Plastic-free chewing gum challenger Milliways has raised $3m (£2.2m) from big hitters in the category to fuel its ongoing expansion in the US.
The cash will be used to expand retail distribution in the country, boost marketing and grow its stock as the London-headquartered brand builds on its first year in the US market.
Mehmet Yuksek, ex-North American CEO of confectionery and gum giant Perfetti Van Melle, and Leon Amram, former owner of Intergum, the Turkish gum maker acquired by Cadbury Schweppes for $450m in 2007, formed part of the investment group in the latest round, along with other industry executives who collectively bring decades of experience in building brands in the category.
Founded in 2021 by Tom Raviv, Milliways has registered triple-digit growth each year since launch and today has listings in more than 10,000 stores across the UK and around the world.
Milliways pushed into the US in late 2024 and has since scaled to more than 2,000 stores nationwide with Sprouts Farmers Market, Meijer, Hy-Vee, Raley’s and Fred Meyer.
“Consumer demands are changing faster than ever,” Raviv said. “The power of AI and social media means people are better informed, more curious and quicker to adopt new habits.
“Whether it’s GLP-1s, longevity hacks or plastic-free chewing gum, the desire to live healthier lives is now at the top of everyone’s agenda.
“And it’s not just the big changes that people care about, but the incremental improvements, too. As a lifelong gum chewer who cares deeply about my health, I didn’t want to chew on plastic gum anymore, and I believed millions of people felt the same – that’s why I launched Milliways.”
He added the company had an exciting year ahead with new retailers getting behind its mission.
Milliways has raised a total of $10m so far, including a £3m funding round in 2023 to help it challenge the big names in chewing gum.
The brand aired its first-ever TV advert in 2024 after winning £250k in prize money as a finalist in the Sky Zero Footprint Fund competition run by Sky Media.
It grew far ahead of the UK category in 2025 as retail value sales increased 36.3% to £1.2m, sitting behind Mars-owned Extra and Airwaves and Perfetti Van Melle’s Mentos, according to the latest Top Products report in The Grocer [NIQ 52 w/e 6 September 2025].
Milliways uses seven naturally derived ingredients to make its plastic-free, plant-based, biodegradable, sugar-free, aspartame-free and non-GMO gum.
“We’re seeing the embrace of high-quality, plastic-free alternatives from retailers and shoppers, and we’re excited to continue growing our presence across the US,” Raviv said. “This new funding round allows us to make Milliways available to more consumers every day.”
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