Greeks chew resin from the mastic tree, called mastiche.
The Mayans of South America chewed chicle while the North American
Indians chewed resin from spruce trees.
The first commercial spruce gum was made by John Curtis of
Bradford, Maine.
Paraffin, or wax, gum was popular. Picture cards came with it.
The Curtis Chewing Gum Company of Portland, Maine, employed
over 200 in its new, state of the art, three story factory.
General Santa Anna (of Alamo fame) sold chicle to Thomas Adams.
Adams used it to make the first commercial chicle gum.
William Finley Semple, a dentist from Mount Vernon, Ohio, USA,
obtained the first patent for what he called an "improved
chewing-gum." Dr. Semple planned to make his gum out of rubber,
adding "scouring- properties" such as chalk, powdered licorice root,
and charcoal. He believed his gum would exercise the jaws and clean
the teeth at the same time. Dr. Semple was known for his painful
extractions, so perhaps it's just as well he never bothered to
manufacture his chewing gum! Patent Number 98,304.
Thomas Adams introduced Black Jack, the first manufactured, flavored
gum, and one that was re-issued in '85 and is still sold today as part
of Warner-Lambert Co. 'Nostalgia Gums'.
Inventor Thomas Adams, Sr., received the first patent on a
gum-making machine.
John Colgan, a Louisville, KY, USA, druggist, gets 1,500 lbs. of chicle
instead of the 100 lbs he ordered. He creates Colgan's Taffy Tolu
Chewing Gum.
The first trading card was printed for a pack of cigarettes called
Marquis of Lorne. The card has the same name.
William J. White combines corn syrup with chicle, choosing peppermint
as his first flavoring, creating Yucatan Gum. White was known as the
P.T. Barnum of chewing gum.
Dr. Edward E. Beeman adds pepsin powder to chicle and promotes it as a
digestive aid. Original wrapper had a pig logo later replaced with his image.
John Colgan, a Louisville, KY, USA, druggist, improves the flavor of
chewing gum by adding the flavor to the sugar before the sugar is added
to the chicle making the flavor last longer.
A cigarette company known as Thomas Hall of New York produced more
than 500 trading cards with the images of actors, actresses,
presidents and athletes. These were all done in sepia tone.
Imperial is founded when an order of Trappistine monks from
France built a factory on the castle Rajhenburg (now Krsko).
First practical vending machine appears in the U.S. It dispensed
chewing gum (Adams Tutti-Frutti) on the elevated El station train
platforms in New York City.
Wrigley's started delivering his gum to shopkeepers by horse-drawn wagon.
William Wrigley, Jr. entered the gum field with the Lotta and Vassar brands.
Wrigley's Spearmint and Juicy Fruit followed in 1893.
Wrigley Juicy Fruit and Spearmint brands introduced.
Beeman's was originally invented as a cure for heartburn. Clove gum got a
boost during Prohibition when it was handed out as a breath freshener in
illegal liquor houses.
The first pinkish-colored gum was invented by Franklin V. Canning, the
manager of a drugstore in New York City, USA. Canning's gum was also
the first to be promoted as an aid to oral hygiene. "Prevents decay,
sweetens breath," read the package. "The Gum That Cleans the Teeth."
Canning called his new gum Dentyne - a combination of the words
"dental" and "hygiene."
The American Chicle Co. is formed by Yucatan Gum (William White),
Adams Gum (Thomas Adams Jr.), Beeman's Gum (Dr. Edward Beeman),
Kis-Me Gum (Jonathan Primley), and S.T. Britten.
Both Chiclets (made by Henry Fleer) and gumballs arrive.
Bubble gum was invented by Henry Fleer's brother Frank,
"Blibber-Blabber" never sold well because it was too sticky.
The first Wrigley's factory outside of the USA is
established in Canada.
A British Royal Air Force crew used gum to patch a hole in
the water jacket of their airship's engine.
Wrigley Doublemint brand introduced.
American Chicle buys the company producing Chiclets.
Wrigley introduced his "Mother Goose" booklets for children. The
nursery rhymes and drawings were later used in a series of magazine
advertisements in the 1920s.
Wrigley establishes a factory in Australia.
