🇩🇰 Du finder den danske version af denne artikel her.

dontt.dk has followed the Danish gum brand Eace Gum from the very beginning. Back then, it was a bold idea taking on a market dominated by just a few major players. Since then, the company has secured investment, launched new products, and seen impressive growth.

Today, Eace Gum is available in more than 1,000 locations across Denmark. Now, the company is entering a new chapter. Co-founders Asbjørn Dencker and Ziggi Harttung have bought out Orkla Care’s stake and brought in fresh capital along with a new investor. The team remains the same—but their ambitions have grown.

A new product is launching this month, and later this year, Eace will expand into an entirely new category. We sat down with Asbjørn Dencker to talk about the ownership change, the lessons learned from their partnership with Orkla—and what’s next for Eace Gum.

Asbjørn, why was now the right time to buy out Orkla?

“I believe the timing was right for both parties. For us, it marks a natural transition—we’re on the brink of a new growth phase, one that calls for even more agility and innovation. Orkla has played an important and valuable role in our journey so far, but with new capital and an updated setup, we’re ready to accelerate and pursue our growth plans at full speed. This move gives us the flexibility and decision-making power we need for the next chapter.”

The two co-founders, Asbjørn Dencker and Ziggi Harttung

What has the partnership with Orkla meant for you and for Eace as a brand?

“It’s been both insightful and pivotal. Orkla brought structure, experience, and a strong understanding of the food category. They helped us mature as a business and strengthen our position as a brand. It’s been a key part of taking Eace from a startup to a scale-up – and we’ll always be grateful for that. We already miss the many great and talented colleagues at Orkla.”

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned?

“That’s a great question. I think the last few years have been like an intensive retail education for us.

One of the key lessons has been the importance of strong distribution – especially in a category like ours, where impulse buying plays such a big role. The right placements in retail are absolutely critical to sales, and we’ve gained deep respect for the groundwork it takes to secure shelf presence.

Brand awareness is another crucial piece of the puzzle, but it’s an expensive game – and it has to be closely tied to distribution. Historically, we’ve made significant marketing investments and run large campaigns. That’s resulted in a high level of brand recognition, but it’s absolutely vital that there’s a product within reach when the consumer takes notice of us. Shelf placement is key.

Understanding that balance is something we’ve internalized – and it’s something we’re heavily focused on as we move into our next growth phase.”

Can you tell us a bit about the new investor?

“We’re in the process of finalizing the investment round. We’ve already secured a solid capital injection, but we’re still in dialogue with exciting strategic investors. That’s why we’re waiting to announce any names until the full round is closed.”

Where does Eace stand as a company right now?

“I believe Eace is stronger than ever. We haven’t just proven that there’s demand for functional products – we’ve helped create an entirely new sub-category within chewing gum and FMCG, where health and convenience meet.

Today, we have a solid foundation in our home market of Denmark and are active in nine countries. Finland is our newest market and is already showing strong potential.

We’ve learned from the bumps along the way and now stand with a more robust business, a sharper brand position, and a setup ready to scale. The next chapter is already underway – with new products, new partners, and new markets on the horizon.”

You mentioned a new product category later this year?

“Yes – we’re moving beyond the gum category. Our DNA is ‘health made easy’ – and that doesn’t have to be just in gum form. The new product format we’re launching later this year will be something the market hasn’t seen before – and it will be a milestone for us. We can’t say more just yet, but we are really excited to share it.

However, we’re still focused on gum, and we just launched BEAUTY, which you can find in Matas starting this week. It’s a brand-new gum with a delicious raspberry flavor, containing Biotin, Zinc, Vitamin C, and Hyaluronic Acid, all of which help maintain the skin, hair, and nails. And yes, there’s still one more gum innovation on the way – after all, it’s still the core of our business.”

What do you dream we’ll write about Eace next time on dontt.dk?

“I dream that we’ve become an international brand that redefines how people think about everyday health. That we’ve launched a series of groundbreaking products, are present in many new markets – and that we’re still driven by the same passion and genuine desire to make it easy and fun to take care of yourself.”

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