Glee Gum

In 1992, educator Deborah Schimberg and her family traveled to Northern Guatemala. There they visited an economically depressed, chicle-producing community and learned about chicle, the sap of the sapodilla trees that grow in the rainforests of Central America. They were surprised to hear that chicle had once been the basis of the entire chewing gum industry. When synthetic resins became the norm in the 1940s and ‘50s, the market for chicle diminished. And that’s a shame, because the harvest of chicle is sustainable and benefits both rainforest conservation and the local economy in forest regions. With hopes of building a new market for chicle and educating folks about it, Deborah founded Verve, Inc. Verve’s products include Glee Gum, an award- winning natural chewing gum line; Glee Gum Pops, the only natural gum- filled lollipops on the market; Make Your Own Candy Kits, a line of educational activity kits for kids; and new Glee Tarts, a natural sugar-free candy in 4 delicious flavors.