True Gum

What True Gum does

True Co. (operating as True Gum) is a Danish sustainable consumer goods company that designs, manufactures, and distributes plastic-free, plant-based chewing gum and adjacent confectionery products. Founded in 2017 by four co-founders — Peter Juul Regnersgaard, Jacob Sand Motzfeldt, Morten Paulin Ebdrup, and Zabrina Ziegler — after 472 prototypes, the company operates a proprietary chicle-based gum base using sap harvested from Sapodilla trees by Central American chicleros, replacing conventional plastic polymers. The core technology is complemented by plant-based sweeteners (xylitol from birch trees, stevia), natural flavors, and compostable bio-foil packaging compliant with EU DIN 13432. Products are manufactured in a green-energy-powered Copenhagen facility described as the smallest artisan chewing gum factory in the world.

The product portfolio spans four lines: True Gum (24-pack boxes at €45 in 9 flavors), True Mints (18-pack pastilles at €33 in 7 flavors), True Drops (compostable-wrapped cough drops), and True Dates (flavored date snacks at €24 in 10 flavors). Revenue is generated through three channels: direct e-commerce (truegum.com with EU-wide delivery and free shipping above €45), wholesale distribution to over 20,000 retail stores across Europe (Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France, Italy), and a B2B corporate merchandising channel offering co-branded packaging for events and employee benefits with 3,200-unit minimums.

True Co. was acquired in 2021 by Humble Group AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: HUMBLE), a Swedish publicly listed FMCG conglomerate that aggregates 47+ sustainable consumer brands, providing shared infrastructure while preserving operational identity. The company achieved B Corp certification in 2024 and holds vegan, kosher, and Danish food safety (Smiley) certifications. Headcount is reported at 11-50 employees. The company raised $1.18M in 2020 from JMC Capital Partners and Oyster Bay Venture Capital prior to the Humble Group acquisition.

Name

True Gum

Legal name

True. ApS

Website

https://truegum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

True Co. (True Gum) is a Danish sustainable FMCG company producing plastic-free, plant-based chewing gum, mints, cough drops, and flavored date snacks using chicle-based formulations, sold via e-commerce and 20,000+ retail stores across Europe as a subsidiary of Humble Group AB.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-based confectionery

NAICS

Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing (311340), Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing (3113)

akta.pro primary industry

Chewing Gum & Mints (CRADABAC)

Keywords

• Plant-based chewing gum
• Sugar-free confectionery
• Natural pastilles
• Flavored date snacks
• Sugar-free cough drops

Headquarters

HQ city

Glostrup

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Direct Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales through truegum.com webshop. Products sold in various pack sizes with EU-wide delivery. Primary revenue channel.
2. Wholesale to Retail: Products distributed through over 20,000 retail stores worldwide. B2B wholesale revenue from supermarket and health food store placements.
3. Corporate Merchandising: Co-branded custom packaging solutions for corporate clients. Minimum order 3,200 units for mini packs. Targets tradeshows, events, employee benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

True Gum (operating as True Co., legal entity True. ApS) manufactures and sells plastic-free, plant-based consumer confectionery under four product lines: True Gum (chicle-based sugar-free chewing gum in 9 flavours), True Mints (plant-based, sugar-free pastilles in 7 flavours), True Drops (sugar-free Vitamin C cough drops in compostable bio-foil), and True Dates (flavoured date snacks in 10 flavours). Products are made at the company's own green-energy factory near Copenhagen using chicle sap from Central American Sapodilla trees and plant-based xylitol, packaged in EU DIN 13432-compliant biodegradable materials, and sold via DTC e-commerce, wholesale to retail, and corporate merchandising channels.

