A&BC Chewing Gum Ltd. - a brief history

About this history

Earlier this year (2007) Nigel's Webspace was contacted by Mr Tony Coakley, one of the original directors of the A&BC Chewing Gum company. Now in his 80s Tony was one of founding members of the company in 1949, and stayed with A&BC until it's sad demise in 1974. In this article Tony helps to recall some of the history of A&BC Chewing Gum. This article is copyright and may not be reproduced without the permission of the author, Nigel Mercer - contact cards@littleoak.com.au.

This history has five sections:

1. Introduction and beginnings

2. Card production and Topps

3. Football cards, Topps and the Beatles

4. The end of A&BC Chewing Gum

5. Non-football cards and stickers produced by A&BC Chewing Gum, 1953 to 1974.

6. Football cards and stickers produced by A&BC Chewing Gum.

Part 1 - Introduction and beginnings

Introduction

A&BC Chewing Gum Ltd. formed in 1949, and folded in 1974. In its 25-year history it produced some of the best bubble gum and collectors cards ever seen in the U.K. The company has become a favourite amongst card traders and collectors for the quality, variety and imagination shown in the design and production of their gum giveaways. Their range covered film stars, the Beatles, the Monkees, Man from UNCLE, Civil War cards and banknotes, as well as an impressive range of English and Scottish football cards, pennants, pin-ups, emblems and crests. In the history of gum and trade cards, they will go down as one of the greats.

The story of A&BC Chewing Gum is typical of many company tales. It has many highlights, challenges and frustrations. This article aims to record some of this history, focussing mainly on the history relating to their card production. The history has been prepared by Nigel Mercer of Nigel’s Webspace (http://cards.littleoak.com.au/) using material kindly supplied by Mr Tony Coakley, one of the original founders of the company. Mr Coakley, now in his 80s, has assisted in the production of this article and his assistance is gratefully acknowledged.

Beginnings

In 1949 there were many post war shortages in England, including the rationing of sweets, and very few products for children. In London four young men, all recently demobbed from their War service, Mr Simon Anysz, Mr Rudy Braun, Mr Douglas Coakley and Mr Tony Coakley decided to form a company with the aim of producing and selling chewing gum. Using the letters of their names they had wanted to call the company ‘ABC’, but the Aerated Bread Company (a company which existed from 1862 until 1955 and which was known as the A.B.C. Company) objected. Instead, the partners decided on the name A&BC Chewing Gum Ltd. Contrary to some common misconceptions the company has never been known as ‘American & British Chewing Gum Ltd.’, nor was it ever a subsidiary of Topps Inc.

The company began producing their gum in a small factory in Cricklewood, North London. Besides the four directors there were five other employees in the early days. After a few years Mr Anysz was bought out, leaving Messrs Braun, Coakley and Coakley in control. Douglas Coakley was in charge of Sales and Marketing, with his younger brother Tony in charge of factories, machinery and production. Mr Braun was in charge of accounting.

Their main competitors in the gum market at the time were Anglo American Chewing Gum (Bubbly) and Wrigley. In those days England had no money and the Exchange control of the dollar was very tight. As imports were strictly controlled the market was wide open. Hard to appreciate now but A&BC managed to circumvent a lot to the problems that came with the importation of machinery. There were many difficulties, fighting the then establishment who thought Chewing Gum was disgusting and not worth considering giving them a licence during this time of shortages; things were very restrictive. Since there was no sugar available without a licence one of the first ever-sugarless chewing gum was produced using an artificial sweetener, so that the product did not require sweet rationing coupons.

A&BC began by making a Chewing Gum in a twist wrap style, and then Douglas Coakley went to America on his honeymoon and whilst he was there sought out anyone who might be selling machinery to mass produce chewing gum, since the required equipment was very specialised. By fortune he was informed of a chewing gum company who had gone into liquidation in Fort Worth Texas, he flew from New York and bought the equipment not knowing anything about machinery, he took the chance. A&BC were then able to produce their first proper chewing gum which was wrapped in the familiar style that is still used today; it was called “Everlast” chewing gum.

Proceed to next Part

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