Wrigley targets teens with tastebud-tingling gum

The stick gum, simply named '5', promises to give consumers a sensation "you can feel as you chew."​ The gum will be available in three different flavours: Rain, which is a spearmint flavour, Cobalt, peppermint, and Flare, a cinnamon taste.​​In the US, teenage consumers are the most frequent gum buyers of any age group and account for one third of all gum chewed in the country. Wrigley chief marketing officer Martin Schlatter said: "In our testing, teens and young adults have told us they love everything about 5 - from the unique tingling, cooling or warming sensations that accompany its delicious and especially long-lasting flavours to its bold graphics to its sleek, revolutionary packaging." ​ The company has invested in innovative packaging for the product - a tactic which should prove popular with younger consumers. The gum will be available in a 15-stick envelope-style packet which Wrigley claim is the first in the gum market. Last month Wrigley, who own the Juicyfruit and Extra gum brands, announced full year net sales of $1.22 billion (€0.93bn) and consolidated operating profits of $821 million (€632.2m). In posting the results, the company outlined its plan to push further into the global gum market and pledged greater investment in product development for the coming year.