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Wrigley Company

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Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryFood
FoundedApril 1, 1891;133 years ago(1891-04-01)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
FounderWilliam Wrigley Jr.
HeadquartersGlobal Innovation Center,
Goose Island (Chicago),Illinois
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
ProductsJuicy Fruit,Wrigley's Spearmint,Doublemint,others
RevenueIncrease$5.389 billion (2007)
Increase$961.9 million (2009)
Number of employees
16,000
ParentMars Inc.
WebsiteMars Wrigley Confectionery website
TheWrigley Building,former HQ

TheWm. Wrigley Jr. Company,known as theWrigley Company,is an American multinational candy andchewing gumcompany, based in the Global Innovation Center (GIC) inGoose Island,Chicago, Illinois.[1]

Wrigley's is wholly owned byMars Inc.,and, along with Mars chocolate bars and other candy products, makes upMars Wrigley Confectionery.[2]It is the largest manufacturer and marketer of chewing gum in the world.[3][4][5]

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.[6]

History

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William Wrigley Jr., the founder of the Wrigley company

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.[citation needed]

Wrigley's announced the closure of itsSanta Cruz, Californiamanufacturing 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.[7][8]

In 2005, Wrigley purchasedLife SaversandAltoidsfromKraft Foodsfor US$1.5 billion.[9]On January 23, 2007, Wrigley signed a purchase agreement to acquire an 80% initial interest inA. Korkunovfor $300 million with the remaining 20% to be acquired over time. On April 28, 2008,Mars, Incorporatedannounced that it would acquire Wrigley for approximately $23 billion.[10]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.[11][12][13][14]

TheWrigley BuildingonMichigan 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 asGrouponco-founders Eric Lefkofsky and Brad Keywell.[15]The company has been headquartered in the GIC since 2012.

In 2016, Mars announced that Wrigley would be merged with its chocolate segment to form a new subsidiary, Mars Wrigley Confectionery. The new company would maintain global offices in Chicago, while moving its U.S. offices toHackettstownandNewark,New Jersey.

Corporate leadership

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1891–1932: William Wrigley Jr.

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Advertisement for three flavors of Wrigley’s chewing gum (1920)

In 1891, 29-year-old William Wrigley Jr. (1861–1932) came to Chicago fromPhiladelphiawith $32 and the idea to start a business selling Wrigley's Scouring Soap.[16]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 Cubsin 1921.

1932–1961: Philip K. Wrigley

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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.[9]Wrigley's P.K. brand was named after P.K. Wrigley.[17]

1961–1999: William Wrigley III

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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.[9]On June 26, 1974, aMarsh SupermarketinTroy,Ohioinstalled the firstbar codescanning equipment. The first product to be scanned using aUniversal Product Code(UPC) bar code was a 10-pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum.[18](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.[9]Wrigley also assumed control of the Chicago Cubs after his father's death in 1977, and sold the team to theChicago Tribunein 1981.

1999–2006: William Wrigley IV

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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.[9]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.[19]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.[9]

2006–2008: William Perez

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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.[9]

2008–2011: Dushan "Duke" Petrovich

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Dushan Petrovich (1954–) succeeded Perez almost immediately after Mars, Incorporated's 2008 purchase of Wrigley. In 2009, Wrigley's Global Innovation Center received theLEEDGold Certification through Wrigley's commitment to global sustainability. In the2010 Olympic Gamesin Vancouver, British Columbia, Wrigley was the Official Confectionery Supplier of the games, in which the company sported Olympic-themed packs and products.[9]

2011–2017: Martin Radvan

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Martin Radvan became the president of the Wrigley Company after Petrovich. He is responsible for the company's worldwide strategy, operations, and business performance.[20]

2017 to present: Andrew Clarke

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Subsidiaries

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  • The Wrigley Company Limited
  • Amurol Confections Company
  • Northwestern Flavors, LLC

