Trident is a brand of sugar‑free chewing gum owned by the Italian‑Dutch confectionery company Perfetti Van Melle. The product was originally introduced by the American Chicle Company in 1960 and has since changed ownership several times, passing through Warner‑Lambert, Cadbury Schweppes, Kraft Foods, and Mondelez International before being acquired by Perfetti Van Melle in 2023.
History
- 1960 – American Chicle launches Trident as a sugar‑free chewing gum.
- 1962 – Warner‑Lambert acquires the brand.
- 1970s – International expansion into Canada, Spain, and Switzerland; television advertising drives rapid sales growth, making Trident the best‑selling sugar‑less gum in the United States by 1977.
- 1997 – Production shifts to the Adams subsidiary of Warner‑Lambert.
- 2002 – Pfizer sells the Adams gum division (including Trident) to Cadbury Schweppes.
- 2010 – Kraft Foods acquires Cadbury; Trident becomes part of Kraft’s gum portfolio.
- 2012 – Kraft splits; Trident joins Mondelez International.
- 2022‑2023 – Mondelez announces divestiture of its gum brands; Perfetti Van Melle purchases Trident and other gum assets.
Product variants
Trident is marketed in numerous flavors and formulations, including:
- Original – Classic spearmint, bubble‑gum, cinnamon, watermelon twist, tropical twist, and original.
- Advantage – Introduced in the 1990s with Recaldent, a calcium‑based ingredient claimed to strengthen teeth.
- White – Launched in 2001, promoted for its purported teeth‑whitening effect.
- Splash – Hard‑coated pellets with liquid centers, first released in 2005.
- Xtra Care – Sugar‑free gum featuring Recaldent for mineral replenishment (2008).
- Sweet Kicks, Fresh, Layers, Vitality, Unwrapped, Vibes – Various later lines offering different flavor combinations, texture formats, or added functional ingredients such as vitamins.
Marketing and claims
Early advertising promoted the slogan “The Great Taste that Is Good for Your Teeth,” emphasizing dental health benefits. Trident has historically cited surveys indicating that a majority of dentists recommend sugar‑less gum for patients. The brand’s marketing claims regarding dental health and teeth‑whitening have been subject to regulatory scrutiny and litigation.
Composition
Trident gum is sugar‑free and typically contains the sugar alcohol xylitol, which is recognized for its reduced cariogenic potential. Xylitol is toxic to dogs, a fact noted in safety warnings.
Global presence
Trident is sold in more than 70 countries, though it is marketed under different names in various regions (e.g., Stimorol in much of Europe and Africa, Beldent in Argentina, First in Turkey, Dirol in Russia, Hollywood in France). The brand entered the United Kingdom market in 2007 and launched in China in 2015.
References
Information summarized from the Wikipedia article “Trident (gum)” and associated corporate histories.