Dentyne Company is acquired by the American Chicle Co.
William Wrigley, Jr. sent his gum business skyrocketing by mailing a stick of
gum to everyone in the United States who was listed in the phone book.
Wrigley Corporation goes public on the N.Y. Stock Exchange.
Consstruction begines on the Wrigley Building along the Chicago River.
The area was chosen by William Wrigley Jr. and is now a landmark and
part of the "Magnificent Mile".
Wrigley Corporation goes public on the Midwest Stock Exchange.
Dulce 16 and P.K. brands are introduced but both are discontinued
in 1975.
Dandy Chewing Gum starts.
The Tahincioglu family starts Kent Gida A.S., but does
not start making chewing gum until 1960.
Wrigley establishes a factory in Great Britain.
23 year old, Walter Diemer, an accountant for Fleer, invented
modern bubble gum. Pink was the only coloring nearby when he
made the first batch and so the trend was set. The gum was named
Dubble Bubble. "It was an accident," said Diemer in a 1996 interview.
"I was doing something else and ended up with something with bubbles."
Thomas Brothers Candy Company opened in an old pickle plant in
the city of Memphis, Tennessee.
Baseball cards were included with gum; before that they came in packs
of cigarettes.
Bubble gum came to the market with a new type of picture card of heavy
cardboard, averaging 2-1/2 by 3 inches. These were popular until their
production was halted by World War II.
Peter Paul Co. is selling a Charcoal Gum, advertising often found on
cardboard boxes for their candy bars esp. Mounds.
The first trading cards inserted into gum packs hit the market.
By the late 1930's & early 1940's some of the favorites were;
G-Men, Horrors of War, Mickey Mouse, Wild West, Pirate Pictures,
Indian Gum and Superman.
Dubble Bubble is introduced.
Four brothers, Abraham, Ira, Philip and Joseph Shorin, founded The Topps
Company, Inc., Topps bubble gum and trading cards are sold in 40 countries.
Hamilton Chewing Gum Ltd. (Canada) issues Hollywood Picture Stars gum.
There were 40 different cards with two different backs.
The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act passes classifing gum as a food.
TheDoublemint Twins make their debut. The first radio ads featured
double piano players, double violinists and double talking comedians.
The F.D.A. tells gum companies that they do not need to list ingredients
like other food products, thus not having to list such ingredients such as;
Chicquilul, crown gum, residinha, ehilte, glycerin ester of partially
hydrogenated wood resin, sodium stearate, sodium sulphate,
sodium sulfide, etc.
Wrigley establishes a factory in New Zealand.
Leaf Confectionary introduces Rainblo Gum.
Dubble Bubble was sent to WWII in the soliders ration kits.
Wrigley uses Doublemint Twins in advertising.
Wrigley takes his Spearmint, Doublemint and Juicy Fruit gums
off the cicilian market during World War II to protect the gums
quality during war time rationing.
Wrigley markets Orbit as a war time product for the military,
reintroduced it as a civilian brand in 1977.
In Pennsyvania, USA, a man's gum exploded in his mouth causing him to
loose several teeth. On one ever discovered how or why it happened.
Grape and Apple Flavors of Dubble Bubble were introduced.
American allies introduced chewing gum to Russian soldiers, but was
banned as with everything that had to do with Western life.
The Thomas Brothers Candy Co. was incorporated as the Thomas Weiner
Company and manufactured their first bubble gum 'Super Bubble'
but was not introduced until 1948.
Wrigley reintroduces Spearmint and Juicy Fruit to the civilian
market after the end of World War II.
Wrigley reintroduces Doublemint to the civilian market after
the end of World War II.
Amurol Confections Company was founded January 7,
by Dr. Bruno Petrulis, a Naperville, Illinois dentist
Super Bubble was introduced.
Lotte Company Opens (Japan). Second largest gum producer
in Japan, Second only to Wrigley.
Topps Chewing Gum started producing trading cards.
Harvey's Sugarless gum debuted.
'Pud' replaces 'Dub' & 'Bub' as the Dubble Bubble cartoon character.
Topps introduces two Freedom's War Sets, consisting of 203 cards.
