The Wrigley Company is the world's largest manufacturer of chewing and bubble gum and home to some of the best-known brands in the world, included in a diverse portfolio of innovative products.

Though publicly traded since 1923, the company has been led by the Wrigley family since it was founded in 1891 by William Wrigley Jr. In all, four generations of Wrigleys have led the company, which has its global headquarters in the famous Wrigley Building on Michigan Ave. and additional offices at 600 W. Chicago Ave.

Wrigley products are a part of everyday life in more than 180 countries around the world and global sales are more than $4 billion annually.

Wrigley opened its global innovation center, a 200,000-square-foot office and lab complex in the summer of 2005 on the northern tip of Chicago’s Goose Island.  The center houses the company’s research and development, packaging, engineering, regulatory and quality-control departments.

The world-class facility serves as the nerve center of the global confectioner's commitment to innovate, diversify and meet the needs of future generations of consumers.

"Our global consumers have come to expect quality, value, innovative benefits, and fun from Wrigley products. With state-of-the-art technology and resources, our new Global Innovation Center enables our people to drive innovation at Wrigley to an even higher level,” said William Wrigley. 

With deep roots in Chicago, the company chose Chicago for its innovation center, despite dozens of cities competing for the facility.

WBC assisted with incentive negotiations, as well as the process for expediting development within the City of Chicago. 

The Innovation Center received approximately $16M in tax subsidies and added 300 workers on the 7.6-acre site.

The 153,000 square-foot main building houses flexible laboratory and office space to maximize collaboration and the ability to support new projects and equipment as needed; immediately adjacent to the east is a 40,000 square- foot pilot plant. Wrigley estimated total investment in the facility at $50 million to date.