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| Wrigley Stick Gums Receive Packaging and Flavor Makeover |
U.S. Plans for Sleek Packaging and Improved Flavors Unveiled at Annual Meeting CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 2008--The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company (NYSE:WWY) is giving its Extra(R) and Wrigley's(TM) brands - Juicy Fruit(R), Doublemint(R), Big Red(R), Winterfresh(R) and Wrigley's Spearmint(R) - a great new look with the introduction of Slim Pack(TM), a sleek, 15-stick envelope package that is more durable and portable for today's consumers. The new packaging is coupled with significant flavor improvements across both brands. We are bringing news and excitement to the Wrigley's traditional brands and Extra - a portfolio that represents 30 percent of our overall gum business in the U.S., commented Bill Perez, President and CEO, at Wrigley's Annual Stockholders' Meeting Wednesday in Chicago. We've reformulated these brands to improve taste and flavor duration, and we are introducing new, category-changing packaging that has been two years in the making. This cool new pack will make these brands more contemporary and give them a great presence on the shelf. Slim Pack is similar to the revolutionary 5(TM) gum pack introduced in 2007 and is the latest in a series of Wrigley packaging innovations that include the Orbit(R) tab envelope and Big-E-Pak(R) 60-pellet bottle. The Company also emphasized the importance of the rapidly growing fruit-flavored gum segment and announced it will launch a new Extra line, called Extra Fruit Sensations(TM), along with three new Orbit fruit varieties. Fruit flavors have been a key contributor to gum growth, and Wrigley is introducing an unparalleled level of innovation in fruit-flavored gum to leverage this trend and delight our consumers, said Paul Chibe, Wrigley's Vice President of North American Gum Marketing. Extra Fruit Sensations will offer four great-tasting, long-lasting fruit flavors, including Strawberry Banana, Berry Pearadise(TM), Island Cooler(TM) and Sweet Watermelon, and will come in the new Slim Pack. Within the fruit category, Orbit - the No. 1 selling gum in the U.S. - will tap into the exotic with the introduction of Sangria Fresca(TM) and Fabulous Fruitini(TM), while Orbit White(R) will introduce Fruit Sorbet. Both Extra Fruit Sensations and the new Orbit flavors will carry the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance, which shows chewing these sugar-free gums can help maintain good oral health. The new and improved Extra, Extra Fruit Sensations and Wrigley's brands will start appearing on store shelves in May. The new Orbit and Orbit White flavors will be available nationally in July. About Wrigley The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company is a recognized leader in confections with a wide range of product offerings including gum, mints, hard and chewy candies, lollipops, and chocolate. The Company has global sales of $5.4 billion and distributes its world-famous brands in more than 180 countries. Three of these brands - Wrigley's Spearmint(R), Juicy Fruit(R), and Altoids(R) - have heritages stretching back more than a century. Other well-loved brands include Doublemint(R), Life Savers(R), Big Red(R), Boomer(R), Pim Pom(R), Winterfresh(R), Extra(R), Freedent(R), Hubba Bubba(R), Orbit(R), Excel(R), Creme Savers(R), Eclipse(R), Airwaves(R), Solano(R), Sugus(R), P.K.(R), Cool Air(R) and 5(TM). MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5632501
CONTACT: WM. WRIGLEY JR. COMPANY |
| "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.'s business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year. |