Gummies are maintaining their place at the top of the charts after first overtaking all other supplement formats in sales in 2022. And they’re not likely to lose their broad appeal among mainstream shoppers any time soon.

This is especially true for newer consumers, said Courtney LeDrew, senior marketing manager at Cargill. “It’s not so much about age, rather, it’s how long you’ve been taking supplements. Consumers who are newer to the supplement category tend to prefer non-pill formats.”

Following an annual rise in sales of 23% to reach an estimated $2.63 billion in 2022, gummies saw a decline of 3.5% in 2023, achieving an estimated $2.6 billion in revenue, according to market researcher SPINS.

Gummies containing minerals (+23.1%, $77.75 million), vitamin B (+10.4%, $76.51 million), pro- and prebiotics (+9.6%, $154.95 million), fiber (+16.7%, $86.12 million), digestive aids and enzymes (+138.9%, $2.16 million), and marine essential fatty acids (+8.9%, $8.67 million) saw substantial increases. Meanwhile, there were declines in gummies with vitamin C (-11.4%, $142 million), superfruit and juice concentrates (-28.4%, $76 million), and green foods (-42.5%, $5.6 million).

While the core of the gummy supplements market is multivitamin/mineral formulations, which make up $999 million of the $2.6 billion market tracked by SPINS, many condition-specific formulas are thriving.

Some of the biggest winners included hydration/electrolytes (+1,220.8%, $145,841), joint health formulas (+675.5%, $227,630), prostate support products (+137.7%, $796,831), weight loss products (+37.5%, $28.8 million), and probiotics/digestive aids (+12.6%, $243 million).

Market Drivers and Standout Attributes

According to Paula Limena, vice president of global marketing for health and wellness at ADM, gummy supplements were a big part of the blurring of boundaries between food/beverage products and dietary supplements.

“Unlike traditional tablets or capsules, gummies come with unlimited potential for exciting colors, shapes, and flavors, the latter in particular making them a great option for masking any unpleasant off-notes from the active ingredient,” said Pierre Albert Thomas, global director of Rousselot Functional Ingredients.

Manufacturers are innovating with sensory cues that can lend themselves to functional benefits.

“Available in diverse flavors, shapes, and sizes, gummies cater to specific health concerns like immunity, beauty, and sleep, enabling consumers to align supplements with their individual health goals,” said Kelly Vu, dietary supplements application scientist at IFF’s Pharma Solutions.

Patrick Vesay, head of marketing and strategy at Catalent Consumer Health, said that refining the fundamental aspects of palatability remains the best strategy to stand out among the competition.

“There are a range of factors that affect how consumers experience the dose form, from taste, texture, visual appeal, communicated benefits, packaging, brand, etc., and more traditional formats have been challenged to match this combination of factors to the delight of consumers,” he said.

Echoes of the U.S. gummy boom are just now hitting international markets, noted Sara Lesina, general manager, Europe and the Americas at Sirio.

“Over the last 3 years, we’ve witnessed a wave of new gummy supplement products hitting the market, especially in the UK, France, and the Nordics. We are still just at the start of this innovative product format’s development,” she said. 

Gen Z and Millennial consumers still over-index on preferring gummies, while Boomers prefer more traditional formats, noted Chris Kalodis, North America marketing manager at dsm-firmenich. “But as the younger generation ages, we expect them to continue to use their favorite format in their older years, which we believe will lead to gummies becoming the preference for all age groups in the future.” 

Discerning Consumers

Despite continued popularity of gummies, there’s mainstream discussion about the limitations and drawbacks of the supplement format. For example, Gummies can make a big dent in one’s daily allotment of sugar, or fall short of capsules and tablets in ingredient load, stability, and shelf life. 

For this reason, brands can’t over-promise and under-deliver, Vesay said. “It’s easy to see how compelling statements about a product’s benefit or composition can excite a consumer, but if they are not provided a rewarding product experience, the consumer will be left underserved, or worse, disappointed.”

Vu noted that certification logos are becoming well-recognized on gummy products now. “Consumers can read third-party testing reports and look for on-pack certifications, such as NSF, to understand how the supplements they are buying meet label requirements.”

Consumers are more interested than ever in clean labels and transparency in all products, and the components of a gummy are no exception. 

“For food producers, the term ‘clean label’ does indeed mean something, but there’s some ambiguity,” said Angie Rimel, North American marketing communications manager at Gelita. “Foundational in any definition of clean label is the desire for simplicity and naturalness in the ingredient panel.”

