Wrigley Encourages Canadians to "CHEW" Excel(R), Extra(R) and Juicy Fruit(R)
Gum to Support Canadian Olympic Team

    
    Effort to Raise More Than $500,000 Celebrates Canadian Olympic Hopefuls
    and National Pride
    

TORONTO , Oct. 13 /CNW/ - Wrigley Canada , a Proud Partner of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, is launching C.H.E.W. (Canadians Helping Each Other Win)(TM), a unique charitable effort that empowers Canadians to help the nation's athletes pursue their Olympic dreams. Now through March 21, 2010 , a portion of the sales of Wrigley's Excel, Extra and Juicy Fruit chewing gums will be donated to the Canadian Olympic Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by the Canadian Olympic Committee to provide financial support to Canadian athletes across all Olympic and Paralympic sports.

"As the Olympic Games, the world's premiere sporting exhibition, return to Canada for the first time in more than 20 years, we are tapping into the nation's passion and pride for Team Canada by creating a program that invites all Canadians to help our competing athletes," said Shai Altman, General Manager for Toronto-based Wrigley Canada . "Every time people purchase and chew their favourite Wrigley's Excel, Extra or Juicy Fruit gum, dollars are being directed to the Canadian Olympic Foundation in the amount of at least a half million dollars and the more people chew, the more we will donate."

Special Olympic-edition packs of Excel, Extra and Juicy Fruit gum are now available in retail locations throughout the country. These packs each feature an image of a notable Canadian athlete including legendary hockey goaltender Martin Brodeur , sledge hockey goaltender Paul Rosen , world-champion speed skater Denny Morrison , world class downhill skier Kelly VanderBeek-Ford, former Olympic curler Kelley Law and national-champion snow boarder Brad Martin .

The C.H.E.W. (Canadians Helping Each Other Win) campaign further encourages Canadian national pride by featuring the Maple Leaf on individual pieces of Excel and Juicy Fruit gum. It marks the first time that Wrigley has printed a graphic, particularly a recognizable national symbol, on individual pieces of chewing gum.

"We're proud of our national heritage," added Altman. "Each pellet of Juicy Fruit and Excel, Canada's No. 1 confectionary brand,* is manufactured in Canada , and in 2010, Wrigley will celebrate 100 years of Canadian operations. We hope that when consumers see the Maple Leaf on their favorite gums, they are reminded of the importance of supporting the dreams of Canada's athletes as they compete on this global stage."

Fans can learn more about the C.H.E.W. (Canadians Helping Each Other Win) program at www.ChewToWin.ca, a site that will serve as a hub for all Olympic activity offered by Wrigley's Excel, Extra and Juicy Fruit gum. Through November 8 , the site includes a sweepstakes where consumers can register for a chance to win a trip to Vancouver to experience the 2010 Olympic Winter Games firsthand.

For more background on the athletes featured on the specially marked packs of Wrigley's Excel, Extra and Juicy Fruit gum or to download an electronic C.H.E.W. (Canadians Helping Each Other Win) press kit, visit www.ChewToWinEPK.ca.

About Wrigley & Wrigley Canada

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company is a recognized leader in confections with a wide range of product offerings including gum, mints, hard and chewy candies, lollipops, and chocolate. The company has operations in more than 40 countries and distributes its world-famous brands in more than 180 countries, including Wrigley Canada which opened its first factory in Toronto in 1910 and now employs more than 700 associates across its operations in Toronto , Calgary and Montreal . Three of Wrigley's brands - Juicy Fruit(R), Wrigley's Spearmint(R), and Altoids(R) - have heritages stretching back more than a century and other well-loved brands include Orbit(R), Excel(R), Extra(R), Starburst(R), Doublemint(R), Skittles(R), Freedent(R), Airwaves(R), Life Savers(R), Eclipse(R), and Winterfresh(R). Wrigley is headquartered in Chicago , Ill., and operates as a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated, a private, family-owned company founded in 1911. Mars, Incorporated is one of the world's largest food companies, generating global revenues of $30 billion annually and producing some of the world's leading brands in six segments that include Chocolate, Drinks, Food, Petcare, Symbioscience and Wrigley.

    
    * Source: ACNielsen MarketTrack/52 weeks ending 06/06/09

    Excel, Extra and Juicy Fruit are brands of Wrigley Canada, an Official
    Supplier of the 2010 Winter Games

    C.H.E.W. (Canadians Helping Each Other Win), Excel, Extra and Juicy Fruit
    are trademarks of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, Wrigley Canada Licensee.


    /NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at
    http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the
    media/
    

For further information: Jennifer Jackson Luth, Wrigley North American Communications, [phone], [email protected]; Heather Meehan, Dig Communications, [phone], [email protected]