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Bubble Gum

April 13, 2013

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Profile America -- Saturday, April 13th. One of the joys of American youngsters -- and big league baseball players -- was developed in 1928 by a tinkering accountant...bubble gum. Walter Diemer of the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in Philadelphia concocted a batch that was less sticky than regular gum, and also stretched more easily. It was pink because that was the only food color on hand when he made the first batch. Seeing that it would make bubbles, he distributed free samples to stores throughout Philadelphia. By 1929, Diemer's invention-- Dubble Bubble -- caught on. Bubble gum is part of America's nonchocolate confectionary manufacturing industry producing over $5.7 billion worth of treats annually. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at <www.census.gov>.

Sources: 2007 Economic Census, NAICS 311340
http://www.census.gov/econ/industry/hierarchy/i311340.htm