The idea began in a college dorm room. A dude with a big sweet tooth and an entrepreneurial mindset was all it took to launch an international cookie brand that gives people a taste of Philly wherever they call home.
That cookie guy is Seth Berkowitz, founder and CEO of Insomnia Cookies. Founded in Philadelphia more than two decades ago as a brand appealing to college students, Insomnia Cookies now operates more than 350 locations and sells more than 20 million cookies each quarter.
“We’re in major cities, suburbs,” Berkowitz told CBS News Philadelphia. “We’re in transportation areas. We’re in stadiums. The brand has meant a lot more than college, even though college is so core.”
According to Berkowitz, he started the company in 2003 during his junior year at the University of Pennsylvania. The idea was sparked by a late-night food craving culture among friends in a college house.
Today, Insomnia Cookies keeps its Philadelphia roots alive with a Center City headquarters and a flagship bakery.
Beyond its now internationally famous cookies, the menu includes brownies, Wiches (sandwich cookies), cookie cakes, ice cream, and options for vegan and gluten-free diets.
Its reach spans major cities, suburbs, transportation hubs, and stadiums, all while keeping Philadelphia at its core.
“We are Philly born and bred,” Berkowitz said to CBS News Philadelphia. “We spend a tremendous amount of our time thinking about Philly and how the brand resonates in Philly, and I think the community embraces us.”
In 2021, Insomnia Cookies opened its first experiential store, the Cookie Lab in East Passyunk, offering a speakeasy-style experience with milkshakes and cookies.