Product overview

True Gum (True Co.) is a Scandinavian food company offering a portfolio of sustainable, plastic-free consumer products. The core offering consists of four product lines: True Gum (plastic-free, vegan, sugar-free chewing gum in 9 flavours), True Mints (plant-based, sugar-free pastilles in 7 flavours), True Drops (sugar-free, Vitamin C-enhanced cough drops in 2 flavours), and True Dates (flavoured date snacks as a healthier candy alternative in 10 flavours). All products are characterised by natural ingredients, plastic-free packaging, vegan certification, and sugar-free formulations using plant-based sweeteners like xylitol and stevia. The company also offers corporate merchandising services for custom-branded packaging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• True Gum: Plastic-free, vegan, biodegradable chewing gum made from chicle (sap from gum trees), natural flavors, and plant-based xylitol sweeteners.
• True Mints
• True Dates
• True Drops

Products and services

• True Gum (chicle-based chewing gum) Plastic-free, vegan, sugar-free chewing gum formulated with chicle (sap from Sapodilla trees), natural flavours, and tooth-friendly plant-based xylitol from birch trees; sold in 24-pack boxes (21g each) at €45 per box. Available in supermarkets, health food stores and online.
• True Mints (plant-based pastilles) Plant-based, sugar-free pastilles in 13g packs, vegan certified and wrapped in biodegradable packaging, positioned as a plastic-free confectionery alternative for retailers and DTC shoppers.
• True Drops (sugar-free cough drops) Sugar-free cough drops with Vitamin C, individually wrapped in compostable bio-foil packaging, sold in 9-pack or 15-pack boxes under the True Drops brand.
• True Dates (flavoured date snacks) Pitted dates coated with natural flavourings, presented in 100g pouches and sold in 12-bag boxes (€24), positioned as a sugar-free, fibre-rich snack alternative to conventional candy.
• Corporate Merchandising (co-branded custom packaging) Custom-branded packaging solution applied to True Gum and True Mints products for corporate clients, allowing company logos, text and colours to support sustainability-aligned gifts, trade-show giveaways, and employee benefit programmes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Second most common form of litter in the world is chewing gum, generating ~100,000 tonnes of global waste annually
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• A Circular Design StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCopenhagen-based design studio collaborated on The True Wasteboard - a limited edition skateboard made entirely of upcycled plastic waste. Joint sustainability initiative.
• Plastic ChangeminorOthersDanish NGO at the forefront of educating and raising awareness about the global plastic problem. All proceeds from Wasteboard sales are donated to Plastic Change.
• Local Chicleros (Central America)coreOthersLocal harvesters in Central America who collect sap from gum trees using sustainable techniques practiced for centuries. Supports livelihood of local communities without requiring tree cutting.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Simply Gum: US-based chewing gum brand using chicle as its gum base with no plastic or artificial sweeteners. Direct comparable in product formulation, sustainability positioning, and D2C-led GTM.
• PUR Gum: Natural, aspartame-free, xylitol-sweetened chewing gum and mints brand. Comparable as a plant-based, sugar-free gum/mint player targeting health- and ingredient-conscious consumers.
• Peppersmith: UK natural chewing gum and mint brand using chicle and xylitol. Closest European direct peer to True Gum in formulation, sustainability messaging, and D2C/retail mix.
• Glee Gum: US chicle-based natural chewing gum brand. Comparable as a chicle-based, plastic-free gum producer with a similar sustainability narrative and broad flavor range.
• Chewsy Gum: UK plastic-free, plant-based chewing gum brand. Comparable as a small, European direct-to-consumer gum brand competing on sustainability credentials.

Broad incumbents

• Mars Wrigley: Global chewing gum market leader (Wrigley's, Extra, Orbit, 5) under Mars Inc. Operates broadly in the same category with much larger scale; relevant as the incumbent that any natural/eco competitor must position against.
• Mondelēz International: Owner of Trident, Stimorol, and other major gum brands. A broad FMCG incumbent whose gum portfolio competes head-on with True Gum at retail and whose ESG commitments shape category expectations.

Emerging players

• Project 7: Better-for-you confectionery brand focused on natural ingredients and social-impact positioning. Adjacent competitor in the natural CPG confectionery aisle where True Gum, mints, and dates are sold.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thetruegum
• Instagraminstagram.com/truegum
• TikToktiktok.com/@truegum_official?lang=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/truegum

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about True Gum