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Opportunities

Will breath strips change the world? No. (Unless you consider fresh breath to be one of life’s essential pleasures.) Could it make you money? Sure, and especially outside the US, as these strips have not yet been spotted in Europe and Asia. Time for some fresh air!

A blast of innovation in the growing segment of breath fresheners

Studies by the National Confectioners Association show that during the past five years, sales of breath freshening products have gone up 58 percent. In 2001, Americans spent more than USD 2,1 billion in grocery stores and drugstores on these products (source: bizjournals.com). Assuming that Americans are not the only people on this globe suffering from bad breath, many billions more are spent worldwide on mints, gum and other breath fresheners. Want a piece of this fast growing market? Check out breath strips (or ‘mint films’): tiny pieces of transparent ‘film’ that dissolve in your mouth instantly (and thus discretely), leaving you with fresh breath (and, of course, personal success and confidence ;-). In the US, tens of millions of the 1-inch square packs (at about USD 1.50) have already been sold by Pfizer (Listerine PocketPaks), Wrigley (Eclipse Flash), and Myntz (Instastripz). To underscore its commitment to fresh breath, Wrigley is in the middle of spending USD 50 million on its US launching campaign, which includes celebrity endorsements and free samples on United Airlines flights. As always, diversification-loving US manufacturers are about to bewilder the market with sugar-free, calorie-free, and aspartame-free variations. Teeth whitening and semi-medical oral-care versions can’t be too far away, nor are cactus/papaya and licorice flavors!

Opportunities

Will breath strips change the world? No. (Unless you consider fresh breath to be one of life’s essential pleasures.) Could it make you money? Sure, and especially outside the US, as these strips have not yet been spotted in Europe and Asia. Time for some fresh air!