Innovation on the Taste Buds: From Chewing Gum to Fruit Gummies, a Clever Transformation

The Meiji company announced in March 2023 that it would discontinue its XYLISH gum product line. Naoya Yoshikawa, who oversees the gum and gummy marketing divisions at Meiji, noted, “Gum was traditionally favored due to its ability to boost concentration, freshen breath, and aid in oral hygiene. Our XYLISH gum reached its sales peak in 2007 with a total revenue of 26 billion yen, but since the following year, sales began to decline.”

By 2022, sales had dwindled to just a thirteenth of the peak amount, falling to 2 billion yen. As the popularity of gum declined, fruit gummies began to surge. For Generation Z, fruit gummies offered the same benefits as gum without leaving any waste, contributing to their rising popularity.

The market shift was noticeable as early as 2017 when Meiji’s sales reports revealed a crossover between gum and gummy sales. Originally, gum buyers were primarily aged 40 to 60, while the key demographic for fruit gummies was the 10 to 30 age group. However, after 2017, the fruit gummies’ market started to expand upwards. Yoshikawa explained, “When parents began to enjoy fruit gummies…