First Fairtrade gum enters market

Chewing gum boxes from Glee Gum will now feature the Fairtrade certification mark. The mark guarantees that the cane sugar sweetening all six flavours of gum meets the social, economic and environmental standards set by Fairtrade International.

“We’re thrilled to debut the first FairTrade certified gum, and hope to see many other candy companies follow suit,” says Deborah Schimberg, founder and president of Verve. “From the outset, our products were designed to help people think about where foods come from, how raw materials and natural resources can be used responsibly, and how communities around the world depend upon one another to help build a healthier future. This certification signifies an important and exciting step in our continued commitment to environmental and social justice.”

In addition to offering the first Fair Trade gum, Glee is the only gum in North America still made with chicle— a tree sap harvested sustainably from Central American rainforests. The chewy texture of other gums comes entirely from synthetic materials. But Glee uses chicle as an eco-friendly way to help conserve the rainforest, giving trees more value standing than chopped down for lumber.