Gelatin, which has been used for centuries, can lend itself to clean label perceptions due to its widespread familiarity, Rimel noted. “Gelatin is a single natural ingredient that combines multiple benefits and functionalities in one, is derived from native collagen, and is a food rather than an additive, thus contributing meaningfully to a clean label.” 

The War on Sugar

With many consumers demanding sugar-free gummy formulations, rebuilding the taste and texture of sugar in its absence is a key challenge.

Sucrose and fructose lend crucial structural and textural properties to gummies. noted Thomas. “The latest advancements in gelatin formulation make it possible to improve a gummy’s Nutri-score rating without compromising on other features. The right base ingredients can make the balancing act far less of a headache,” he said.

“Working with an experienced formulation partner and ingredients supplier can yield equally powerful benefits,” he added. “Experts at our global application center, for instance, are successful in reformulating gummy supplement recipes to upgrade its Nutri-score from D to A, a significant improvement in the context of today’s market.”

Often, a combination of a polyol and a soluble fiber offers suitable sweetness in gummy formulations. “While maltitol offers a sweetness close to sucrose, when additional sweet flavor is needed, a small amount of a high-intensity stevia sweetener like Cargill’s ViaTech stevia leaf extract or EverSweet stevia sweetener is usually all that’s required,” said Chad Rieschl, principal food scientist at Cargill.

Texture, on the other hand, “can take a bit more experimentation,” he added. “Today, we have more alternatives we can leverage. It may take several polyols, including a mix of powders and syrups, but with a bit of experimentation, we can get the texture right. The big thing is not trying to have one ingredient do all the bulking,” Rieschl said.

Gelita, in response to unmet sugar replacement needs, has developed a number of tailor-made solutions to make up for the lacking functionality of most alternative sweeteners, Rimel said. The company’s Soluform SR, for instance, adds bulking and water binding without sacrificing on texture or flavor release, thanks to specialty collagen peptides.

Flavor Trends

The time is now to break the mold in flavor choices, according to Jennifer Zhou, senior director of global product marketing for flavors at ADM. Citing FMCG Gurus, she noted that 64% of global supplement consumers believe supplement flavors can be improved, and nearly half (45%) of consumers who stopped taking supplements in the past 2 years said the reason was because of flavor.

When it comes to flavor trends, Lesina said there are regional trends for more common flavors, but across the globe, experimental flavors are performing better than before.  

“You’ve got strawberry winning hearts in southern Europe, while in northern Europe a citrus burst is the ‘on trend’ flavor. However, we have also been launching more daring combinations, like watermelon, pomegranate, ginger and turmeric, and green coffee, and we see them perform really well in our customer tasting sessions,” she said.

Exotic tastes, and eclectic pairings, can help to convey a degree of “naturalness” in how consumers perceive a given product. “Unique pairings, such as mango chili, watermelon mint, and passion fruit ginger have gained traction, appealing to consumers seeking bold flavor experiences and adding a refreshing twist to the gummy landscape. Plus, brands are also incorporating ingredients derived from natural sources, botanical flavors, and herbal notes like lavender, lemon, and elderflower,” Zhou said.

Especially in times of inflationary spending, however, it takes expertise to incorporate natural flavors while keeping costs stable, especially in the EU where regulatory requirements are more stringent, said Lesina.

Thomas also noted the value of using products like honey and propolis to create flavors with a built-in health halo. “Demand for new and exciting experiences, combined with a clean-label positioning free from synthetic flavors, is definitely something to pay attention to as we head into 2024.”

Just as flavors can convey the “naturalness” of a product, certain flavors have calming and relaxing connotations, noted LeDrew, such as lavender, jasmine, hibiscus, and orange blossom.

The days of a “one flavor that fits most” strategy are over, said Frank DeJianne, business development director of taste, texture, and health at dsm-firmenich. “While the majority of our nutritional gummy flavor business is still in the traditional berry and citrus flavor camps, and probably will be for some time, we’re working hand-in-hand with many clients exploring and executing on new and exciting flavor strategies for their brands and products,” DeJianne continued. “We’re doing a lot of work in the tropical fruits realm, in adapting traditional beverage, candy, and dessert flavors for gummies, and also creating new and unique flavor combinations to drive a deeper connection to the intended health benefit the gummy is formulated to deliver.”

