Ever since its conception, chewing gum has been a big deal in Mexico. In fact, Mexico is one of the world’s largest distributors of chiclet—which is the substance from which chewing gum is made from. It is derived from the sapodilla tree, which is widely grown in Mexico. Trees that are cut (often in a zig-zag pattern) produce sap as a band-aid. This sap is a gummy substance that is known as chicle. Its ancient name can literally be translated as “sticky stuff.”
The oldest Mexican company to produce and distribute Mexican gum chiclets is the company bearing the exact same name, Chiclets. a company founded in early 20th century. The chicle gum base has been traditionally used in chewing gum since it’s conception all over the world, especially in the US. Unfortunately, for the past 20 years many manufacturers have switched to a cheaper, synthetic rubber in their chewing gums.
Bringing Mexican Gum to a Global Stage
While Thomas Adams and William Wrigley were busy bringing their version of gum to the world, Mexico was diligently perfecting its own art. Today, Mexican gum stands on its own as a unique bastion of taste.
Probably Mexico’s most famous chewing gum brand is Canel’s. The company was founded in 1925, almost a hundred years ago, and is still the number one Mexican chewing gum brand. Where once, Canel’s was only available in Mexico, Canel’s chewing gum is now available to a much broader consumer based than it used to be. With its introduction into the United State market, the popularity has grown even further. Canel’s gum flavors include the typical suspects, such as peppermint and spearmint, but they also include a large variety of fruity and unusual flavors amongst their lineup.
Other popular Mexican gum brands include companies such as Sonrics, Adams and Lucas.
Our Top Recommendations:
Canel’s Original Gum
This is an absolute classic when it comes to original Mexican chewing gum. Their packages consist of five flavors of chewing gum. First off, we have peppermint and spearmint as the usual suspects. Then we move on to tutti—frutti and violet as the fruity tasting flavors. The last flavor is perhaps the most unexpected one, and its cinnamon. It might sound a bit weird, but we assure you, as with all our recommendations, the taste is there. The only con would be the lack of exotic flavors you might expect in a Mexican chewing gum.
Canel’s Fruit Gum
It is just as good as the original, and packs the most popular four fresh fruity flavors. Those are apple, cherry, grape and banana. These flavors pack a real punch and are a good addition to the original five flavors. The two Canel’s gum variations are Mexican classics that make the perfect recipe for any first timer to fall in love with Mexican chewing gums. Unfortunately, this one carries the same deficiencies as the previous one, which is lack of exotic flavors.
Lucas BomVaso
Talk about a unique Mexican chewing gum experience. If you are sensitive to spicy food, it is probably better to stay away from this one. It features one of Mexico’s most famous combinations—sour, sweet and spicy. The sour and spicy comes from a tamarind flavored inside. A gum ball inside provides some sweetness, but a lot of texture as you scoop in the tamarind candy into your mouth. The bomb—shaped packaging is enough advertisement for the spice that this chewing gum brings to the table.
De La Rosa Chewing Gum
This gum looks very similar to the Canel’s classic package, but it brings another variable to the table. It is a bit cheaper and has a really good reputation, with some reviews saying it even surpasses the others on this list. It features the same flavors as our first pick, but for two times less the money, and with fairly good reviews, both from buyers and on online forums. The only downside would be the availability, that is less than Canel’s most famous Original Gum.
Rockaleta Gum Lollipop
Here’s something a little different. It is a chili flavored lollipop with chewing gum in the center. If you are sensitive to spicy food, this might be a dealbreaker for you. However, if this does not concern you, prepare to enjoy one of the best tasting Mexican chili gums. These pack some real punch and are a great conversation starter, due to their unusual and interesting taste.
If you have never tried any Mexican sweets, chewing gum is the perfect place to start. Mexican gum is often cheaper than most other variations of candy and it is also fun to just chew in general. It’s not too hard to enjoy and delivers the uniqueness of Mexican candy right to you.
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