How Long Are My Gumballs Good For?

Ever wonder how long your gumballs will last? When will my gumballs expire? What is the shelf life of gumballs? We get these questions often and it just so happens that our bulk gumballs have a shelf life of 24+ months if stored in a cool dry place. In some circumstances they last even longer. We opened and chewed on a 850 count case that was still good three years after production. However, extreme climates and conditions can reduce the optimal lifespan of some boxes of gum. Here’s a guide to help you determine the age and best use by date of our gum balls.

Dubble Bubble gumballs by Concord Confections - This picture of the Concord Confections box, you'll see a code J23382 printed on the bottom left corner of the label. This is the manufacturers' code. The first letter represents the month (A=January, B=February, C=March, etc.). The next two digits indicate the day of the month and the fourth digit represents the year the product was manufactured. The last two digits are a internal code indicating which division and shift produced the goods. In this example these gumballs were produced on October 23, 2013. The shelf life is two years and the gum expiration date is October 23, 2015.

J = 10th Letter = 10th Month = October
23 = Day of the Month
3 = Year = 2013
8 = Concord Division
2 = 2nd Shift
Shelf Life = 24 months

Bubble King gumballs by Oak Leaf Confections - prints the date code, via dot matrix printer, on the side of the box. The first digit represents the year. The next three digits represent the day of the year. This is followed by a letter indicating which plant it was produced by and the shift it was manufactured. The last four digits are the time of day it was produced. In this example the code: 1130T2 15:14, shows that this box was produced May 10, 2011 at 3:14pm.

1 = Year = 2011
130 = Day of the Year
T = Oak Leaf Facility
2 = 2nd Shift
15:14 = Time of Day
Shelf Life = 18 months

Carousel gumballs by Ford Gum & Machine Co. - The dot matrix code printed on the broadside of the box of Ford Gum is easy to read. “BB” stands for “Best By.” This is followed by the expiration date, in month/day/year format. In this photo the best by date is September 12, 2015. The remaining numbers and letters are an internal manufacturing code.

BB = Best By
09 = Month
12 = Day
2015 = Year
Shelf Life = 24 months

It is always best to keep bubble gum balls stored in a cool dry area. Extremely cold temperatures and/or rough handling during transport can cause damage to the shell of the gumball. In contrast, extreme heat can misshape gumballs and reduce their freshness. In most cases gum balls have excellent longevity and retain their chewy texture and sweetness for a long time.

You'll be ASTONISHED by the amazing selection of bubble gumballs we have in stock! Click to browse gumballs by flavor, size, color, brand and more.