Was Stride Gum Discontinued?

Sometimes, out of the blue, we realize a product we used to enjoy regularly hasn't been seen in a while. A few years back, some folks on social media suddenly realized that Stride gum was nowhere to be found. This had many wondering — what happened to the iconic brand? Was it experiencing a production problem or just not being sold in some stores? Fans were slow to utter the unthinkable, but many began to wonder if Stride gum been discontinued.

The answer to the final question, sadly, is yes — at least in the United States. Stride was launched in 2006 with a marketing campaign centered on its long-lasting flavor. A barrage of campy commercials imitating public service announcements playfully encouraged customers to spit out their gum and reach for a new piece, emphasizing that the flavor lingered longer than competing brands. These goofy advertisements caught the attention of many chewing gum enthusiasts but, in the end, they weren't enough to make the Stride brand last seemingly as long as its product's flavor.

While no official reason was ever given for the decision to axe the brand, Stride seems to have gone the way of the discontinued Choco Taco sometime around 2019. However, not all is lost for fans of the once-popular chewing gum. Although it is scarce, die-hard fans can still find Stride gum if they are dedicated.

Stride gum might not be sold in stores in the United States or parts of Europe, but it can be found elsewhere in the world. Mondeléz International, the brand's parent company, still sells it in China, where it has gained popularity over the years. It's assumed that the company stopped producing it in the Western market to focus more on baked goods and other sweets, but the company has never issued an official statement to confirm this. All that's known for certain is you are just as likely Stride gum in stores as you are the discontinued soda brand TaB (which is to say, practically not at all).

If you are fresh out of funds for a trip to China solely to acquire a specific brand of chewing gum, there are other ways you can get your hands on some. Online seller sites like eBay have the discontinued product for sale from various sellers, although prices vary from somewhat reasonable to overly ambitious. It's worth noting that these products are not likely from overseas, meaning they are possibly several years old. With those long-gone best-by dates in mind, it may be best to accept that Stride gum is gone for good here in the U.S., similar to all the discontinued snacks from the 1990s we'll probably never see again.