WASHINGTON — Fruit Stripe gum, the colorful zebra-printed gum with momentary burst of fruity flavors, has been discontinued.
Ferrara Candy Company confirmed to media outlets on Wednesday that the nostalgia-filled gum has seen its final fleetingly flavorful chew.
“We have made the difficult decision to sunset Fruit Stripe Gum, but consumers may still be able to find product at select retailers nationwide,” a Ferrara representative said in a statement. "The decision to sunset this product was not taken lightly, and we considered many factors before coming to this decision, including consumer preferences, and purchasing patterns — and overall brand trends for Fruit Stripe Gum.”
While some customers might be lucky enough to spot the rare remaining stock in stores, the company has stopped manufacturing new supply.
The colorful gum sticks had five different flavors ranging from Wet n' Wild Melon, Lemon, Cherry, Orange and Peach Smash. Most remember the gum for its snazzy 60s' packaging that features Yipes the Zebra, the longtime mascot of the fruity gum.
Along with just 15 seconds of flavor (maximum), the packaged gum also featured temporary tattoos of mascot Yipes the Zebra.
Fruit Stripe gum first hit candy shelves in the 1960s and was originally manufactured by a company called Beech-Nut. Throughout time, the gum brand changed ownership several times until landed in the hands of the Ferrara Candy Company.
The fruity gum has been featured in multiple shows and movies including "Home Alone 2" and "Family Guy."