There’s nothing better than a nostalgia trip. And for British TikToker Sunny Osahn (@sunnyosahn), his visit to Los Angeles ended up being one in every sense of the word after he stumbled across long-forgotten Wrigley’s gum.
In the viral TikTok, Osahn, who is a model and voice actor, filmed himself in a 7-Eleven.
“U.K. people, you are not gonna believe this, especially if you are a millennial,” he said. “OK, I’m in L.A. right now in Hollywood. I’ve just popped into a 7-Eleven. Look at this.”
He then turned the camera to the store’s confectionery shelves and singled out two Wrigley’s products: the Doublemint gum and the Juicy Fruit gum.
For American TikTok viewers, this isn’t anything unusual. However, for the U.K.-based TikToker, this was an especially interesting find because, as he explained to several commenters, these two products purportedly aren’t available in the U.K. anymore.
Have Wrigley Products Really Been Discontinued?
While BroBible was unable to independently verify this, these gums have previously been discussed and implied to be discontinued in Reddit posts and in a Facebook group entitled “Discontinued and Nostalgic Snacks and Blasts from the Past!”
“I got Juicy Fruit online because I hadn’t been able to find them in a shop in years,” one U.K.-based Redditor shared.
“My son came home buzzing with a packet of Juicy Fruit from the corner shop,” a second added. “I didn’t understand his excitement! Like gold dust apparently!”
BroBible reached out to Mars, Wrigley’s parent company, via media contact form.
What Else Did Commenters Say?
One commenter shared a fond memory, writing, “They were awful back in the day. If you chewed too long, the gum would disintegrate and you’d have to spit tiny chunks out and rinse your mouth out. What we’ve got now is far superior.”
Another lamented, “Gosh, I would love to have Juicy Fruit back.”
While a third wrote, “Had that as a GenXer too. Before you were even born.”
However, for the most part, Osahn’s American viewers were more concerned about the price inflation of the products. “Weren’t those like 25 cents a pack back in the day?” a fourth asked. “I feel like my grandma now, because I remember when Juicy Fruit was $0.25,” a fifth echoed.
The video amassed 11,600 views.
What Did Osahn Say?
In an emailed statement to BroBible, Osahn, who was visiting the U.S. to host an event, RenderCon, said, “My friend Viks was showing me around Hollywood, and I popped into a 7-Eleven to pick up some water, when I saw Juicy Fruit and Doublemint!”
He continued that they didn’t have those in the U.K. anymore. “So for me, it was a huge WOW moment!” he added. “Of course, I picked up a packet of each! I used to have these as a kid, but I’ve not seen them for at least 25 years if not longer! I had to make a TikTok about it and even surprised my wife with them when I got back!”
From McDonald’s failed bubblegum-flavored broccoli to the now-discontinued Fruit Stripes gum, the U.S. has had its fair share of weird and wonderful products in the past. By all accounts, those in the U.K. should keep their eyes open—who knows what will pop up?