Building a business around a single indulgent product has always been a challenge, but it has gotten harder since the introduction of GLP-1 drugs.
“More than 1 in 10 Americans have used a GLP-1 drug for weight loss, a new survey by the RAND research group reveals. About 12% say they’ve tried GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound, with rates of use highest among people ages 50 to 64, survey results show,” Drugs.com reported.
These drugs help people lose weight by helping them eat less.
“GLP-1s work by reducing the appetite and feelings of hunger, slowing the release of food from the stomach, and increasing feelings of fullness after eating,” according to research published on the National Library of Medicine.
Along with the 12% who have tried the drugs, another 14% are interested in giving them a go, the survey found.
People on GLP-1 drugs, myself included, may still eat the occasional cookie, but your appetite decreases and your eating becomes more intentional.
And while there’s no direct data tying GLP-1 use to cookie chain closures, the drugs are part of a broader shift toward more intentional eating.
That makes a challenging business — running a chain that sells cookies as its core product — even more difficult. History has been littered with failed companies using some variation of this business model, and now Taylor Chip has joined that list as it has now closed all of its locations after its February Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.
Taylor Chip has closed all its stores
Taylor Chip, a cookie brand that operates cafes in the Philadelphia area, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Feb. and closed some of its stores.
“Building something from nothing means taking risks, and not every bet pays off the way you expect,” Taylor Chip Co-founder Doug Taylor told ABC27. “We’re proud of what we built in Philadelphia, even though it didn’t work the way we hoped. This decision allows us to protect the heart of the brand, take care of our team, and keep building for the long term.”
Those efforts did not work out and the company has now closed all of its stores, which it shared on its Facebook page.
“Overnight, 150,000 followers, millions of views, everything we had built on went to zero. And for a bootstrapped company where every dollar counts, that’s not something you just bounce back from. The swings we were taking needed everything to be working. And it all stopped. Literally overnight,” the post said.
The chain has been struggling for years, it shared.
“For the last 2.5 years, we were trying to claw our way back…But month after month, things continued to get harder, which lead us to this very very difficult decision. Closing our doors is incredibly hard,” it added.
Local news outlet WGAL confirmed the shutdown.
Cookie brands have struggled
To survive, many classic bakeries have diversified their businesses.
“In today’s diverse and competitive food landscape, the traditional bakery has evolved far beyond its humble origins. Once primarily focused on selling bread, modern bakeries now offer an extensive array of products, from artisanal pastries and custom cakes to gluten-free options and specialty coffee,” Cybread.com reported.
Crumbl Cookies, the unquestioned leader in the cookie cafe space has struggled after a period of explosive growth.
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“These days, Crumbl faces a slew of issues that may signal a downturn or worse. The chain has been steadily closing locations over the last few years, while many stores have experienced lagging profits. Worst of all, anti-Crumbl sentiment seems to be growing online, which is a real problem for a company built on social media,” according to Mashed.com.
If Crumbl fails, it will join a long list of bankruptcies in the space including Mrs. Fields, Liz Lovely, Great American Cookies, Crumbs Bake Shop, and David’s Cookies.
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Taylor Chip Chapter 11 facts:
- Taylor Chip, a Lancaster County bakery and cookie company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and closed its two Philadelphia cookie shop locations, according to PacerMonitor.
- The company said the moves were made to “protect the long-term future of the brand” as it restructures under court supervision, ABC27 reported.
- Taylor Chip expanded rapidly since its 2018 launch but permit delays and related debt in its Philadelphia rollout strained finances, Local 21 News reported.
- The franchised stores in Rittenhouse and Fishtown opened in 2024 but were unable to generate enough profit to offset prolonged expenses, according to Philly Voice.
- The chain’s remaining stores are closing on the following schedule, according to WGAL.
Nationwide shipping: Order by 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 8.Manheim Pike: regular hours through this week, then 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. starting Monday.
York: last day is this Saturday, April 4.
Hershey: closing April 11.
Intercourse: closed.
Taylor Chip is owned and operated by husband and wife Sara and Doug Taylor, who opened their first Taylor Chip cookie stand in August of 2018.
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