Topps introduces the "Frank Buck's Bring 'Em Back Alive" set of
100 cards showing some of Buck's lifelong exploits. Buck, a
legendary, globe-trotting, big-game hunter never killed an
animal except in self-defence.
Topps Company started it's first baseball card series. The series consisted
of two individual sets of 52 cards each.
Ten year old girl blows World Record 20" bubble at the New Jersy
State Fair (not the current record).
Bazooka Joe comics were first introduced.
First Dubble Bubble Blowing televised contest.
Judged by the presedent of Dubble Bubble.
D.J. Thomas sold his interest in the Thomas Weiner Company
to brothers, Donald and Russ Wiener who then changed the
companies name to The Donruss Company.
Topps Chewing Gum purchased Bowman.
Dubble Bubble 5 packs are introduced.
Lotte Company starts production of "Green Gum".
Dr. Petrulis sold Amurol Products Company to the Wm. Wrigley Jr.
Company. Amurol continued to manufacture the line of sugarfree items.
Topps introduces the 66 card set of "Funny Monsters". This
set was offered as a premium when purchasing another Topps
bubble gum product.
Amurol developed the first soft, sugarfree bubble gum,
known as Blammo.
Lotte Company introduces "Coolmint Gum" with
the South Pole Penguin.
Kent Gida (Turkey) starts to make chewing gum.
The first Presidential Bubble Gum Cigars are introduced
by Swell. They are "Win with Jack" (Jack Kennedy) and
"Win with Dick" (Richard Nixon).
Mary Frances Stubbs, age 106, becomes the world's oldest
bubble gum chewer.
Debut of the Teaberry Gum commercial with the "Teaberry
Shuffle" music which was one of the first hits for
the band The Tijuana Brass.
Swell Introduces new Presidential Bubble Gum Cigars. They
are "All the way with L.B.J." (Lyndon Johnson) and "Goldwater
in '64" (Barry Goldwater).
Astronants aboard Gemini IV introduce gum to zero gravity.
Topps introduces "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." card set. Oh ya...
U.N.C.L.E. stand for United Network Command for Law and
Enforcement. With these cards we could see Napolean Solo do
battle against the evil THRUSH agents.
Wrigley establishes a factory in Manila, Philippines.
Topps issues 6 Batman card sets, inclusive of Set #5, often
called "The Riddler Set".
Wrigley establishes a factory in Biesheim, France.
The 1,000 Dubble Bubble comic was printed.
Swell Introduces new Presidential Bubble Gum Cigars. They
are "Win with Dick" (Richard Nixon) and "Win with H.H.H."
(Hubert Humphrey).
The Donruss Company is acquired by General Mills.
Imperial, in Krsko, starts its intergrated with Slovenian
Confectionery Industry in Zivilski kombinat ZITO, starting
its production of chewing gum.
Wrigley establishes a factory in Nairobi, Kenya.
The artificial sweetner Cyclamate is FDA banned.
It was first marketed in 1949.
In the 1970s Ginsburg and partners (Chappies Gum)
sold to Cadbury's.
Dubble Bubble is sold in 50 countrys around the world.
Swell Introduces new Presidential Bubble Gum Cigars. They
are "Re-Elect the President" (Richard Nixon) and "Right From
The Start" (McGovern).
The barcode (Universal Product Code) was introduced when
a pack of Wrigley's gum was swiped across the first
checkout scanner in Troy, Ohio.
Wrigley Freedent brand introduced as the first
non-stick chewing gum. Comes in Peppermint,
Spearmint and Winterfresh.
Bubble Yum was introduced.
Wrigley Big Red brand introduced
as their first cinnamon gum.
After the International Olympic Committee's decision to hold
the Summer Olympics for 1980 in Moscow, the Soviet government
decided to lift the ban and start the production of
chewing gum in Russia.
Yerevan Sweets and Macaroni Factory in Armenia makes the first
chewing gum in the Soviet Union. Made of macaroni by-products.
U.S. per capita consumption of gum was 215 sticks.
Wrigley establishes a factory in Taipei, Taiwan.
The first imported gum production line (in the Soviet Union)
was installed by Kalev Confectionery in Tallinn.
Lotte U.S.A. Inc. is established.
