring subscriptions, and markets limited-edition and seasonal flavors to drive routine engagement. This model combines walk-in store experiences with at-home delivery, which shapes how customers relate to the brand over time. Understanding this structure helps explain how old the brand is in terms of both calendar years and stage of business maturity.
Signature features of the Crumbl experience
- Weekly rotating menu with seasonal and limited-time offerings
- Cookie subscription plans designed for recurring at-home delivery
- Physical stores that emphasize grab-and-go and in-store packaging
- Digital membership programs and app-driven loyalty engagement
- Moderate to premium price points relative to standard grocery cookies
Growth trajectory and what scaling has looked like
From its 2017 origin as a single pop-up to a multi-state footprint reported at more than 300 locations by 2021, Crumbl Cookies has scaled quickly for a perishable-food retail concept. This growth phase was characterized by dense store clusters in certain regions, heavy use of digital marketing, and a focus on subscription sign-ups to smooth revenue. As the brand matured, the emphasis shifted toward unit economics, site selection, and refining the in-store experience, which are typical milestones for a retail chain as it moves from early-stage to expansion-stage maturity.
Factors influencing continued expansion
Competition in the treat category, real estate costs, consumer spending on nonessential foods, and operational complexity of fresh baking all influence where and how quickly new stores open. Crumbl Cookies has balanced opening new markets with strengthening profitability in existing ones, a shift many chains face after their initial rapid expansion. Observing store performance, local demand, and operational efficiency provides a clearer picture of how the brand may evolve over the next several years.
How to think about cookies as a category and Crumbl’s position
Cookies occupy an impulse, treat-oriented part of retail with relatively short shelf lives and strong experiential appeal. Crumbl leans into freshness, variety, and ritual through subscriptions and limited releases, differentiating itself from mass-market grocery options. For consumers, this can make the brand feel more modern and elevated. When evaluating how old Crumbl Cookies is, it is helpful to see it as part of a broader shift toward subscription-based food services and experiential retail that have grown rapidly over the past decade.
Comparison: grocery cookies vs treat retail vs subscription services
| Model | Typical freshness approach | Purchase frequency | Example positioning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grocery cookies | Pre-packaged with long shelf life | Low frequency, trip-based | Budget-friendly, convenient |
| Treat retail (e.g., Crumbl) | Baked in-store or nearby, short shelf life | Medium frequency, planned or impulse | Freshness, variety, experience |
| Subscription cookie services | Baked to order or preserved for shipping | High frequency, recurring | Convenience, discovery, routine |
Public information sources and considerations
The details above reflect publicly reported milestones from company announcements, interviews, and coverage by business and lifestyle outlets available through 2023. Because Crumbl Cookies remains an active brand, the number of stores, membership metrics, and strategic initiatives may evolve. This profile is intended to convey how old the brand is in historical terms and how its business model fits into current retail trends, rather than to provide real-time operational data. For the most current unit counts and financial metrics, consult company statements or investor materials directly.
Summary: how old is Crumbl Cookies and why it matters
Founded in 2017, Crumbl Cookies is a relatively young chain that has achieved national scale in just a few years by combining fresh-baked retail with subscription economics. Its roughly seven-year history includes rapid expansion, a shift toward recurring revenue, and a maturation focus on profitability and operational efficiency. Understanding when Crumbl Cookies started and how it has evolved helps frame its current market position and future potential in the broader treat retail landscape.