We Can Thank the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair for These Amazing Things

We Can Thank the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair for These Amazing Things

Aimee Heidelberg - January 14, 2023

We Can Thank the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair for These Amazing Things
Juicy Fruit gum, c. 1920s – 1940s. Public domain.

Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Gum

William Wrigley didn’t invent chewing gum, but he knew how to market it. He was initially a soap salesman, then moved on to sell baking soda and handed gum out to customers to promote his other products. The gum was so popular with his customers, even outselling his baking soda, that he started producing it in bulk in 1892. Wrigley was a savvy marketer and got his product into the Fair. Juicy Fruit was the initial flavor, with spearmint following soon after. Other early flavors have come and go, including Vassar, Sweet Sixteen, Peppermint, Lemon Cream, and Blood Orange, but today Wrigley’s gum, including Juicy Fruit, can be found in candy aisles and checkout counters around the world.

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