History of Chiclets Gum (1906) 

What is Chicle?

The Mayan people are the next ancient culture known to have enjoyed chewing gum. Research shows that in about the Second Century, Mayan people chewed chicle, which is derived from the sap of the Sapodilla tree, a tropical evergreen native to Central America. Chicle was enjoyed for its high sugar content and sweet flavor. In about the year 800, the Mayan civilization met its end, but the practice of chewing chicle remained among Mayan descendants until as late as the Nineteenth Century.

The rediscovery of chicle by the American inventor Thomas Adams in the 1860s laid the foundation for modern chewing gum. The Wrigley Company was a prominent user of chicle until the 1960s, when it was replaced by a less expensive material that made chewing gum cheaper to manufacture. There are only a few companies today that still make chewing gum from natural chicle and other natural gums. Today, most chewing gums are derived from man-made materials that provide highly consistent chewing quality. But, the chicle legacy remains; “chicle” continues to be the common word for chewing gum in Spanish. And, of course Chiclets gum, which is named after chicle.

Chiclets Gum.

Chiclets is another old-time classic gum brand that has been available for generations and can still be enjoyed today in its original form and flavor.

Frank H. Fleer based his product idea on a confection that was popular around the turn of the 20th Century, candy coated almonds.

Peppermint Chiclets were introduced in 1906 and are the original candy coated chewing gum.  Over the years, Chiclets have been made in many different flavors and colors.

In 1929 when a box of ten Chiclets cost a nickel, a billboards and print advertising called the product "Peppermint gum iced with candy!"

In 1899 the leading gum manufacturers organized themselves into a conglomerate called the American Chicle Company.  Gum makers in the organization included Adams, Beeman, Primley, Curtis, and S. T. Britten.  In 1914, Fleer merged his company with the American Chicle Company. 

Chiclets Tiny Size® were introduced in 1962, the same year that American Chicle was purchased by the Warner-Lambert Company.  Warner-Lambert became part of Pfizer in 2000, and most recently was acquired by Cadbury.

Although the brand has been transferred or sold from one manufacturing company to another over the past century, it continues to exist in the same form, flavor, and nearly the same packaging.

AVAILABLE Chiclets Chewing Gum ADS BY DATE AND CATEGORY

	1919 Chiclets Candy Coated Chewing Gum 1919 Chicklets Candy Coated Chewing Gum original vintage advertisement. Illustrated in black & white. Ten pieces for 5¢ or the Family Size Weekend Box was 25¢.   Size - 10.5 inches x 15.5 inches 27 cm x 39 cm Grading - Good Availability - Sold Price - $65.00 Shipping and handling - verify postal code
	Ad Description Size - A Grading - B Availability - C Price - $ Shipping and handling - verify postal code