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Ferrara
Fruit Stripe Gum’s 54-year history, spanning from 1960 to 2014, represents one of the longest-running gum brands ever. Despite changing hands multiple times, the brand maintained its core identity: colorful striped gum with intense but fleeting fruit flavors, zebra-themed packaging, and temporary tattoos. The gum is a beloved piece of nostalgia, especially for millennials who grew up in the 90s.
Beech-Nut is founded. It’s first called the Imperial Packing Company (later Beech-Nut Packing Company). Founders include Raymond P. Lipe, John D. Zieley, Walter H. Lipe, David Zieley, and Bartlett Arkell in Canajoharie, New York.
Beech-Nut starts manufacturing chewing gum.
Beech-Nut merges with Life Savers Corporation to form Beech-Nut Life Savers.
James Parker invents the “Five Flavor Gum” that later becomes Fruit Stripe Gum. Fruit Stripe appears in some markets as early as April 1961, with broader availability in fall 1961 to coincide with back-to-school marketing.
The chewing gum is launched with five flavors:
It’s originally sold for 3-5 cents per pack (about 30-50 cents in today’s money). It’s marketed as the only gum with painted-on stripes.
Early advertisements featured the “Fruit Stripe Gum Man” (an anthropomorphic gum pack with limbs and face) and the “Stripes Family Animals,” including a zebra, tiger, elephant, and mouse. The Stripes Family Animals are featured in coloring books and plush toys.
Beech-Nut Life Savers merges with pharmaceutical giant E.R. Squibb & Sons to form Squibb Beech-Nut Corporation. The new company manufactures prescription drugs, cosmetics, vitamins, Martinson coffee, Tetley tea, Life Savers candy, and Beech-Nut gum, including Fruit Stripe.
A chocolate version of Fruit Stripe Gum is introduced. It’s called “Chocolate Stripe.”
Nabisco Brands Inc. acquires the Life Savers division (including Fruit Stripe) from E.R. Squibb Corporation.
The zebra cartoon is created as the mascot for Fruit Stripe Gum, eventually named “Yipes,” outlasting all other Stripes Family Animals.
“Yipes! Stripes!” slogan is launched.
Yipes is used for new promotional merchandise.
Temporary tattoos featuring Yipes in various activities (such as inline skating, skateboarding, baseball, hang gliding, basketball, bicycling, snowboarding, surfing, soccer, tennis, and eating grass) become a staple of the gum wrappers.
Fruit Stripe donates five cents from every Jumbo Pack and Variety Multipack sale to the World Wildlife Fund for endangered animal habitat preservation.
The Hershey Company acquires Fruit Stripe from Nabisco in a $135 million deal that included other candy brands.
Farley’s & Sathers Candy Company acquires Fruit Stripe from Hershey.
Farley’s & Sathers merges with Ferrara Pan Candy Company to form Ferrara Candy Company, with the help of private equity firm Catterton Partners. The merger creates a combined company with a $1 billion valuation.
The Italian confectionery giant Ferrero Group (makers of Nutella, Tic Tacs, and Fannie May) acquires Ferrara Candy Company for an estimated $1.3 billion, including debt.
Ferrero reports a 4.5% sales increase for Fruit Stripe over the previous year.
Ferrara launches Fruit Stripe gummy candies (later discontinued).
Ferrara Candy Company officially announces the discontinuation of Fruit Stripe Gum after 54 years on the market.
Official Company Statement:
“We have made the difficult decision to sunset Fruit Stripe Gum, but consumers may still be able to find products at select retailers nationwide,” according to Ferrara spokesperson.
The company cites “consumer preferences and purchasing patterns, and overall brand trends for Fruit Stripe Gum” as factors in the decision.
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