 | |
 Wrigley Global Innovation Center in Chicago | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food |
| Founded | April 1, 1891; 134 years ago (1891-04-01) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Founder | William Wrigley Jr. |
| Fate | Acquired byMars, Inc. in 2008[1] |
| Headquarters | Global Innovation Center,Goose Island (Chicago),Illinois ,U.S. |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Products | Bubble andchewing gum Confectionery |
| Brands | (see below) |
| Revenue |  $5.389 billion (2007) |
| $961.9 million (2009) | |
Number of employees | 16,000 |
| Parent | Mars Inc. (2008–present) |
| Subsidiaries | A. Korkunov (2007–present)[2] |
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company,[3] also known asWrigley Company or simplyWrigley's, is an American multinationalcandy andchewing gum company, based in the Global Innovation Center (GIC) inGoose Island, Chicago, Illinois.[4] Founded in 1891, it is currently the largest manufacturer and marketer of chewing gum in the world.[5][6][7]
For almost a century, the Wrigley Company continously marketed three brands of gum:Wrigley's Spearmint,Doublemint, andJuicy Fruit. Since the late 20th century, it has expanded and created multiple more brands.[8] Wrigley's became asubsidiary ofMars Inc. in 2008,[1] and, along with Mars chocolate bars and other candy products, makes up "Mars Wrigley Confectionery".[9]
The company currently sells its products in over 180 countries and districts, operates in over 50 countries, and has 21 production facilities in 14 countries.[10]
The company was founded on April 1, 1891, in Chicago, Illinois byWilliam Wrigley Jr. Wrigley's gum was traditionally made out ofchicle, sourced largely from Central America. In 1952, in response toDecree 900, land reforms attempting to end feudal working conditions for peasant farmers inGuatemala, Wrigley's discontinued purchasing chicle from that country.
Wrigley's announced the closure of itsSanta Cruz, California manufacturing plant in April 1996. The plant had been built in 1955. The 385,000-square-foot manufacturing facility was put on the market in October 1996 for US$11.3 million, or about $30 a square foot.[11][12]
In 2005, Wrigley purchasedLife Savers andAltoids fromKraft Foods for US$1.5 billion.[13] On January 23, 2007, Wrigley signed a purchase agreement to acquire an 80% initial interest in Russian chocolatierA. Korkunov for $300 million with the remaining 20% to be acquired over time.[14] On April 28, 2008,Mars, Incorporated announced that it would acquire Wrigley for approximately $23 billion.[15] The sale price represented a significant premium to Wm. Wrigley Jr.’s market capitalization, which stood at $17.3 billion.[16] Financing for the transaction was provided byBerkshire Hathaway,Goldman Sachs, andJPMorgan; Berkshire Hathaway held a minority equity investment in Wrigley until October 2016, when Mars took full control over the company.[17][18][19][20]
TheWrigley Building onMichigan Avenue, a landmark on Chicago'sMagnificent Mile, was the company's global headquarters until 2011, when it was sold to an investor group that included Zeller Realty Group as well asGroupon co-founders Eric Lefkofsky and Brad Keywell.[21] The company has been headquartered in the GIC since 2012.
In 2016, Mars announced that Wrigley would be merged with its chocolate segment, Mars Chocolate North America, LLC, to form a new subsidiary, Mars Wrigley Confectionery. The new company would maintain global offices in Chicago, while moving its U.S. offices toHackettstown andNewark, New Jersey.
In May 2021, the company filed a lawsuit against five companies for marketing cannabis-infused edibles that closely resembled its Skittles, Starburst, and Life Savers brands.[22] On October 16, 2023, Judge John W. Holcomb approved a final judgment by consent in the case between Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company and Green Rush Extracts LLC. The defendants agreed to a permanent injunction and significant monetary remedies for willful trademark infringement and counterfeiting.[23]
In 1891, 29-year-old William Wrigley Jr. (1861–1932) came to Chicago fromPhiladelphia with $32 and the idea to start a business selling Wrigley's Scouring Soap.[24] Wrigley offered premiums as an incentive to buy his soap, such as baking powder. Later in his career, he switched to the baking powder business, in which he began offering two packages of chewing gum for each purchase of a can of baking powder. The popular premium, chewing gum, began to seem more promising, prompting another switch in product focus. Wrigley also became the majority owner of theChicago Cubs in 1921.
