Custom Fortune Cookies: Messages & Chinese New Year Gifting
Last Updated: 19 October 2026
Key Points:
- Fortune cookies are affordable, interactive giveaways that businesses can personalise with custom messages.
- They are believed to have originated in California, where Japanese-American bakers first made them popular.
- We recommend choosing messages that suit your event and give recipients something worth remembering.
Fortune cookies are a go-to giveaway for charities and local brands. They’re edible and create a moment of anticipation before anyone even takes a bite. Opening one to read the message feels different from unwrapping a typical giveaway, which helps explain why they’ve remained popular. In this blog, we’ll share with you what our account managers have observed, the messages you can insert and the perfect events where they make the most sense.
A Quick Note on Where They Actually Come From
Even though fortune cookies are closely linked to Chinese cuisine, they didn’t actually start in China. Most food historians say Japanese-American bakers in early 1900s California created them by adding a printed fortune to a traditional cracker. Later, Chinese-American restaurants made them popular, which is why they’re now so connected to Chinese food worldwide, even though they’re not common in China. This is a fun fact to keep in mind if you’re planning a Chinese New Year campaign with fortune cookies.
Why Fortune Cookies Work as Bulk Merchandise
Several qualities make fortune cookies a dependable option for organisations placing bulk orders.
- Interactive: Recipients crack open the cookie, which creates a memorable moment instead of just receiving a regular handout.
- Ample branding space: The slip inside can feature a logo, tagline, website, or a short call to action.
- Shareable: A clever or funny fortune often gets photographed and shared, helping your message reach more people than just the original recipient.
- Versatile: Fortune cookies work well for trade shows, corporate events, staff lunches, and seasonal campaigns.
- Cost-effective at scale: Bulk pricing for branded cookies is affordable for smaller campaigns, not just big corporate budgets.
My Experience Supplying These
I have worked with many organisations that order these for different reasons. In fact, I’ve had an experience where a charity organisation ordered fortune cookies as giveaways to their volunteers during lunchtime. It was a great way to thank their volunteers while providing a moment of anticipation during lunch. In fact, RubyLloyd Pty Ltd boosted its social media mentions by 3% because of this. The reason behind? The volunteers were so happy with the cookies that they posted about them on their social media accounts. You may read the full case study on RubyLloyd Pty Ltd.
Writing Effective Custom Messages
The message inside is what really matters, so it’s important to choose your words carefully. Different approaches work well depending on your goal.
A helpful tip is to match your message’s tone to the occasion. For example, a corporate trade show usually calls for a clear, brand-focused message, while a community event or staff celebration can be warmer or more playful.
Fortune Cookies for Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is a perfect match for a fortune cookie campaign because the themes go hand in hand.
- Messages about fortune and prosperity fit well with the holiday’s traditional focus on luck for the coming year.
- Fortune-telling is a light, festive tradition that matches perfectly with the format of fortune cookies.
- Fortune cookies are a great small gift for clients, staff, or event guests during the celebration.
- Custom colours like red and gold packaging can match traditional Lunar New Year symbols.
What We Think About Fortune Cookies
Swami Rossat, our Marketing Specialist, has noticed that clients order custom fortune cookies for all sorts of events. Some of the occasions our clients order them for include:
- Staff lunches and outreach events
- Community programs
- Chinese New Year celebrations
- Volunteer appreciation
Swami suggests putting a bit of thought into the messages before ordering. People are more likely to remember something personal or relevant to the event. They might even share the message with their mates or colleagues, so it’s worth getting the wording right.
A Small Item With an Outsized Impression
Fortune cookies make a big impression because they invite the recipient to do something simple: open the cookie and read the message. That small interaction is what makes them memorable long after the event. Reach out to our team to discuss message ideas and packaging options for your next bulk order.
