Wrigley gums to get flavor boost

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. said it would overhaul the packaging and flavor of its ubiquitous stick gums, including Doublemint, Juicy Fruit, Big Red and Extra brands, as part of an effort to revive sagging U.S. sales.

The company says it will transform the foil-wrapped stick gum to a sleek 15-stick envelope. It also intends to boost the gum’s flavor.

The slim design is similar to the packaging used for 5, the Chicago-based company’s newest gum that debuted last year. That product and its packaging were designed to easily fit in a pocket and attract teens and young adults, who make up about one-third of the nation’s gum chewers.

Stick gum sales account for about one-third of Wrigley’s gum revenue. The company’s reformulated gum will be launched in the U.S. beginning this spring. The company said it also planned to introduce more fruit flavors for its Orbit and Extra lines.