Trident (gum) facts for kids
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| Type | Chewing gum |
|---|---|
| Owner | Perfetti Van Melle |
| Country | Canada |
| Introduced | 1960 |
| Related brands | Dentyne |
| Previous owners | American Chicle Company > Adams Gum • Warner-Lambert > Pfizer • Cadbury Schweppes • Kraft > Mondelez • Perfetti Van Melle |
| Website | tridentgum.com |
Trident is a popular brand of sugar-free chewing gum. It is currently owned by Perfetti Van Melle, a company from Italy and the Netherlands. American Chicle first launched Trident in 1960. Two years later, Warner-Lambert bought the company. Trident arrived in the United Kingdom in 2007. At that time, Cadbury Schweppes owned the brand.
Trident gum is sold in over 70 countries worldwide. However, it is sometimes known by different names. For example, it is called Stimorol in many parts of Europe and Africa. In Argentina, it is Beldent, and in Russia, it is Dirol.
The Story of Trident Gum
The American Chicle Company first introduced sugar-free Trident gum in 1960. Just two years later, in 1962, the company was bought by Warner–Lambert.
Growing Around the World
Trident started to become popular in other countries in 1970. It began selling in Canada, Spain, and Switzerland. When Trident started showing TV commercials in the 1970s, its sales grew a lot. Sales went from $27 million in 1973 to $80 million in 1976. By 1977, Trident was the best-selling sugar-free gum available.
During the 1970s, American Chicle stopped making some of its older, sugar-based gums. These included Black Jack and Beemans. This allowed the company to focus more on Trident and another gum called Freshen Up. Trident gum was made in a factory in Long Island City until 1981, when Warner-Lambert closed it.
Changes in Ownership
Trident was made by a part of Warner-Lambert called Chicle until 1997. Then, that part of the company became known as Adams. In 1999, Warner-Lambert planned to join with another company. But then Pfizer offered more money and bought Warner-Lambert in 2000.
After this, Pfizer sold the Adams candy division to Cadbury Schweppes for $4.2 billion in 2002. By 2005, Trident's sales around the world had grown by 20%. In 2007, Trident gum first reached the UK market. By March of that year, it had already taken 12% of the gum market there.
In 2010, Kraft Foods bought Cadbury. By 2011, Trident was the top gum brand in the US. It held 23.8% of the gum market. When Kraft split into two companies in 2012, Trident became part of Mondelez International. Trident gum was launched in China in 2015.
In 2022, Mondelez announced it would sell its gum brands, including Trident. In 2023, Mondelez sold its gum products to the European candy maker Perfetti Van Melle. This is the company that owns Trident today.
Types of Trident Gum
Original Trident
Trident Original was the very first type of Trident gum. It usually comes in packs of 3 or 14 wrapped sticks. There are six main flavors: Original, Bubble gum, Spearmint, Cinnamon, Watermelon Twist, and Tropical Twist.
Trident Advantage Gum
In the 1990s, Trident Advantage was introduced. This gum contained a special ingredient called Recaldent. It was shown to help make teeth stronger.
Trident White Gum
Trident White started selling in 2001. This version of the gum was made to help whiten teeth.
Trident Splash Gum
Trident Splash came out in 2005 in the US and Canada. It is a hard gum pellet with a liquid center. It promises two flavors in one bite. The first flavors were peppermint-vanilla and strawberry-lime. Later, new flavors like Strawberry-Lemon and Raspberry-Peach were added.
Trident Xtra Care Gum
Trident Xtra Care was launched in 2008. This sugar-free gum is said to help put minerals back into teeth. When it first came out, Cadbury Adams had the only right to use Recaldent in chewing gum. The first flavors were peppermint and cool mint.
This gum is called Xtra Care in the US, Canada, and Mexico. It is known as Trident Total in Colombia and Brazil. In Argentina, it is Beldent, and in Thailand and Japan, it is Recaldent.
Sweet Kicks Gum
In 2008, Trident introduced its Sweet Kicks gum. This gum had a chocolate flavor. It was sold in the UK and Mexico.
Trident Fresh Gum
Trident Fresh was introduced in the UK in 2008. This gum focused on giving a fresh feeling and great flavor. It came in peppermint, spearmint, and lemon.
Trident Layers Gum
In 2009, Trident Layers gum was released. This gum has different layers that offer multiple flavors. The first flavors were Wild Strawberry & Tangy Orange and Green Apple & Golden Pineapple. Cool Mint & Melon Fresco followed in 2010.
Vitality Gum
In 2011, Cadbury launched a Trident sub-brand called Vitality. This gum had extra ingredients like vitamin C and ginseng. However, it was stopped in 2014 because not many people bought it.
Trident Unwrapped Gum
Trident Unwrapped first appeared in 2014 in the US. It came as flat pieces of gum in a bottle.
Trident Vibes Gum
Trident Vibes is a newer version of the gum, created in 2018. Each container has 40 unwrapped, cube-shaped pieces. This gum comes in flavors like "Sour Berry Twist" and "Tropical Beat." It also has flavors inspired by Sour Patch Kids candies, such as Redberry and Blue Raspberry.
Advertising Trident
When Trident was first introduced in 1960, its slogan was "The Great Taste that Is Good for Your Teeth." This was one of the first big advertising campaigns to promote dental health through chewing gum.
For many years, Trident used a very famous slogan: “Four out of five dentists surveyed recommend sugarless gum for their patients who chew gum.” This slogan was based on a survey of dentists. About 80% of the dentists surveyed said they would suggest sugar-free gum to their patients who chew gum. This slogan became very well known with the Trident brand.
In the early 2000s, a new slogan was used for the brand: "See what Unfolds."
Trident gum contains a sugar alcohol called xylitol. Xylitol is known to be "tooth-friendly." However, it is important to know that xylitol is very harmful to dogs.
See also
In Spanish: Trident (chicle) para niños
