Chiclets facts for kids
Chiclets is a popular American brand of chewing gum. It's known for its hard, candy coating. Today, the company that owns Chiclets is called Perfetti Van Melle. Chiclets first came out in the year 1900. It was created by the American Chicle Company, which was started by a person named Thomas Adams.
Contents
The Story of Chiclets Gum
Where Did the Name Come From?
The name "Chiclets" comes from the Mexican Spanish word "chicle". This word itself comes from an ancient Aztec language called Nahuatl. In Nahuatl, the word was "chictli" or "tzictli," and it meant "sticky stuff."
Before Chiclets, people in places like Mexico and Central America chewed a natural gum. This gum was a sticky sap that came from certain trees. So, the name Chiclets connects to this old tradition of chewing tree sap.
What Makes Chiclets Special?
Chiclets are a lot like regular chewing gum. However, they have a special hard sugar coating. This coating comes in many different flavors and colors. The first flavor was peppermint. Over time, many fruit flavors became available in different countries. These included places like Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and parts of South America.
In some countries, like Mexico, the brand is known as "Adam's Chiclets." This name honors Thomas Adams, who founded the company. In Brazil and Portugal, the word chiclete even became a general word for any chewing gum. This shows how popular the brand was!
Who Invented Chiclets?
Several people have been given credit for inventing Chiclets. Some say it was the brothers Robert and Frank Fleer. Others believe it was Louis Mahle.
Chiclets Over the Years
For a while, Chiclets were not sold in the United States. However, they started appearing again around 2019. These new Chiclets were made in Mexico. You could find them at stores like Walmart, Kmart, and on Amazon. The ingredients now include a sweetener called aspartame, along with sugar and glucose.
On October 2, 2023, a big change happened for Chiclets. The company Mondelez sold its gum business, including the Chiclets brand. The new owner is Perfetti Van Melle, which also makes Mentos candies.
Chiclets in Sports Talk
In the sport of ice hockey, there's a slang term called spitting chiclets. This phrase describes when a player spits out broken teeth onto the ice. The teeth are said to look like Chiclets gum. This can happen in hockey because players sometimes get hit hard in the face. There's even a popular hockey podcast named Spittin' Chiclets.
See also
In Spanish: Chiclets para niños
