Wrigley Launches Eight New Products to Mark the New Year

CHICAGO, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- To ring in the New Year, the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company is launching eight new confectionery products to hit store shelves in January 2006.

"The recent opening of our Global Innovation Center reinforces Wrigley's focus on new product innovation," stated Ralph Scozzafava, Vice President & Managing Director, North America and Pacific. "These new items deliver on Wrigley's commitment to provide consumers with innovations that meet their changing tastes and needs."

The eight new products are: -- New Doublemint Twins Mints -- the first innovative extension from the popular 90+ year old Doublemint brand. Available in single serve sizes, Doublemint Twins Mints come in two flavors: Wintercreme and Mintcreme. Both flavors are a blend of mild mint flavors with a creme. -- Extra "Cool Watermelon" -- the latest flavor addition to Extra gum, the #1 gum in the United States for over a decade. Extra "Cool Watermelon" provides consumers a unique, long lasting twist to the traditional watermelon flavor. -- Eclipse "Cinnamon Inferno" and "Midnight Cool" gums -- two new items from Eclipse that deliver powerful fresh breath through intense, unique flavors. -- Orbit White "Wintermint" gum -- the latest flavor of Orbit White not only whitens teeth and removes stains, but also tastes great. -- Life Savers Gummies Wild Berry Sours -- available in multi-serve bags, Berry Sours contain six "sour" gummy flavors: cherry berry, strawberry, red raspberry, black raspberry, blackberry and white grape. Life Savers Gummies Wild Berry Sours combine a kick of sour with great tasting, sweet wild berry flavors. -- Creme Savers Tropicals Hard Candy -- the latest addition to Creme Savers, which is the #1 brand in Dairy Hard Candy. Creme Savers Tropicals are available in a multi-serve bag and bring creamy, dreamy great taste in three new tropical flavors: Pina Colada & Creme, Banana & Creme and Mango & Creme. -- Altoids Mango Sours -- a new sour flavor from the leader in Hard Candy Sours. Altoids Mango Sours is a new, and curiously strong, way for adults to enjoy the fruity yet strong taste of Altoids.

"Wrigley's consumers have come to expect the highest quality, value, innovative benefits and fun from Wrigley products," said Martin Schlatter, General Manager, U.S. "We have a robust pipeline of innovation across formats, flavors, packaging and new products to exceed these consumer expectations."

Over the past four years, the contribution from new products has averaged nearly 20% of Wrigley's global sales, up significantly from the 5-6% rate of the 1990's. "There is no doubt that sustainable innovation that adds value is a critical growth driver for our business going forward," stated Schlatter. "What makes Wrigley unique is our focus on ensuring our innovations have staying power in the marketplace."

The Wrigley Company is a recognized leader in the confectionery field and the world's largest manufacturer and marketer of chewing gum, with global sales of more than $4.0 billion. The Company markets its world-famous brands in more than 180 countries. Three of these brands -- Wrigley's Spearmint(R), Juicy Fruit(R), and Altoids(R) -- have heritages stretching back more than a century. Other brands include Doublemint(R), Life Savers(R), Big Red(R), Boomer(R), Pim Pom(R), Winterfresh(R), Extra(R), Freedent(R), Hubba Bubba(R), Orbit(R), Excel(R), Creme Savers(R), Eclipse(R), Airwaves(R), Alpine(R), Solano(R), Sugus(R), Cool Air(R), and P.K. (R).