Business bubbles

摘要

Gum chewing is not considered a sophisticated pursuit. Munching on mastic-tree sap was one of the less admirable habits of the ancient Greeks. America's settlers found paraffin wax tasty. The sight of people masticating open-mouthed on today's synthetic latex gum, together with sticky encounters under seats, explains why such enlightened places as Singapore banned the anti-social stuff. Yet chewing gum has, quietly, come of age. No longer just for kids to blow bubbles with, it is becoming a health aid for adults: to fight cavities, deliver vaccines, cure ear infections and soothe an ulcer. And the evolution of chewing gum from a sticky-sweet vice into a "nutraceutical"-the fashionable term for foods with medicinal properties-is driving sales. The $12 billion gum market is growing by 3% a year, a decent rate for food; but within that total, sales of sugarless gum are rising by 15% a year. Sugar-free brands of Wm Wri-gley, the world's biggest gum maker, are rising by 34% a year.