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It Still Tastes Like Soap!
You either love it or hate it — that deep purple soapy-tasting chewing gum that evokes childhood memories for many. What you may not have realized is that this conflicting classic confection is actually rosewater-flavoured — and that it’s homegrown.
Thrills gum was created in London, Ont., sometime around 1936 by O-Pee-Chee, a company that specialized in bubble gum (and other treats) just as chewing gum was reaching the height of its popularity. In 1970 alone, O-Pee-Chee sold 7.5 million pounds of gum.
Though Nestlé purchased O-Pee-Chee in 1996 and subsequently closed its Canadian factories, Thrills continues to be produced by Tootsie Roll Industries, maintaining the polarizing legacy of this iconic chew.
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