Whatever Happened To Stride Gum?
Name-brand chewing gums like Wrigley's and Juicy Fruit, whose actual flavor is a mystery, have been around since the 1890s but Stride came onto the scene much later. The gum was launched in 2006 by Cadbury's U.S. division and its introduction was accompanied by heavy advertising. The selling point of this newcomer was the fact that you could chew it for a long time without it deteriorating in texture and the flavor would last longer without having to use a genius water trick. Instead of the usual flavors like bubble gum and spearmint, Stride's gum also had unique features such as mystery flavors and being fortified with vitamins.
In 2010, the brand was acquired by Kraft Foods — now called Mondelēz International. Shortly after, the recipe and packaging were changed and the product was rebranded as Stride 2.0. Unfortunately, for fans of the brand, the gum would later disappear from shelves, and the last time the brand ever confirmed its availability was back in 2019, responding to a fan on its no-longer-existent Twitter page.
Why was Stride gum discontinued?
All these years later, people on Twitter are still talking about Stride gum, remembering it with fondness and wishing it would come back. But when Stride gum was actually available, there weren't really a lot of people buying it. When it was acquired and revamped by Kraft Foods in 2010, it faced low sales and struggled to keep up with its competitors.
For a while though, Stride managed to maintain interest with consumers. In 2011, for example, Kraft Foods brought in Shaun White as a celebrity spokesperson and released a new flavor called Whitemint. In 2013, Stride collaborated with Sour Patch Kids and in 2016, orchestrated a skydiving stunt on FOX to promote the heaven-sent nature of its gum. By the end of 2018 however, there were signs of a decline.
During an investor day conference that year, as Food Business News reported at the time, Mondelēz International revealed that Stride wasn't doing well but the company remained hopeful business would pick back up. "While gum as a segment is challenging, the consumers' need for refreshment is very important," said Mondelēz International Chairman and CEO, Dirk Van de Put. "So, I would say that instead of a gum problem, we believe we have a refreshment opportunity." The company's next move was to release a Stride candy mint, but it seems a discontinuation came first.
Will Stride gum ever make a return?
Nostalgic foods are making a comeback, as seen with Oreo Cakesters and Dunkaroos in recent years. But while the return of Stride gum could always be a possibility, it doesn't seem likely. In October 2023, Mondelēz International announced that it had sold its chewing gum brands to Perfetti Van Melle Group. Considering major brands such as Trident, Dentyne, and Bubbalicious were among the many brands Mondelēz International sold, it doesn't seem like the company is very interested in the gum business anymore, let alone in bringing back a brand that underperformed towards the end.
Ultimately the decision would still be in the hands of Mondelēz International because the deal with Perfetti Van Melle Group did not include the sale of Stride, which is still available in China. The company began selling Stride in China back in 2012 and you can still buy it there. In fact, one of the only ways you can still get your hands on Stride gum is by buying it online from a Chinese seller and that's probably a better option than hoping for a future comeback in the U.S.