Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. will overhaul the packaging and flavour of its ubiquitous stick gums, including Doublemint, Juicy Fruit, Big Red and Extra brands, as part of an effort to revive sagging U.S. sales.

The confectioner announced the makeover Wednesday during its annual shareholders meeting in Chicago, saying the change would help boost the gum`s profile among store shoppers.

``This cool new pack will make these brands more contemporary and give them a better presence on the shelf,`` president and chief executive Bill Perez said.

Stick gum sales account for about a third of the company`s gum revenue.

The company says it will transform the bulky packs of foil-wrapped stick gum to a sleek and slim 15-stick envelope. It also intends to boost the gum`s flavor.

The slim design is similar to the packaging used for 5, the Chicago-based company`s newest gum that launched last year.

That product and its packaging was designed to easily fit in a pocket and attract teens and young adults, who comprise about a third of America`s gum chewers.

Wrigley`s reformulated gum will be launched in the U.S. beginning this spring.

The company said it also plans to introduce more fruit flavours for its Orbit and Extra lines.

Wrigley shares rose 13 cents, or 0.2 per cent, to close at US$60.01 Wednesday.