Wrigley's Spearmint has a stronger claim than almost any other gum on the shelf to being the "original" chewing gum brand, and the company's own origin story is odder than the gum itself.
A gum that started as a free gift
William Wrigley Jr. didn't set out to sell gum. His company began in Chicago selling soap, then started throwing in free baking powder as an incentive to buy it. When customers turned out to prefer the baking powder to the soap, Wrigley pivoted the whole business toward baking powder — and then added gum as a free incentive for that. The gum, naturally, ended up more popular than the product it was meant to be promoting, and Wrigley pivoted again, this time for good.
1893, and a fast rise to the top
Wrigley's Spearmint launched in 1893, the same year as Juicy Fruit. Heavy advertising pushed it hard, and by 1910 it had become the best-selling chewing gum in the United States. The brand was reintroduced after a wartime pause in 1946, and the wider Wrigley company was eventually bought by Mars in 2008, folding one of America's oldest gum brands into one of its biggest confectionery groups.
Do we stock it?
No, we don't currently stock Wrigley's Spearmint gum directly. We do stock other gum brands under the same Wrigley ownership, though: Extra Peppermint and Extra Cool Breeze, plus Airwaves Menthol & Eucalyptus.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes Wrigley's Spearmint?
The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, now owned by Mars since 2008.
When did it launch?
1893, the same year as Juicy Fruit. It was the top-selling US gum by 1910.
Did Wrigley start out selling gum?
No — it began with soap, then baking powder, with gum added as a free incentive that became more popular than either.
Does Supreme Sweets stock Wrigley's Spearmint?
No, but we stock other Wrigley-owned gum brands, including Extra and Airwaves.