Tums marks 75th anniversary with new flavor

PITTSBURGH -- The makers of Tums are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the antacid and calcium supplement by introducing a new flavor.

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare on Thursday unveiled Tums Smoothies Cocoa and Creme, which includes the first chocolate-flavored chewable antacid on the market, the company said. The tablets are made with Dutch cocoa and vanilla.

The company also introduced new Tums containers -- 12-count plastic bottles with flip tops called "Take Out" packs.

Tums were invented in St. Louis in 1928 by pharmacist Jim Howe, who was leaving for an ocean cruise and formulated a mint-flavored remedy for his wife's indigestion using calcium carbonate.

plant in downtown St. Louis has been making the antacid tablets since 1930. Sugar-free Tums are made in Aiken, S.C.

GlaxoSmithKline has U.S. headquarters in Research Triangle Park, N.C., and Philadelphia. Its over-the-counter consumer division, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, is based near Pittsburgh.