AMERICAN CHICLE CO.

The AMERICAN CHICLE CO., one of the world's leading chewing-gum manufacturers as a subsidiary of the Warner-Lambert Co., was established in New York by Cleveland chewing-gum manufacturer WM. J. WHITE, who merged his company with another Cleveland chewing-gum maker, the Beeman Chemical Co. Working as a confectioner from his Lorain Ave. home in the late 1870s, White had found a way to make chicle more chewable and added flavor to it. In 1884 he established a plant at 57 S. Water (W. 9th) St. to manufacture chewing gum; four years later he built a new factory at 10307 Detroit Ave. to manufacture Yucatan and Red Robin brand gums. By 1899 Wm. J. White & Son was the largest chewing-gum business in the world. In 1900 White, along with fellow Clevelanders GEO. H. WORTHINGTON and Dr. EDWIN E. BEEMAN, organized the $10 million American Chicle Co. in New York. American Chicle consolidated White's operations with those of another Cleveland company, Beeman Chemical, established by pepsin manufacturer Dr. Edwin E. Beeman in 1887. A physician who enjoyed research perhaps more than treating patients, Beeman had discovered that pepsin, an extract from the stomach of hogs, provided relief from indigestion. After marketing the extract for its own sake, Beeman reorganized his business in 1891 to manufacture pepsin-flavored chewing gum. By 1893 Beeman Chemical's business had grown to $500,000, and Beeman sold his business to White in 1900. American Chicle operated 2 plants in Cleveland: the Beeman plant at 78 Bank St. and the White factory on Detroit Ave.; after 1903, only the latter was in operation. In Mar. 1919 the company announced plans to build a $2 million plant in Long Island City, NY, and by 1921 it had ceased operations in Cleveland. In July 1962 American Chicle announced its merger with the Warner-Lambert Pharmaceutical Co. In 2000 Warner-Lambert merged with Pfizer Inc., with the latter company maintaining its name. Pfizer's Consumer Group manufactured many former American Chicle and Warner-Lambert products, including breath mints, antacids, chewing gum and cough drops.