[ CYPHER CODE #267 ]
“Scandinavian” doesn’t always mean snow, butter, and Grandma’s kitchen.

[ CYPHER CODE #268 ]
If the label says “Imported,” check which direction it was imported from.

[ CYPHER CODE #269 ]
Nothing says “holiday cheer” like dough being mixed with human feet.

[ CYPHER CODE #270 ]
Globalization made the world smaller, and a lot less appetizing.

[ CYPHER CODE #271 ]
Read the fine print. Your Christmas spirit might come with a side of mystery water.

BRIEFING

Jett here. You know those cozy “Scandinavian” Christmas cookies with the charming little snowflakes on the tin? Turns out some of that “Nordic magic” is being baked in the heart of India. Let’s get into it.

A viral video making the rounds shows how some “buttery Christmas cookies” are actually produced, and it’s not exactly Santa’s workshop, folks. Think open-air bakeries, bare hands and feet, and flour flying in every direction. It’s… um, educational.

Now, to be clear, nobody’s saying your favorite brand is using that exact same setup. There's actually a "Community Note" on the viral video that says this:

There is no connection between the shady bakery shown in the first part of the video and the second part that shows Danish cookie containers in an American store. These are two videos stitched together to make them appear connected.

It’s worth noting that Royal Dansk cookies are, in fact, listed as "made in Denmark" on their labels and on their website.

SOURCE

But plenty of those “Danish-style” Christmas cookie tins on American shelves are clearly stamped Made in India; that part’s not really up for debate. So before you grab your coffee and queue up the Christmas playlist, just flip the box over and see where yours came from. Just a little label check never hurt anybody.

The truth is, global supply chains make strange bedfellows, and sometimes the front of the label doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s not about panic or smearing anybody or blacklisting brands. It’s about paying attention. Because if you’re buying “Scandinavian butter cookies,” it’s fair to ask whether the butter came from cows or some mystery vat on the other side of the planet.

SOURCE

Guys. I have some bad news about the tins of Christmas butter cookies. pic.twitter.com/rkv1HgUriO

— Rare, Exquisite, Alabaster (@whois_John_Galt) November 10, 2025

I actually went on Walmart’s website and checked out their Christmas butter cookies. And sure enough, one package was a product of Portugal, and the other was a product of India.

SOURCE

DEBRIEFING

Walmart might have a little explaining to do, but at the end of the day, this one’s on us too. We’ve all gotten so used to chasing the best deal that we forget to ask the simplest question... where the hell was this made, and what does that actually mean, and how does it impact me?

Sure, saving five bucks on a tin of “buttery” Christmas cookies sounds great… until you watch how some of them are made. Cheap labor and corner-cutting don’t stop at the factory door, guys... they end up in your pantry.

NOW YOU KNOW

Again, this isn’t a call to panic. It’s a call to pay attention. Read the labels, trust your gut, and remember that sometimes “Danish-style” just means the packaging took an extra long flight.