Wrigley Hubba Bubba brand introduced.
Amurol introduced Mork Bubble Gum.
Lotte Company opens the Lotte Hotel in Seoul. The largest
hotel in Korea.
Big League Chew introduced by Wrigley.
Amural Products Company introduced Chu-Bops. These were mini
albums with a piece of bubble gum shapped like an album inside. Each
came with lyrics to a hit song. Little known fact: Amural also released a
single set of eight different Chu-Bops in each of five different countries
as a test of the foreign markets. Sales flopped and the overseas projects
ended. Chu-Bops went by the names of Hit Pops, Chu Pops and
Chu Bops in Australia, England, France, Germany and Norway.
Amurol decided to discontinue the dietetic/sugarfree business and
focus on the novelty gum business
Amurol introduced Bubble Tape.
U.S. gum sales amount to $796 Million.
1 million pieces of Dubble Bubble are sold in a single year.
The Chicago Cubs baseball team was sold by the 800 stockholders,
including the estate of Philip K. Wrigley to the Tribune Company.
Three months later the Tribune Co. also purchesed Wrigley Field
that was owned by the estate of Philip K. Wrigley.
Aspartame (brand names Equal and Nutrasweet) begins its use as a
sweetner. Another called Acesulfame-K (brand names Sunette and
Sweet One) have also been used in other countries. Some time after
1993, Sorbitol has been used in gum. This is more readily tolerated
by diabetics.
Topps was acquired in a leveraged buyout acquisition by a group led by
Forstmann Little & Co. and Topps management.
Extra Sugarfree brand gum introduced by Wrigley. It is the
first sugarfree gum by Wrigley in the USA.
Swell Introduces new Presidential Bubble Gum Cigars. They
are "Fight for Fritz" (Walter Mondale) and "Reagan is Right"
(Ronald Reagan).
General de Confitieria (now Joyco) incorporates Conusa Corp.
in the USA.
Wrigley Winterfresh gum brand introduced (Wrigley also marketed several
brands in foreign countries: Arrowmint in Canada, Big G in Kenya, and
Big Boy in the Phillippines.)
Warner-Lambert reintroduced the 100 year-old Black Jack, Beemans, and
Clove gums in October as part of their "Nostalgia Gum Program."
The first Garbage Pail Kids card set is issued.
Concord Confections Inc. is established.
Topps company became publicly held.
The U.S. government sued two firms that imported bubble gum from
India and Greece on the grounds that foreign chewing gum was
subjected to special duties to be paid by whoever was importing it. But
the defendants claimed that they were not importing chewing gum--rather,
it was bubble gum. Because of the phrase "bubble gum" on the wrapper.
The U.S. government argued that bubble gum was indeed subjected to the
import fees, as the only difference between it and the other chewing gum is
that one can blow big bubbles with it. But the firms insisted on appealing
the case all the way to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Justices
ruled 5 to 4 that the bubble gum was not chewing gum and was not
covered by the import fees.
A Preschooler in New York, USA, rammed his toy fire engine into a nearby
gas pipe causing a leak. The boys twelve year old baby sitter plugged the
leak with a wad of bubble gum.
A joint venture with China and the Spanish Candy Co., Joyco Group
starts Guangdong Fanyu Candy Company.
Conusa purchases a Nabisco plant in New York (USA).
Swell Introduces new Presidential Bubble Gum Cigars. They
are "The Duke in '88" (Dukakis) and "With with Bush"
(George Bush).
Lotte Company opens the Lotte Co., Ltd. Shopping Center
in Seoul, Korea.
Toothfriendly Sweets International, a non-profit group in Switzerland,
starts. You can see their logo (a tooth with an unbrella over it) on,
packs of gum that are proven to be toothfriendly.
Kent goes public, offering 15% of its shares on the
Istanbul Stock Exchange.
Wrigley establishes a factory in Guangzhou, China.
Singapore bans the import, manufacacture and sale of chewing gum.
The penalty for smuggling gum into the country is a year in jail
and a 10,000 Singapore dollar fine ($5,500-).
Relief pitchers Steve Olin and Kevin Wickander won the ESPN Great
American Chew-Off. Both baseball players chewed seventy-one pieces of
bubble gum at once for the required four minutes.
U.S. per capita consumption of gum was 168 sticks.
Conusa Corp. changes its name to Richardson Brands Co. after
purchasing all of Richardson Brands Inc.
Within 1992-1996, all the gum factories in Russia were shut down,
as the people were allowed to travel abroad much easier then before.
Swell Introduces new Presidential Bubble Gum Cigars. They
are "For President" (Willam "Bill" Clinton) and "With with Bush"
(George Bush).
Fleer is purchased by Marvel.
Lotte starts production of their Blueberry Sugarless Gum.
Lotte Indonesia is established.
Wrigley introduces Winterfresh Gum.
World Record 23" bubble is blown by Susan Montgomery Williams.
Wrigley establishes a factory in Bangalore, India.
Wrigley Winterfresh gum introduced.
Wrigley also marketed several brands in other countries:
Arrowmint in Canada, Big G in Kenya and Big Boy in the Philippines.
Topps acquired Merlin Publishing International, one of the world's leading
publishers and marketers of sticker and album collections.
Hershey Foods Corp. acquires the Leaf North America Confectionery
from Huhtamaki Oy of Helsinki, Finland.
Wrigley establishes a factory in Poznan, Poland.
A group know as Imagesmith (Santa Cruz, Ca), sells Fidel (Fidel
Castro) for President Bubble Gum Cigars.
Hershey Foods Corporation purchases Leaf, Inc.
Eswaran Brothers Marketing Limited has invested RS 60 million
into Sri Lanka's first bubble gum manufacturing facility to profit from
a fast expanding local market and also explore export potential.
Baycan Gida a.s. from Turkey established its friest joint venture with
Russia named Genbaycan in Uzbekistan and started making their well
known Turkish gums, such as "Bombibom" and "Top Gum".
On January 8th, Walter E. Diemer, the inventer of modern bubble
gum, dies of congestive heart failure. He was 93.
Wrigley introduces Airwaves Menthol Eucalyptus Gum.
Hershey Food Corporation sells it's 'Leaf Canada' to a
private owner who now calls the company Oak Leaf Confections Ltd.
On March 11th, Gary Duschl was registered in the Guinness Book
of World Records as having the longest gum wrapper chain. His chain
weighs about 362 pounds and is made up of 1,231,516 links from
615,758 wrappers and is 26,503 feet long. also see 1999:
Concord Confections Inc. purchases Fleer Corporations
confections company (makers of Dubble Bubble).
General de Confiteria releases Zorro Gum in Russia.
Each comes with a pop-up figure.
On May 15th there was a Bubble Gum Blowing Contest at the
Kingdome before a Mariners game.
Dubble Bubble bubble gum balls are introduced.
Wanrner-Lambert alerts cunsumers that are allergic to milk
proteins that they shoould stay clear of Trident For Kids
and Trident Advantage, as they contain Recaldent, a milk-
casein derivative.
ZED Gum is established in Dublin, Ireland.
Gary Duschl was re-registered in the Guinness Book
of World Records as having the longest gum wrapper
chain. His chain is now 30,774 feet long.
That's longer than Mount Everest is high!
A 17 year old junior at Moonbeam High School (San Jose, CA),
was expelled after handing out bubble gum cigars to firends
to celebrate the birth of his daughter, because the school
is a tabacco free zone.
Ford Gum & Machine Company, Inc. introduces Yowser!! Gum.
Lawmakers (USA) think about passing a bill to make all nontabacco
items, such as; Bubble Gum Cigars & Candy Cigarettes, illegal.
Wrigley establishes a factory in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Within 2000-2001, new Russian bubble gum companies
started shwoing up, such as; Menshevik (Moscow) and
Sladkiy Mir (St. Petersburg).
Wrigley introduces Extra Sugarfree Gum in Polar Ice flavor.
Cadbury Schweppes acquires Kraft Foods' chewing gum
and candy business in France giving them the #1 position
in the French confectionery and gum market.
Wrigley introduces Airwaves Honey & Lemon Gum, aswell as
Airwaves Blackcurrant + Vitamin C Gum.
