Ferrara Discontinues Iconic Gum Brands
CHICAGO — Ferrara Candy Co. is halting production of two iconic chewing gum brands as it evaluates consumers' changing preferences.
The candy maker discontinued Fruit Stripe and Super Bubble. Ferrara quietly halted production the two lines of gums in 2022, and no longer produces any chewing gums, CBS News reported.
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"We have made the difficult decision to sunset Fruit Stripe Gum, but consumers may still be able to find the product at select retailers nationwide," a spokesperson said in a statement. "The decision to sunset this product was not taken lightly, and we considered many factors before coming to this decision, including consumer preferences, and purchasing patterns.
The Future of Gum
Data calculated by Statista based on the U.S. Census data and Simmons National Consumer Survey found 160.03 million Americans used chewing gum/bubble gum in 2020. This figure is projected to decrease to 157.23 million in 2024.
"We are delighted to continue offering many other beloved and iconic brands in our portfolio, including Fun Dip, Gobstopper, Jujyfruits, Fire Ball, Pixy Stix, Chuckles, Runts, Spree, Boston Baked Beans and Bottle Caps," the statement concluded.
Super Bubble was a post-World War II invention, introduced to kids in 1946 as the first individually wrapped bubble gum under the name Bub's Daddy, while Fruit Stripe Gum was created in the 1960s and came in five flavors: Wet n' Wild Melon, Cherry, Lemon, Orange and Peach Smash, according to Ferrara's website.
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Chicago-based Ferrera Candy Co. delivers products sold under 20 popular brands like Brach's, Jelly Belly, Nerds, SweeTARTS, Laffy Taffy and Trolli to more than 66 million U.S. households annually, and Dori snacking products under brands such as Dori, Pettiz, Gomets and Yogurte 100 for more than 40 countries worldwide. A privately held company, Ferrera has an operational network of more than 27 locations around the world that includes manufacturing, distribution, sales, and research and development facilities.