Chew on This

Don’t underestimate how sensitive consumers are about texture.

Cargill recently conducted a consumer survey in which 130 respondents tested six individual gummies: soft/smooth bites with either pectin and tapioca syrup or pectin and corn syrup; a slightly hard/chewy texture using pectin, starch, and corn syrup; a firm mouthfeel with carrageenan and corn syrup; hard and long chew experiences using gelatin and corn syrup; and a waxy/sticky gummy using starch and corn syrup.

The clear winners were the combinations of pectin and corn/tapioca syrup, and consumers revealed a very particular type of texture as their preference.

“Consumers described the pectin samples with words like airy, smooth, and easy to break down while chewy, textural attributes also rose to the top of our study,” said LeDrew. “At the other end of the spectrum, consumers rated the gummy with stick-to-your-teeth cohesion as the least appealing texture.”

While these preferences were universal, there was a clear divide between consumers who preferred the soft chew sample, while another equally-sized cohort preferred the harder bite associated with gelatin. So on both of these ends of the spectrum, there is even demand.

“Brands eyeing the gummy space would be well served to prioritize mouthfeel in their product development journey, leveraging expertise from ingredient suppliers to achieve textures that appeal to their consumer target,” LeDrew said.  

Overcoming Manufacturing Challenges

In capsules and tablets, multiple powdered ingredients can integrate seamlessly. But in gummies, ingredients must withstand co-dispersion into liquid, pH adjustment, and heat treatment, and the solutions to overcoming these challenges are diverse and constantly improving, noted Zhenbo Ma, PhD, applications and technical manager at dsm-firmenich.

“Certain active components also necessitate proper hydration for a specific duration before being incorporated into the matrix,” Ma said. “Each gummy formulation is unique, underscoring the critical importance of comprehending and obtaining essential information from suppliers.”

“The incorporation of ingredients such as probiotics, botanicals, and other ingredients derived from natural sources can further complicate this process,” Limena noted.

When it comes to shelf-life, packaging solutions can go a long way compared to formulation in improving shelf life and light, moisture, and oxygen protection, said Karla Acevedo, marketing manager at Sirio Pharma.

Still, sometimes the best step is to avoid these heating processes altogether, which is where soft chews can enter the conversation. “Catalent brought in a novel soft chew production process that doesn’t require the high temperature environment that gummies or cooked chews require. Catalent’s soft chew technology offers the same great sensorial experiences that consumers value in gummies, while creating a novel delivery form for higher dose loads or temperature-sensitive ingredients, such as collagen,” Vesay said. 

Similarly, Gelita introduced Confixx, a new gelatin which enables starch-free production of gummies. The starchless process is more suitable for sensitive ingredients because production requires significantly less thermal stress, giving flexibility in manufacturing and the ability to incorporate a broader range of active ingredients, Rimel said.

Plenty of ingredient combinations have yet to be tested within the gummy format, noted Lesina, and as such, “your manufacturer must be a specialist, especially when you are really looking to push the boundaries and create a new combination. And there is a delicate task to be had when taste masking, particularly for ingredients like omega-3s with a lingering aftertaste; this requires real precision and finesse from the formulator.”

Compared to capsules or tablets, gummies are capable of holding a much smaller load of active ingredients, and potency will be a longstanding challenge especially in multi-ingredient products. 

Vesay noted that a well-controlled process to protect ingredient viability could involve increasing load sizes through microencapsulation or finding ways to delay adding nutritional components until after the hottest steps in a cooking process.

Gelita has worked on gelatin solutions that contain functional collagen peptides, so the gummy matrix itself contains enough collagen to support certain health claims, such as Soluform PE for protein enrichment and Verisol HST for peptides with associated nutricosmetic claims. These forms of collagen are also compatible with other confectionery products.

“Alongside the benefits described above, the products also provide adjustable viscosity, gel strength, gel formation, and emulsion-forming and stabilizing properties, as well as adjustable foaming and foam stabilization properties,” Rimel said.

Gummies produced with Soluform can achieve protein concentrations of up to 35% when combined with a recipe adapted to high protein levels. “This is not currently possible with the conventional combination of standard gelatins and generic collagen powder products,” she added.

When two or more ingredients are too reactive in the gummy format, new solutions can keep them separated.

