As Hershey launches its biggest innovation in five years for its Ice Breakers gum brand, one executive made no secret of expectations for the new product: "We expect this to make a huge splash."

The product, called Flavor Shifters, changes flavor during chewing, going from Wild Berry to Coolmint, or from Wintergreen to Coolmint.

For a category that has long relied mainly on new flavors or new packaging as its primary innovation to attract consumers, Flavor Shifters, hitting shelves this month, tries a completely new path.

"Our goal is those people who are tired of the habit of chewing gum and freshening breath. How do we inject energy into it? How do we bring excitement?" said Dan Mohnshine, vice president of marketing for Hershey's U.S. confection, grocery, and protein snacks, in an interview.

Hershey calls Flavor Shifters a "major bet" for the Ice Breakers brand, which has grown at an annual rate of 9% since 2020. Mohnshine said the innovation "pushes the boundaries of gum," expanding the category beyond a single-flavor experience.

"Our goal is those people who are tired of the habit of chewing gum and freshening breath. How do we inject energy into it? How do we bring excitement?"

— Dan Mohnshine, vice president of marketing for Hershey's U.S. confection, grocery, and protein snacks

During the pandemic, gum sales suffered as consumers worked from home and socialized less. Sales plummeted 22% to $2.5 billion in 2020, according to data from analytics firm Circana. Mars Wrigley's chief brand officer Rankin Carroll told The Wall Street Journal in June that lockdowns also reduced impulse purchases in stores, which account for half of gum sales.

But as more people returned to offices and resumed socializing, the gum market has rebounded and surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Sales grew about 15% in 2022 and 2023, and rose 7% in the 52 weeks ending June 16 this year, reaching $3.4 billion, according to Circana data.

Despite the recovery, gum's popularity has been declining since peaking more than a decade ago. In 2011, 178 million Americans said they chewed gum, according to Statista; this year, only 157 million are expected to.

"Traditional stick gum, nobody gets excited about it," said Tim Lawdan, brand manager at Ford Gum, which makes the shredded gum brand Big League Chew.

Hubba Bubba Skittles Source: Mars.com

Goodbye Fruit Stripe, hello caffeinated gum

The decline of the gum market has prompted several companies to exit the category entirely.

Mondelez International, which struggled for years to grow brands like Bubblicious and Trident, sold its gum business in the U.S., Canada, and Europe in October 2023 for $1.4 billion to focus on chocolate and cookies. Ferrara also quietly discontinued Fruit Stripe and Super Bubble gum in 2022.

"This decision was not made lightly, and we considered a variety of factors, including consumer preferences, purchasing patterns, and overall brand trends," Ferrara spokesperson Brian Camen said at the time.

For companies still in the market, like Mars Wrigley, this has instead created opportunities.

Mars Wrigley is the world's largest gum manufacturer, with more than a dozen brands including Hubba Bubba, Extra, Big Red, and Orbit.

Mike Gilroy, vice president of trade development and sponsorship at Mars Wrigley, said the New Jersey-based company recently launched Hubba Bubba gum that incorporates flavors from its best-selling hard candy Skittles. Leveraging Skittles' high popularity among Gen Z, Mars Wrigley has been able to use its recognition to bring original flavors into gum, giving consumers a reason to try Hubba Bubba—some of whom may not have chewed in years.

"As the clear leader in the gum market, we not only need to innovate in gum to attract new users, but also take a leadership role for the health of the category," Gilroy said.

Dan McCarthy, associate professor of marketing at the University of Maryland, believes that for the gum category to achieve meaningful growth, it must embrace other value propositions such as caffeine or improving tooth and gum health.

Florida-based Maax Brands launched its performance-enhancing gum in 2021, stemming from the founder wanting to stay alert while driving home one night. Carrying a coffee cup is not convenient, especially when socializing outside, and coffee also doesn't freshen breath.

Each piece of Maax gum contains the equivalent caffeine of 1.25 cups of coffee, while also containing 1 gram of sugar to neutralize the bitterness of the stimulant.

"One of the challenges is ensuring the gum provides an energy boost while also tasting good, because no one wants to chew bitter gum and be left with bitter breath," said Maria Cuesta, marketing lead at Maax.

McCarthy said that for large companies, adding attributes like caffeine carries risk because they are reluctant to invest in new products that may not resonate with consumers. Instead, truly novel gum innovations may come from small startups.

"I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of innovation coming from outside and then being acquired by giants like Wrigley," he added, noting that large gum makers would "selectively make bolt-on acquisitions, buying up some brands that seem to be gaining traction."

In recent years, few gum brands have innovated as much as Simply.

Karsten Ch'ien, vice president of sales and growth at Simply, said the company ditched the synthetic plastic base used in most gums in favor of chicle, and avoids artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners like aspartame, using organic raw sugar instead. Most of its gums contain no more than six ingredients.

Packages of Simply gum at Sweets and Snacks in 2024. Source: Christopher Doering/Food Dive

Simply also attracts new users with unique flavor combinations. Besides common flavors like mint, it offers distinctive options such as grapefruit, maple, anise, and ginger. Ch'ien said these features have helped Simply achieve high double-digit growth, making it the best-selling natural gum brand in the U.S.

However, Simply's success did not happen overnight. Unlike most brightly colored gums, Simply is dull tan and has a unique shape, resembling small wooden blocks. The company spent months convincing retailers and consumers that despite the odd color and shape, these traits should not be a barrier to purchase.

Today, the decade-old brand is sold in 13,000 stores including Walmart, Publix, Whole Foods, and Target.

"We've proven that consumers are willing to be more open to the possibilities of gum," Ch'ien said.

Changing for today's consumers

Legacy gum brands also realize that being more open is key to survival.

Big League Chew has a strong following among older consumers who grew up with it. But until recently, it struggled to find a place with kids and teens, leading to stagnant sales.

In 2022, Ford Gum—the maker, seller, and marketer of Big League Chew—realized the brand was not resonating with its target consumers. The company made major changes to the beloved childhood product to make it more appealing to today's shoppers while maintaining the emotional connection with parents and grandparents.

"Our top priority was to revitalize this 34-year-old brand," Lawdan said. "It has high awareness; everyone knows it. But what we're very focused on is ensuring a new generation of kids can grow up with it just like our parents' generation did."

Big League Chew products. Source: Courtesy of Ford Gum

To that end, Ford partnered with elite college athletes closely followed by 13- and 14-year-old baseball players and increased social media exposure, showcasing not just the gum but also fun interactions between athletes and the brand.

Big League Chew also launched more limited-edition products, including a mint flavor, to transform it into a year-round product rather than something enjoyed only during baseball season.

Ford also completely overhauled packaging that had not changed in nearly two decades. The new pouches feature new cartoon player images that the company says better reflect today's consumers.

These changes have paid off. Sales are up double digits year over year, and Big League Chew has added new channels like Lowe's and Food Lion. Executives say there is still growth opportunity in convenience stores, and the brand has yet to enter major chains like Walmart and Target.

"The key is making it something kids want to chew, not just out of novelty, but 'No, I'm not going to the baseball game without Big League Chew in my bag,' creating a fear of missing out if they don't have it," Lawdan said. "When you compare Big League Chew to other gum brands, it truly stands apart."