Wrigley’s Enters Energy-Boost Market With Caffeinated Chewing Gum

With demand for chewing gum on the decline, and interest in energy-boosting foods and drinks on the rise, Wrigley’s, maker of the Juice Fruit and Doublemint gum brands, is introducing a new product packed with caffeine. Alert Energy Caffeine Gum will begin hitting shelves in convenience stores, supermarkets and mass retailers in April, even as concern grows among consumer groups and regulators about the safety of energy products, especially among teenagers. Wrigley says its target market for the caffeinated gum is consumers aged 25 and older, and its marketing plan will avoid associating it with other brands in its product line better known among kids and teens.