9 year old Adam Feagley of Hudson, Florida won the first
annual Dubble Bubble National Bubble Blowing Contest on
April 8th with his 17" bubble.
USA Space Shuttle STS 106 takes bubble gum into space.
A 5 year old boy in Canada opens his package of Frankenstein
Tutti-Fruity Bubble Gum and finds a temporary tattoo of a
nude woman posing with hands behind her head. -Oops
Cadbury Schweppes acquires Wuxi-Leaf Confectionery (China).
Swell Introduces new Presidential Bubble Gum Cigars. They
are "Bush...He's the Man" (George W. Bush) and "You win with
Gore" (Gore).
Kent consolidates its three factories (two in Istanbul & one
in Birlik) into the one large factory in Gebze, Kocaeli.
Dandy chewing gum company closes its factories in Zimbabwe
after attacks by militants backed by the country's ruling
party (President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party).
The facoty emplyed about 150 people.
Wrigley improves Big Red Gum by giving it a bolder
flavor and longer lasting fresh breath.
ZED Gum acquires Leaf Ireland Ltd. from Dutch company CSM.
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. and Procter & Gamble Co. announce they
be made by Wrigley and released by Procter & Gamble.
The Menshevik factory (owned by BDL) opens in Russia making
Turbo Charge chewing gum.
Wrigley introduces Surpass antacid gum.
Concord Confections, in partnership with Wal-Mart stores
announces its second annual Dubble Bubble National Bubble
Blowing Contest for May 26th. The winner will receive
$10,000 U.S. Savings Bond and $5,0000 donation made in his/her
name to the Children's Miracle Network.
For the first time in its 87 year history, Wm. Wrigley Jr.
Company will market its Doublemint Gum with professional
athletes by using Venus and Serena Williams (tennis stars).
10 year old Anna Hansen of Florida wins the second annual
Dubble Bubble Natioanl Bubble Blowing Contest with her
13" bubble.
Wrigley's controls 89.7 percent of the chewing gum market,
making them the leader among more than 100 chewing gum
brands. Based on a study conducted by CCTV's
Research and Consulting Center.
The Bernat Family (owners of Chupa Chups) and Kent Gida (the
largest confectionalry in Turkey) announce they will build
a joint company producing chewing gum in Russia.
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company intorduces Orbit Gum.
Warner Lambert Brizil (subsidiary of Pfizer Laboratories) buys
the gum production line from Kraft (Kraft Lacta Suchard) in Brazil.
Topps Company starts to sell many of there proofs and original
artwork from their files. This causes prices to soar as:
Original 1967 artwork for Wacky Packeges 'Schmutz' sells for $12,322.99
Full box of 1974 Six Million Dollar Man wax packs sells for $15,000.00
Original 1977 artwork for Wacky Packages 'Brute 88' sells for $5,959.00
Original 1977 artwork for Wacky Packages 'Earth Bum' sells for $3,898.98
A 1979 full box of Hockey, jumbo wax packs from O Pee Chee sells
at auction for $6,800.00. This is a seldon seen jumbo pack box
that may contain Gretzky's rookey card.
Concord Confections introduces Dubble Bubble Duo's.
A full box of The Beatles Yellow Submarine wax packs from 1968
sells for $24,034.67. While a full set of 66 cards from the same
series sells for $1,334.00.
General Confiteria (Spain) opened its joint venture
Joyco in Novgorod (Russia).
Richardsons Brands Co. becomes Joyco USA.
After the acquisition of Dandy Chewing Gum by Cadbury Schweppes,
the Danish gum company changes its name to Gumlink.
K-Artel (Podolsk) and Mega-gum (Vidnoye), both from the
Moscow, Russia) region open.
Singapore relaxes the ban on chewing gum by allowing gum
for persons with a medical prescription for it. However,
the lift may not take effect until 2004.
Guangdong Fanyu Candy Co., makers of the popular "Dada
Bubble Gum", closes due to poor sales in a market flooded
with gum from Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.
American Candy Company files for Chapter 11.
Dubble Bubble, the world's frist bubble gum, celebrates
its 75th anniversary. First owned by Fleer, sold to Marvel
Entertainment Group then sold to Concord Confections
who still owns it today.