“For example, using a liquid-filled gummy technology significantly enhances compatibility and stability between active ingredients, effectively addressing challenges associated with ingredients such as DHA from algae oil,” Lesina said. “By strategically placing one ingredient in the center and the other in the shell, we mitigate interactions that could lead to oxidation. Beyond these formulation improvements, it provides a distinctive dual taste experience, complemented by a visually-appealing center-filled appearance.”

Rousselot recently launched its SiMoGel gelatin solution, allowing for liquid center gummies that can separate active ingredients, including heat-sensitive probiotics, from the full process of the gelatin excipient, all with a setting time of between 15 and 20 minutes, vs. the 24-hour window required by other conventional formulations, noted Thomas.

SiMoGel also offers another advantage in that its manufacturing process enables direct depositing into silicone or metal molds and blister packs, cutting the risk of cross-contamination between batches. “[SiMoGel] removed the cross-contamination concerns inherent to the starch mogul process—something that had been a major blocker for scaling up nutraceutical gummy production.”

Bi-layer gummies present another option to mitigate oxidative interactions, noted Acevedo. As a bonus, the use of dual colors and flavors can elevate visual appeal and enhance the overall experience of the product. 

ADM has invested significant time and effort into validating several heat-treated postbiotic versions of its branded probiotic strains in order to carve out a portfolio of microbiome solutions compatible with gummies, Limena said.

“We specifically leverage our heat-treated postbiotic versions of our ES1 (Bifidobacterium longum CECT7347) and BPL1 (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CECT8145), along with our spore-forming probiotic, DE111 (Bacterium subtilis), to support dietary supplement brands in developing on-trend gummies with microbiome-supporting attributes.”

Being one of a few suppliers that can offer a gummy-compatible, complementary synbiotic concept has helped ADM stand out, noted Limena. “We demonstrate this in our ‘tri-biotic gummies’ concept, which brings together three of our gut microbiome-supporting solutions: Fibersol prebiotic, DE111 spore-forming probiotic, and heat-treated BPL1 postbiotic. It also includes tea extract, spearmint oil, and natural ginger lime flavor for an adventurous taste profile.”

Many advancements are being made on the supply side as well, ahead of gummy manufacture, Vu noted. “Manufacturers of ingredients are now developing technologies to better encapsulate them or they are producing more stable materials that can withstand the challenging gummy manufacturing process.”

Ma noted that dsm-firmenich is working specifically with ingredients that require high doses to achieve efficacy. The company has showcased a patent-pending, breakthrough omega-3 gummy which can deliver 3-5 times more omega-3 fatty acids than conventional gummies on the market.

This is achievable through the company’s Powder Loc technology, which is used on its life’sOMEGA branded algal oil. The technology uses a double-shell system which can create a pH-, shear-, and temperature-stable powder suitable for gummy applications at dosages that can exceed 400 mg in a two-piece serving, noted Kalodis.

The company is also working on a center-filled gummy which allows for the incorporation of algal omega-3s into the core, shielded by a gummy shell that prevents the oxidation of omega-3 molecules to protect sensory experience through the product’s shelf life.

Additionally, dsm-firmenich is applying for a patent on a high-dose human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) gummy, which requires unique formulation and procedures to achieve quality and efficacy, Ma noted.

Pectin Perfection 

Using plant-based alternatives to gelatin like pectin or carrageenan comes with its own challenges.

Much like sugar replacement, a blend of ingredients usually outperforms single-ingredient alternatives to animal-based gelatin, Vu said. “Pectin is the most widely accepted plant-based alternative to gelatin, but it can be difficult to develop a suitable matrix to enable gelation. The challenge is compounded when making changes to the sugars or sugar replacement systems with a low- or no-sugar claim. Enhancing with a diverse blend of hydrocolloids, as well as buffering, can help sugar-free or mineral gummy formulation.”

“Pectin offers a much cleaner flavor release than gelatin, so delivering on sweet taste is even easier,” said Chad Rieschl, principal food scientist at Cargill. “However, in order to set properly, pectin has specific parameters around things like solids content, pH, and depositing temperature. Carrageenan is another option for animal-free formulation and enables brands to offer a different texture experience to consumers.”

Despite the added headache involved in getting pectin to gel, it can outperform in the field in terms of shelf life. While gelatin has a melt point of around 95 degrees Fahrenheit, creating headaches around transport and storage, pectin melts at 300 degrees, so it can prevent gummies from clumping together when used as a standalone gelatin substitute or in combination with gelatin.