Black Jack is an aniseed-flavored chewing gum made by Mondelēz International, originally the American Chicle Company. As of July 2018 Gerrit's Brands, Inc. acquired the rights to Black Jack gum, along with Beemans and Clove, relaunching reformulated versions in November 2018.
In 1869, exiled former Mexican president and general Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (famous for losing the Texas War of Independence) was living in New Jersey.[1] He brought Mexican chicle with him in hopes of selling it to raise funds to help him return to power in his home country. He persuaded Thomas Adams of Staten Island, New York, to buy it. Adams, a photographer and inventor, intended to vulcanize the chicle for use as a rubber substitute. Adams' efforts at vulcanization failed, but he noticed that Santa Anna liked to chew the chicle, which the ancient Mayans had done.
Disappointed with the rubber experiments, Adams boiled a small batch of chicle in his kitchen to create a chewing gum. He gave some to a local store to see if people would buy it; they did and he began production.
Did you know that Black Jack is one of the oldest gums in existence? When it was first introduced in 1871, the gum was chicle-based and flavorless. It wasn't until 1884 that licorice was added as a flavor (they first tried Sasparilla but it didn't taste as good as expected), thus making it the first flavored gum in the history of candy! Formed out of a merger between smaller confectionary companies in 1899, the American Chicle Company, or “the Chewing Gum Trust,” as the conglomerate was popularly known, offered a wide range of gums: Adams Gum, Black Jack licorice gum, Beeman’s Pepsin gum, Sen-Sen Breathlets, Dentyne, and, of. Gum at The Online Candy Shop. We have a large offering of Chewing Gum and Bubble Gum. Here you will find all of our Gum for sale.
In 1871, Adams received a patent on a gum-making machine and began mass-producing chicle-based gum. His first product ('Snapping and Stretching') was pure chicle with no flavoring, but sold well enough to encourage Adams in his plans. He began to experiment with flavorings, beginning with sarsaparilla. In 1884, he began adding licorice flavoring and called his invention Adams' Black Jack, the first flavored gum in the U.S. It was also the first gum to be offered in sticks.
Black Jack Gum was sold well into the 1970s, when production ceased due to slow sales. It was re-introduced in October of 1986.[2]American Chicle was purchased by the Warner-Lambert Company in 1962, which became part of Pfizer in 2000. In 2002, Adams was purchased by Cadbury, which merged with Kraft Foods in 2010 and became part of Mondelēz in 2012 following the split.
Black Jack chewing gum returned to the market in the 2000s, in limited quantities, often sold in candy specialty shops.
In popular culture[edit]
In the book Deviant, author Harold Schechter mentions that American serial killer Ed Gein chewed Black Jack gum during his sanity hearing.In the TV series Homeland, Saul Berenson is fond of those chewing-gums. Black Jack gum was also used in the television show Boardwalk Empire. It was featured in Nucki's flashbacks in Season 5, Episode 6.
In Seinfeld Season 3, Episode 5 ('The Library'), Seinfeld is reminiscing with an old friend. He asks if they were chewing Black Jack gum. She says, 'Ugh licorice gum? Never!'
In the 1990 movie Pump up the Volume, Christian Slater's character prefers Black Jack gum .
Gluten Free Gum Drops
Referenced in the song 'back to the hotel' by SF Bay area group N2Deep.
Is Black Jack Gum Gluten Free
In the Sanford and Son episode 'Coffins for Sale' Fred makes a reference to Black Jack Gum being chewed by General Pershing.
Gluten Free Gum List
In Season 3, Episode 10 of the Showtime original series Homeland, acting director of the CIA, Saul Berenson ensures his secretary has an adequate supply during a tense moment. (Later it is referenced as his lucky gum). 'I'm out of Black Jack. Anymore out there?' Secretary brings him a pack from her desk. 'Is this the last pack?' Secretary: 'I've got you plenty more. Don't worry'.
Rage (1977) by Stephen King. In chapter 22 the lead character, Charlie Decker, says: 'Black Jack gum - there is no finer'
In Season 3, Episode 16 of the American TV series Northern Exposure, 'Three Amigos,' Ruth-Anne offers Maurice a pack of Black Jack gum to bury with their late friend, Bill. She said he always liked it. Then, before they completely finish Bill's burial in the wilderness, Maurice offers Holling a stick and then he stuffs the pack of gum between the rocks that are covering the burial mound.
References[edit]
- ^http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/6-things-you-may-not-know-about-santa-anna
- ^https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/25/business/new-revival-old-time-gum.html