To add new products at a pace of 20 a week, 7-Eleven sometimes does not pause for market research.
Such is the case with Fresh Air, a 99-cent item the convenience store giant touts as the first FDA-approved, "intense flavored" mentholated chewing gum sold in the United States.
Dentine Ice may have a tad of menthol flavor, but it's sold as a breath freshener. Fresh Air Gum is an alternative to throat lozenges such as Hall's Mentho-Lyptus that's designed to soothe dry throats.
The inspiration for Fresh Air came from 7-Eleven CEO James Keys, who spotted mentholated gum at one of the chain's stores in Taiwan. The gum is popular there among smokers and people suffering sore throats.
A typical 7-Eleven sells fewer than two packs a day of its most popular chewing gum. Keyes' eyes lit up when the clerk reported selling 15 packs of mentholated gum a day.
"It tastes like eucalyptus," Keyes said.
Ovalette Brands spent a year creating and licensing the product for 7-Eleven. It found a factory in Turkey that already made mentholated gum, then changed the flavors to match those of American candy counters. It comes in mint and honey lemon.
"We'll have tangerine/citrus this summer," said Derek Schmitt, 7-Eleven gum and candy manager.
7-Eleven developed Fresh Air from scratch because U.S. manufacturers who make the gum sold in Asia didn't want their products associated with cigarette smoking. 7-Eleven, which generates more business from tobacco than any other item, had no such qualms.