After William Wrigley Jr. died, his son Philip K. Wrigley (1894–1977) assumed his father's position as CEO of the Wrigley Company. Wrigley is most well known for his unusual move to support US troops and protect the reputation of the Wrigley brand during World War II, in which he dedicated the entire output of Wrigley's Spearmint, Doublemint, and Juicy Fruit to the US Armed Forces. Wrigley launched the "Remember this Wrapper" ad campaign to keep the Wrigley brands on the minds of the customers during times of wartime rationing.[13] Wrigley's P.K. brand was named after P.K. Wrigley.[25]
In 1961, Philip K. Wrigley handed control to his son, William Wrigley III (1933–1999). Wrigley led a strategic global expansion by establishing Wrigley facilities in nine new countries.[13] On June 26, 1974, aMarsh Supermarket inTroy,Ohio installed the firstbar code scanning equipment. The first product to be scanned using aUniversal Product Code (UPC) bar code was a 10-pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum.[26] (This pack of gum is now on display at theSmithsonian Institution'sNational Museum of American History.) In 1984, Wrigley introduced a new gum, Extra, which followed the new trend of sugar-free gums in the US.[13] Wrigley also assumed control of the Chicago Cubs after his father's death in 1977, and sold the team to theChicago Tribune in 1981.
William "Beau" Wrigley IV (1963–), following the death of Wrigley III (his father), led the sugar-free gum campaign across Europe, Australia, Spain, India, and China.[13] In 2005, Kraft Foods sold the Life Savers and Altoids businesses to Wrigley in exchange for $1.5 billion as part of a reorganization plan.[27] Wrigley helped establish the Wrigley Science Institute (WSI) in 2006 to study the oral health benefits of gum chewing. The WSI investigates the effects of gum chewing on weight management, stress relief, concentration, and oral health.[13]
On October 23, 2006, William D. Perez (1948–) succeeded Bill Wrigley as CEO, becoming the first person outside the Wrigley family to head the company. In 2007, the company debuted 5 Gum in the United States. The 5 Gum brand was marketed using cinematic TV commercials portraying "How it feels to chew 5 Gum." Perez led the efforts of improving slimmer packaging (Slim Pack) with flavor improvements across both Extra and Wrigley brands.[13]
Dushan Petrovich (1954–) succeeded Perez almost immediately after Mars, Incorporated's 2008 purchase of Wrigley. In 2009, Wrigley's Global Innovation Center received theLEED Gold Certification through Wrigley's commitment to global sustainability. In the2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wrigley was the Official Confectionery Supplier of the games, in which the company sported Olympic-themed packs and products.[13]
Martin Radvan became the president of the Wrigley Company after Petrovich. He is responsible for the company's worldwide strategy, operations, and business performance.[28]
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United States
| Canada
|    Fltr: Wrigley's Spearmint, Orbit, and Doublemint gums
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The Wrigley Company Ltd., Estover, Plymouth, UK
.jpg)  Wrigley's Extra (left) and Airwaves gums
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Additional products and brands
|   _(M%2526M%2527s).JPG)  Fltr: Wrigley's Altoids, Big League Chew gums, and Skitties and Starbust candies
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Alpine Gum was a gum made byWrigley's, and was only sold in Canada. It is an alternative tocough syrup. It cools the throat and relieves sore throat pain. Alpine was discontinued in 2005.[citation needed]
In 2013, Wrigley temporarily halted production and sales of its newAlert energy gum after the USFood and Drug Administration said it would investigate the safety of added caffeine in food products.[33]
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