Wait… Gum Is Made of What?

Caron Proschan, founder of the clean-label confectionery brand Simply, details her journey from identifying the presence of plastic in conventional chewing gum to building a successful, natural alternative. Driven by a desire for healthier consumption, she replaced synthetic ingredients with chicle, a natural tree sap. The business model relied on early, low-cost experimentation, including hand-delivering prototypes to local retailers and leveraging Amazon as a vital platform for real-time customer feedback and data-driven growth. This iterative process allowed the company to refine product names and formulations, such as transitioning to gluten-free certifications based on direct consumer requests. Proschan emphasizes that entrepreneurs should prioritize starting small and testing concepts in local markets or online before scaling, noting that the absence of existing co-manufacturers for natural gum served as a significant barrier to entry that ultimately protected her brand's market position.