Fruit Stripe facts for kids
Fruit Stripe is a fun chewing gum known for its bright colors and fruity taste. Each piece of gum has colorful stripes, and it comes in cool zebra-striped wrappers. These wrappers even have temporary tattoos you can put on!
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The Story of Fruit Stripe Gum
Fruit Stripe gum, originally called "Five Flavor Gum," was created by James Parker. It first appeared in stores in 1969, made by the Beech-Nut company. Over the years, different companies have owned the brand. In 2003, Farley's & Sathers Candy Company took over from The Hershey Company. Later, in 2012, Farley's & Sathers joined with Ferrara Pan to create the Ferrara Candy Company. Then, in 2017, Ferrero became the owner. In 2022, a new treat called Fruit Stripes Gummy Candy was introduced.
What Flavors Can You Find?
Fruit Stripe gum comes in packs with five different flavors. There are two main types of five-flavor packs available today:
- Chewing Gum Flavors: These include wet 'n wild melon, cherry, lemon, orange, and peach smash.
- Bubble Gum Flavors: You can find cherry, grape, mixed fruit, lemon, and cotton candy in the bubble gum packs.
Did you know? In the late 1970s, there was even a chocolate version called Chocolate Stripe!
Meet Yipes the Zebra Mascot
For a long time, Fruit Stripe gum had different mascots, including a character called the Fruit Stripe Gum Man. There was also a group called the Stripes Family Animals, which included a tiger, elephant, and mouse, along with a zebra.
However, the zebra, later named Yipes, became the most famous mascot. Yipes is now the only character used to promote Fruit Stripe. You might have heard the advertising slogan, "Yipes! Stripes!" which is often used with him.
Yipes is usually shown on the gum wrappers doing cool activities. These wrappers often have temporary tattoos of Yipes playing sports like inline skating, skateboarding, baseball, basketball, soccer, and tennis. He's also shown bicycling, snowboarding, surfing, hang gliding, and even eating grass! In 1988, a bendy toy of Yipes was made for promotions. You'll see Yipes prominently on Fruit Stripe gum packaging, often playing basketball or soccer.
Helping Animals with Fruit Stripe
In 1996, Fruit Stripe gum helped a great cause. They donated five cents from the sale of each Jumbo Pack and Variety Multipack to the World Wildlife Fund. This effort raised about $100,000! The money helped protect endangered animals and their homes around the world.
