Viva 5 Corporation, which specializes in innovative nutrient gummy production, has partnered with Taura Natural Ingredients to bring novel 100% fruit-based gummy supplements to the North American market.
 
Gummies are a popular alternative to pills in the dietary supplement aisle, drawing both new consumers and those suffering from pill fatigue, and have taken market share away from traditional delivery forms like capsules and tablets. In fact, according to IRI market data, alternatives to pill-form supplements made up 47% of dietary supplements in 2017, up from 34% in 2015. Research from Transparency Market Research estimated the gummy vitamin market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.2% between 2017 and 2025 to reach $4.17 billion. Yet, despite these projections, traditional gummies come with several drawbacks. Many are created with animal-based gelatin, contain artificial colors and flavors or utilize an unhealthy sugar base.
 
Viva 5 and Taura have joined forces to create a “next generation VMHS gummy” that is healthier than traditional gelatin and pectin bases, without the need for unnatural sugar or even added sugar. With Taura’s exclusive Ultra Rapid Concentration (URC) process, these new gummies are flavored and sweetened with pure pieces of real fruit. URC technology quickly and precisely extracts moisture from the fruit to protect its integrity and create innovative real fruit materials with low water activity, high fruit content and long shelf life, according to the company. As a result, this proprietary process creates shelf-stable pieces of fruit and fruit pastes that don’t require additional bulking agents, flavors, colors, sweeteners, or preservatives while delivering the taste and texture of real fruit. The whole fruit gummies can also be customized with various fruits and vegetables, including organic versions, to suit consumer preferences.
 
“By partnering with Taura, we now have the ability to offer a truly clean and healthy alternative to traditional gummy supplements,” said Albert Dahbour, executive vice president of sales at Viva 5 Corporation. “We are excited to be one of the first companies in the U.S. to deliver innovative, next generation vitamin gummies in the second half of this year. This will truly be a game-changer for brands looking for a whole-fruit-based alternative in the popular and expanding VMHS gummy market.”
 
Ideal for the creation of clean and natural gummies, Viva 5 will incorporate these whole fruit blends into organic and conventional gummy formulas which will be GMO-free and allergen-free, the company said. In addition, these whole fruit gummies can be customized with a wide range of active ingredients. In anticipation of high demand, Viva 5 has recently invested in state-of-the-art gummy manufacturing technology, which will be operational in Q4 of this year, to facilitate production of these whole fruit VMHS gummies.
 
“At Taura, we are extremely excited about our new strategic partnership with the nutritional supplement experts at Viva 5,” said John Luebbers, vice president of sales for Taura Natural Ingredients, North America. “Together, we are taking gummies to the next level by producing real fruit based, nutritionally ‘better for you’ gummies. A perfect solution to the needs of health-conscious supplement consumers.”