The Retroist

The Retroist

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
The Truth about Fruit Stripe Gum
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
User's avatar
Discover more from The Retroist
A Retro Podcast, Blog, and Newsletter.
Over 3,000 subscribers
Already have an account? Sign in

The Truth about Fruit Stripe Gum

Retroist's avatar
Retroist
Apr 06, 2015
2

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
The Truth about Fruit Stripe Gum
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
1
Share

Fruit Strip Gum has a reputation for losing its flavor quickly. When I bought a pack as a kid (and most of the time now), I usually just shotgun piece after piece trying to keep that painted on fruit flavor train going strong. You would think that with all the advancements in gum technology over the years that we would have had many attempts at “long-lasting” flavor, but this gum always stays the same.

I have a theory about this. Let’s go back in time to a meeting of gum manufacturers in the early sixties. A new gum is introduced that year, it is a fruity gum that blows the doors off the meeting. Piece after mouth-watering piece is gobbled up by a hungry mob of gum professionals and when they are finished with this fruit-flavored Bacchanalia, they realize they are in trouble. Why would anyone choose their gum when his magnificent and aesthetically pleasing fruit stripe gum is available?

Thanks for reading The Retroist! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

So they struck a deal with people who make Fruit Stripe. They can distribute the gum, but only if the flavor is fleeting. Strong to satisfy the taste buds, but so brief that the chewer would be left wanting. In turn, Fruit Stripe could have a lock on temporary tattoos to wrap around their gum and a percentage of all other gum sales.

So the people who own Fruit Stripe get rich, but we never get to taste the full effect. It was a grand bargain that kept the gum industry growing and diversified, but was it a great deal for consumers? I think we all know the answer to that…

Fruit Stripe or the “Five Flavor Gum” was first distributed in the early 1960s by the Beech-Nut company. As of 2012, it is part of the Ferrara Candy Company and is still widely available in the United States.

They originally had four animals representing the gum, but as time went on they settled up the zebra because of the tie in with the stripes. While not often mentioned in advertising, his name is Yipes.


Subscribe to The Retroist

Launched 4 years ago
A Retro Podcast, Blog, and Newsletter.
2

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
The Truth about Fruit Stripe Gum
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
1
Share

Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Georgie Porridge's avatar
Georgie Porridge
Sep 19

Sadly this was discontinued in January 2024 :(

Expand full comment
Like
Reply
Share
The Mystery Of The Red Quarters…Solved!
Did you ever find a quarter painted red and wonder if that red served a purpose? It does.
Feb 11, 2017 • 
Retroist
45

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
The Mystery Of The Red Quarters…Solved!
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
6
Remember when Mickey Mouse decided to commit suicide?
Unless you lived in the 1930s or are a fan of vintage comic strips you might not be aware of the attempted Mickey Mouse suicide.
Aug 30, 2017 • 
Retroist
9

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
Remember when Mickey Mouse decided to commit suicide?
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Monkey’s Blood (Mercurochrome) for those boo-boos
Remember when you were a kid, and you would were out roughhousing with your friends.
Oct 23, 2019 • 
Retroist
4

Share this post

The Retroist
The Retroist
Monkey’s Blood (Mercurochrome) for those boo-boos
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
2

Ready for more?

© 2025 Retroist
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

Create your profile

User's avatar

Only paid subscribers can comment on this post

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in

Check your email

For your security, we need to re-authenticate you.

Click the link we sent to , or click here to sign in.