Functional Gummies Powered by Nature
Soft and chewy functional/fortified gummies encourage repeat consumption and are appreciated by all generations. Young children love the taste. Older adults who may have trouble swallowing also prefer the delivery format over cumbersome capsules and pills.
In this fast-growing area, label-conscious consumers are prompting a number of trends, including sugar-free, vegan alternatives to gelatin plus much-needed heat stability to take advantage of e-commerce convenience. Manufacturers can face challenges with fortification, especially the addition of calcium, ion and other minerals. Texture can also be a concern. CP Kelco offers a portfolio of nature-based ingredients with a wide pH working range to help. Our technical experts are available to ensure you have the best solution to deliver your next gummy innovation.
Featured Ingredients
GENU® Pectin
KELCOGEL® Gellan Gum
GENU® Carrageenan
Ready to Formulate?
Exclusive Insights
With help from the ever-growing wellness trend, gummies have proven to be popular with all demographics. For adults with pill fatigue, trouble swallowing or regularly take health supplements, gummies are an enjoyable and convenient format to encourage repeat consumption. Younger generations see the “fun” in functional, viewing them as a trendy combination of snack and supplement.
Formulating with quality ingredients
Along with the trends, texture plays a vital role in determining consumer demand. With 90 years of global experience, we are the texture innovator with the knowhow to exceed consumer expectations. Allow us to introduce you to some of our top picks from our unique portfolio of responsibly sourced, nature-based ingredients:
- GENU® Pectin: Upcycled from citrus peels, an abundant byproduct of the juice industry, pectin is considered to be the preferred, vegan-friendly choice with a taste and texture to replace gelatin. It provides benefits such as heat stability to combat harsh temperature fluctuations of e-commerce, it tolerates salts, minerals and vitamins, and adds a soft gummy texture with excellent flavor release and uniform gelling. CP Kelco offers a wide range of pectin solutions, including grades to support organic label claims.
- GENU® Carrageenan: Derived from farmed red seaweed, this nature-based ingredient has been used for centuries as a very effective gelling agent, thickener and stabilizer. It has high heat stability, rapid setting for starchless molding, and provides a soft, chewy texture for creating vegan gummies and strips. Ask about grades to support organic and non-GMO claims.
- KELCOGEL® Gellan Gum: Originated from naturally occurring bacteria on water lily plants, gellan gum is now produced using a fermentation process to develop an ingredient with identical composition while minimizing environmental impact and ensuring uniform quality. Suitable for vegan and organic formulations, it helps product developers create easy-to-chew, gelatin-free gummies with excellent clarity/transparency and flavor release. It also offers good gelation and texture at a low use level. Heat stable in a range of pH conditions, the low hot viscosity helps it flow well into molds so you can create intricately shaped gummies.
In this fast-growing category, there are several drivers shaping the future of functional gummies. See the four global trends our team of innovation experts are following:
1. Going vegan.
The plant-based movement has successfully disrupted every food and beverage category, including confectionery. It challenges product developers to balance consumers’ desires and dietary preferences with ensuring a great sensory experience – while not adding too many steps to the manufacturing process. In gummies, that means finding a vegan and halal replacement for animal-derived gelatin.
2. E-commerce for ease.
E-commerce can be a game changer for functional gummies, allowing manufacturers to easily reach a global audience and giving consumers plenty of choices. However, gelatin melts at approximately 35° C (95° F). With e-commerce, your gummies can easily encounter shipping and storage temperatures above this. CP Kelco can help you find a gelatin replacement like GENU® Pectin and KELCOGEL® Gellan Gum that can stand up to the heat, so your gummies arrive in great condition.
3. Sugar-free, please.
Governments around the world are implementing policies to encourage consumers to rethink their eating habits and hopefully reduce diet-related diseases such as diabetes by discouraging sugar consumption. Traditionally, functional gummies contain between two and eight grams of sugar per serving on average. CP Kelco can help customers reformulate to reduce or remove sugar in gummies without losing the sensory experience.
