Is Fruit Stripe Discontinued? What Happened?

Fruit Stripe was an American chewing gum line famous for its rainbow stripes and mascot Yipes the Zebra. First introduced by Beech-Nut in 1969, it later passed through several owners before landing at Ferrara Candy Company. Packs often included temporary tattoos, and the brand’s five fruit flavors became a nostalgic touchstone—remembered lovingly for flavor that faded fast. Yipes became a household name in the early 1990s with catchy commercials and marketing. The mascot became so popular that the World Wildlife Federation partnered with Fruit Stripe to raise $100,000 through donations from every pack of gum purchased. Yipes was even elevated to game show fame by appearing as the answer to a Jeopardy! question in 2016.

Ferrara continued to ride the success of Fruit Stripe Gum in 2022, introducing Fruit Stripe Gummy Candy in three flavors - tangerine, lemon, and cherry. But consumer preferences changed in just a few short years. Ferrara chose to discontinue the Fruit Stripe brand in 2024, ending more than five decades of a pop-culture favorite.