Bad news for anyone nostalgic for childhood favorite Fruit Stripe Gum: Ferrara Candy confirmed to ABC News this week that its iconic, decades-old fruit-flavored chewing gum will be discontinued.
"For now, we have made the difficult decision to sunset Fruit Stripe Gum, but consumers may still be able to find product at select retailers nationwide," a Ferrara spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News.
MORE: Sweethearts creates Situationship candy full of mixed messages for Valentine's DayThe iconic striped chewing gum -- long associated with its adorable mascot Yipes the Zebra, who was featured on the packaging -- first hit stores more than 50 years ago.
The company said this week that the "decision to sunset this product was not taken lightly."
"... We considered many factors before coming to this decision, including consumer preferences and purchasing patterns, and overall brand trends for Fruit Stripe Gum," the spokesperson said.
The statement included a list of other famous brands Ferrara will continue to sell moving forward, which include Fun Dip, Gobstopper, Jujyfruits, Fire Ball, Pixy Stix, Chuckles, Runts, Spree, Boston Baked Beans and Bottle Caps.
