9 5 2 , ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁land ▁re forms ▁attempting ▁to ▁end ▁fe ud al ▁working ▁conditions ▁for ▁pe asant ▁far mers , ▁W rig ley ' s ▁dis cont in ued ▁purch asing ▁ch icle ▁from ▁Gu atem ala . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁W rig ley ' s ▁changed ▁the ▁composition ▁of ▁its ▁che wing ▁g um ' s ▁g um ▁base ▁from ▁ch icle ▁to ▁synth etic ▁rub ber , ▁which ▁was ▁che aper ▁to ▁manufact ure . ▁ ▁W rig ley ' s ▁announced ▁the ▁closure ▁of ▁its ▁Santa ▁Cruz , ▁California ▁manufact uring ▁plant ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁The ▁plant ▁had ▁been ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁The ▁ 3 8 5 , 0 0 0 - square - foot ▁manufact uring ▁facility ▁was ▁put ▁on ▁the ▁market ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁for ▁US $ 1 1 . 3 ▁million , ▁or ▁about ▁$ 3 0 ▁a ▁square ▁foot . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁W rig ley ▁purchased ▁Life ▁Sa vers ▁and ▁Al to ids ▁from ▁Kraft ▁Food s ▁for ▁US $ 1 . 5 ▁billion . ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁W rig ley ▁signed ▁a ▁purchase ▁agreement ▁to ▁ac quire ▁an ▁ 8 0 % ▁initial ▁interest ▁in ▁A . ▁K ork un ov ▁for ▁$ 3 0 0 ▁million ▁with ▁the ▁remaining ▁ 2 0 % ▁to ▁be