The iconic Fruit Stripe chewing gum will be discontinued, manufacturer Ferrara Foods announced this week.
The company, which also makes Red Hot and Lantz, told FOX Business the move was a “difficult decision.”
“While we have made the difficult decision to discontinue Fruit Stripe gum, consumers may still be able to find this product in select retail stores nationwide,” a spokesperson said.
“The decision to discontinue this product was not taken lightly. We considered many factors, including consumer preferences and purchasing patterns, before arriving at this decision,” the statement continued.
“We are excited to continue to offer many other beloved and iconic brands in our portfolio, including Fun Dip, Gobstopper, Jujyfruits, Fire Ball, Pixy Stix, Chuckles, Runts, Spree, Boston Baked Beans, Bottle Caps, and many more. ”
Introduced in the 1960s, this nostalgic candy has been enjoyed by generations of Americans.
It's known for its iconic rainbow-colored packaging featuring a cartoon zebra and appropriately striped gum sticks.
Ferrara's website says the “brightly flavored gum” comes in watermelon, cherry, lemon, orange and peach flavors.
Fans of the product reacted to the news on social media.
“A piece of my childhood died,” a Reddit user wrote.
Another lady user lamented, “I felt unreasonably sad after hearing this news.''
While the reaction was disappointing, many criticized the product, claiming that it quickly loses its gum flavor.
“What? Why?” user X wrote. “Sure, the flavor was gone after a few minutes, but fruit stripes are iconic and are what I chose when I got gum as a kid! I need answers Ferrera [sic]! ”
Another Reddit user said: “I've never been so angry over losing something so mediocre.”
