Thrills Gum

If you’re tired of coworkers, friends, and family always asking you for a piece of gum, try handing them a purple nugget of Thrills. Canadians liken the retro gum’s flavor to soap so often that the box now bears the slogan “It still tastes like soap!” Fans cite not having to share as a major plus of chewing it.

For much of the 20th century, the O-Pee-Chee Gum Company, which also sold trading cards, provided Canadians with Thrills. In the 1950s and ’60s, as perfumed flavors such as teaberry and violet were wafting through candy stores, the “rosewater-flavored” Thrills fit in perfectly. 

Thrills still clings to the floral frenzy of a bygone era. Rather than adapt to changing tastes, candy retailers use this unique flavor profile as a selling point. So what if you get your thrills from the taste of soap? At least no one’s trying to bum a piece off you.