Frisk is the name of a line of

breath mint A mint or breath mint is a food item often consumed as an after-meal refreshment or before business and social engagements to improve breath odor. Mints are commonly believed to soothe the stomach, given their association with natural byproducts ...

candies produced by Frisk International and distributed worldwide by

Perfetti Van Melle Perfetti Van Melle is an Italian– Dutch multinational company of confectionery Confectionery is the Art (skill), art of making confections, or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates, although ex ...

. Frisk mints are small, pellet-like mint candies contained in a metal cartridge.

History

Frisk was invented in 1986 by a Belgian entrepreneur who, in collaboration with a pharmaceutical company, developed the formula for a particularly strong mint-flavoured candy. Initially, the product was sold exclusively in pharmacies in

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

, then the market was extended to the Netherlands, Canada and Japan. Especially in the latter country, Frisk gained considerable success, to the point that in 1996 it became the first imported product to obtain recognition, as the "Best Food Product of the Year" in Japan. Since 1995, the brand has been distributed by Perfetti Van Melle. There are several flavor varieties. The classic box changed in 2004 to a box with a sliding opening, but the biggest change in visual identity came in 2009, with the introduction of the metal box and the new triangular format of the pellets.. Perfetti announced in 2014 that they had removed titanium dioxide, an additive considered toxic, from all their products, including Frisk tablets. In 2016, Perfetti Van Melle announced the closure of the original Frisk factory in Haasrode, which marked the loss of 38 jobs.. In 2019, the brand signed a partnership with the audiovisual production company Myvisto to promote two of its new sugar-free products, Frisk Power Mints and Frisk Clean Breath, in advertisements for the internet.. According to Perfetti Van Melle, the campaign is a success. In 2020, Frisk introduces Frisk White. Their products are now sold in Japan, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, Canada, Belgium and Norway. Their largest market is in Japan..

In popular culture

In the Japanese television show ''

Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!! , often abbreviated or just , is a Japanese variety show hosted by popular Japanese owarai duo Downtown, with comedian Hōsei Tsukitei (formerly known as Hōsei Yamasaki) and owarai duo Cocorico co-hosting. The program has been broadcast on ...

'', comedian Endō Shōzo performs a

running gag A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are no ...

during their "Absolutely Tasty" cooking segments, in which he uses Frisk candies, hoping to obtain a sponsorship with Frisk by using their product. Instead of enhancing the dishes he creates, it often leads to hilarious results.

References

External links

* {{Official, http://www.frisk.com Belgian brands Belgian confectionery Brand name confectionery Breath mints Perfetti Van Melle brands