Packs of Wrigley chewing gum are displayed in Westerville, Ohio, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007.
Candy companies want to get Americans back into chewing gum, a once popular trend bucked by the COVID pandemic and surging inflation, but one executive’s new epiphany hopes to change the game.
Alyona Fedorchenko, global vice president for gum and mints at Mars Inc., said her company has been looking into ways to get consumers to start wanting to chew gum again when she had an "aha moment," The Associated Press reported.
Fedorchenko told the outlet that she remembered talking to a nurse a few years ago who chewed gum to calm herself down during the COVID pandemic. The real-life interaction was supported by some of Mars’ own studies that showed consumers choose to chew gum to relieve stress or boost concentration.
"That, for us, was the big ‘Aha!’" Fedorchenko told the outlet. "We’ve had a century of legacy of fresh breath, and that is still very important. Don’t get me wrong. But there is so much more this category can be."
Fedorchenko said Mars, which owns Wrigley, is hoping to attract 10 million new U.S. chewers by 2030.
She said Mars is also tailoring a new gum product, like Respawn by 5 gum, to appeal to gamers. It contains green tea extract and vitamin B to boost focus without traditional caffeine.
According to Circana, a market research firm, chewing gum lost its flavor during the COVID pandemic when people cut back on impulse buys.
Between 2018 and 2020, the number of people buying gum dropped by 33%.
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Consumer demand ticked up less than 1% last year, recovering only minimal losses.
While demand is still fleeting, Circana reported sales have returned to pre-pandemic levels, as inflation has driven up the average cost for a pack of gum from $1.01 in 2018 to a whopping $2.71.
In addition to Mars Inc. hoping to re-market gum as a stress reliever rather than simply a breath refresher, it is also pitching Orbit, Extra and Freedent as supporting mental health, The Associated Press reported.
Other companies are attempting different strategies, such as the U.K.’s Nuud Gum offering subscription plans.
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