Brands

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Gum

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Wrigley's Extra Gum brand

The Wrigley Company Ltd., Estover, Plymouth, UK

Alpine Gum

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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]

Alert Gum

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In 2013, Wrigley temporarily halted production and sales of its newAlertenergy gum after the USFood and Drug Administrationsaid it would investigate the safety of added caffeine in food products.[25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Global Innovation Center".Wrigley Company.RetrievedJuly 5,2012.
  2. ^Elejalde-Ruiz, Alexia (January 31, 2019)."With zany Super Bowl stunts and innovative M&Ms, Mars Wrigley tries to stand out in a crowded candy aisle".Chicago Tribune.RetrievedFebruary 3,2019.
  3. ^"Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company".International Directory of Company Histories.Thomson Gale; republished online at Encyclopedia.com. 2006.RetrievedJanuary 6,2017.
  4. ^Channick, Robert (September 8, 2013)."With teens chewing less, gum manufacturers change ad strategies".Chicago Tribune.RetrievedJanuary 6,2017.
  5. ^Jargon, Julie (February 11, 2013)."An Orange Crème Pop Gum? Folks Just Aren't Chewing It".The Wall Street Journal.RetrievedJanuary 6,2017.
  6. ^"Wrigley Worldwide Locations".Wrigley.com.
  7. ^"Wrigley's Move Hard to Swallow".SFGate.May 1, 1996.RetrievedJuly 9,2018.
  8. ^"Wrigley Santa Cruz plant for sale".Silicon Valley Business Journal.RetrievedJuly 9,2018.
  9. ^abcdefgh"Heritage Timeline",Wrigley Company. Retrieved on September 25, 2012.
  10. ^Karnitschnig, Matthew; Berman, Dennis K. (April 27, 2008)."Mars, Buffett Team Up in Wrigley Bid".Wall Street Journal.RetrievedApril 27,2008.
  11. ^Kell, John (October 6, 2016)."Mars Inks Deal With Warren Buffett For Full Control of Wrigley".RetrievedJanuary 6,2017.
  12. ^Stempel, Jonathan; Ganesan, Gayathree (October 6, 2016)."Mars Inc buying out Buffett stake in Wrigley".Reuters.com.RetrievedJanuary 6,2017.
  13. ^Merced, Michael J. de la (October 6, 2016)."Mars Cashes Out Warren Buffett to Take Control of Wrigley".The New York Times.RetrievedOctober 30,2024.
  14. ^Mohamed, Theron (January 28, 2023)."Warren Buffett shelled out $6.5 billion to help Mars buy Wrigley during the financial crisis. Here's how he made the candy deal happen".Markets Insider.RetrievedOctober 30,2024.
  15. ^"Wrigley Building Sold, Groupon Cofounders Among Buyers".The Huffington Post.September 19, 2011.RetrievedMay 18,2016.
  16. ^Batchelor, Bob (2002).The 1900s.Greenwood Publishing Group.ISBN9780313313349.
  17. ^"FAQ".Wrigley.Archived fromthe originalon January 22, 2018.
  18. ^Bellis, Mary."Bar Codes",Inventors, About.com Guide, September 26, 2012.
  19. ^Warner, Melanie."Kraft Foods Will Sell Altoids and Life Savers to Wrigley",The New York Times,November 16, 2004. accessed September 26, 2012.
  20. ^"Leadership",Wrigley Company, September 26, 2012.
  21. ^"Favourite Croatian Candies | Croatia Week".March 6, 2017.
  22. ^The Advertising Red Books.LexisNexis. 2010.RetrievedNovember 6,2019.
  23. ^"Mars shifts confectionery brands to Wrigley".www.campaignlive.co.uk.
  24. ^Manufacturing Confectioner(in Spanish). 1999. p. 28.RetrievedNovember 6,2019.
  25. ^Jalonick, Mary Clare."APNewsBreak: Wrigley halts caffeinated gum".AP News.Associated Press. Archived fromthe originalon September 4, 2014.RetrievedMarch 25,2020.
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