The move is made on the heels of a refreshed package brand identity, category outperformance, and the brand's 35th anniversary celebration

TORONTO, Aug. 24, 2026 /CNW/ - Building on the momentum of last year's refreshed package brand identity, Canada's #1 gum brand, EXCEL^® Gum, is launching Chew Good: a cheeky, vibe-forward platform designed to connect with the next generation. Centered on taking a break with a simple chew whenever and wherever you need it, and amplified by fresh visuals, social content, immersive pop-ups and more, Chew Good reimagines the brand as a me-moment companion, not just another freshening gum.

"Mars has given fans a century of fresh breath, and while that's still huge, this category has so much more potential," explains Claudine Whiteley, Head of Brand & Portfolio - Gum & Mints at Mars Canada. "Gum has long been seen as a way to project confidence outwardly, but many people now embrace it as a personal ritual. EXCEL Gum's new Chew Good platform celebrates this evolution, highlighting gum's expanded role as a companion for navigating the demands of our daily lives."

This summer, immersive Chewtopia experiences at RBC Amphitheatre and Osheaga brought the platform to life with "Chewtations"—guided meditations that allow fans to reset before the set—and TikTok 'Out of Phone,' where fans could capture and share their own Chew Good moments using fun, branded effects. The pop-ups are backed by vibrant, emotionally resonant creative, national media buys and creator-led content that encourages Canadians to feel their best inside and out, one chew at a time. Come this fall, college and university students can also expect to see the Chewtopia experience pop up at select Canadian campuses.

A New Generation of Chewers

As EXCEL^® celebrates its 35th anniversary, Chew Good is a modern evolution built to connect with the next generation of chewers and create stronger brand differentiation within the gum category. With Gen Z leading the pack as the most likely age group to chew gum—and constantly seeking simple ways to protect their peace—Chew Good offers a familiar ritual for those personal moments, resonating with the coveted under-25 audience.

The strategic shift also highlights Mars Canada's ongoing category leadership, with the Mars Canada gum portfolio seeing 2.1% growth in 2025 despite a 0.7% dip in the category, and EXCEL^® maintaining its position as Canada's #1 gum brand for over ten years.

"Chew Good is a reminder that no matter what your day looks like, a bite-sized me-moment is always within reach," adds Claudine Whiteley. "This evolution shows our commitment to investing in and driving the resurgence of the category for decades to come."

Whether you're grabbing a me-moment before a concert, between meetings, or after a long commute, EXCEL^® Gum is here to help Canadians embrace the power of a simple chew. Fans can experience Chew Good throughout 2026 via social content, creator partnerships, digital media buys and ongoing Chewtopia activations. Follow @excelgumca on Instagram to stay in the loop.

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $65bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN^®, PEDIGREE^®, WHISKAS^®, CESAR^®, M&M'S^®, SNICKERS^®, Pringles^®, Cheez-It^®,  and BEN'S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH^® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles — Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom — inspire our more than 170,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated