Kraft opens chewing gum research lab
Kraft Foods are to open a £9m gum and candy research centre in Switzerland in order to ensure that changes in chewing gum taste, texture and packaging are of maximum appeal to their target markets.
The global gum market is one of the fastest growing sectors of the confectionary market, posting a 25% gain since 2005 to be valued at $23bn annually.
Britain has been an exception to this trend with sharply declining sales and part of the new R&D units remit will be to elicit precisely why this should be.
Kraft’s Cadbury subsidiary recently extended its best selling mint brand Trebor to the gum market in an attempt to boost gum consumption amongst older demographics.
Another aim of the unit will be to investigate growing demand for quirkier flavours as well as pushing gum as an oral care product.
Kraft owns a range of top selling European gum brands including Trident, Hollywood and Stimorol and recently launched Fresh & Clean, a peppermint, spearmint and eucalyptus flavoured gum with a powdered centre.