The earliest record of pills can be traced back to Egypt in 1500 BC. Since then, in the nearly 3,600-year history of development, pills have been the main form of supplements on the market. However, according to the NBJ report, the market size of non-pill supplements in 2019 surpassed that of pills, breaking the long-standing leading position of pill supplements in the market.
Non-pill supplements mainly include chewable tablets, effervescent tablets, gummies, liquids, soft capsules, lozenges, powders and quick-dissolving agents, among which gummies are the star dosage forms in non-pill supplements. According to SPINS data, in 2021, gummies achieved a high growth rate of 74.9%, with a market share of 21.3%, becoming the largest type of non-pill supplements. In June 2021, gummies (soft candies) officially became the registered dosage form of health food in my country.
1. The origin of gummies and gummy supplements
As a popular candy, gummies have a long history. The earliest shaped gummy based on gelatin can be traced back to 1864, when an Austrian confectioner working for Fryers created a gummy shaped like a baby, hence the name "Unclaimed Babies". An article in the Burnley Express called it the "most in-demand" candy. In 1918, Bassets began mass-producing gummies and named them "Peace Babies", made from sugar, glucose syrup, water, beef gelatin, corn starch, citric acid, flavorings, pigments (anthocyanins, curcumin, paprika extract), plant concentrates (safflower, spirulina), etc.
In 1920, German Hans Riegel founded the company Haribo, popularized fruit-flavored gummies with gelatin as the main ingredient, and became the main producer of gummy bears, which became popular under the name of Gummibär or Gummibärchen. According to a 2009 Marks and Spencer survey of 4,000 people, gummies are the sixth most popular sweet treat for Brits.
However, gummies are a relatively late addition to the supplement industry, which didn’t start experimenting with them until the late 1990s and early 2000s. The driving principle is simple: a spoonful of sugar makes medication easier to swallow.
In 1968, Bayer introduced chewable multivitamins, which were an improvement over traditional pills, but still tasted inferior. However, it wasn’t until 1997 that Hero Nutritionals first introduced a gummies vitamin supplement for children, which became an alternative to traditional vitamins. In terms of taste, it tastes almost like the candy it imitates, just like tasting a sour candy.
It’s worth mentioning that the unique consumption experience of gummies has enabled gummies to successfully transition from children’s supplements to adult nutrition. In 2012, adult vitamin gummies were first launched, injecting new impetus into the development of this field, and gummies are becoming more and more popular. Today, more adults prefer to eat gummy supplements than children. According to GlobeNewswire data, about 67% of adults aged 18 to 34 prefer gummy candies.
2. "Demand + Consumption": The gummy supplements market is booming
According to Marketsandmarkets, the global gummy candy supplement market size is expected to grow from US$24.6 billion in 2023 to US$48.5 billion in 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 14.5% during the forecast period. According to Coherent Market Insights data, in 2020, North America dominated the global gummy candy supplement market, accounting for 38.5% of the share, followed by Asia Pacific and Europe.
The types of gummy candies mainly include vitamin gummies, Omega-3 fatty acid gummies, probiotic/prebiotic gummies, collagen gummies, CBD gummies, etc. Among them, vitamin gummies are one of the types with the highest market share in North America, and the United States is one of the main markets for gummy candy supplements in North America. According to IBISWorld, in 2018, American consumers spent more than $32 billion on nutritional supplements, of which nearly $12 billion was spent on vitamins and minerals. According to Nutrition Business Journal, 12% of the $12 billion spent was spent on vitamin gummies.
From the perspective of consumer groups, the main consumer group of gummies supplements is the young generation of Generation Z. According to Innova Market Insights, consumers aged 18 to 25 prefer gummies over traditional supplements. In addition, according to NBJ data, 47% of people are willing to choose gummies when they take nutritional supplements for the first time. It is worth mentioning that intestinal support gummies are becoming the focus of consumer attention. According to SPINS data, in 2021, both probiotic and prebiotic gummies achieved an 18.7% growth.
3. Innovation trends in gummies supplements
1) Starch-free molding technology of gummy supplements
Gummy production includes formulation, mixing, cooking, pouring, drying, coating and packaging. Traditional starch-based processes are used for casting and drying of gummies, with starch acting as a mold to shape the hot gelatin mass into the desired shape. In addition, during the cooling process, starch absorbs water, promoting crystallization and can be reused for the next batch of jelly or gummy.
However, starch-based production processes have several disadvantages:
- Long production cycle
- Limited formulations and high requirements for heat-sensitive functional ingredients
- Reuse of starch may lead to cross-contamination between batches
Therefore, for the production of gummy supplements containing functional ingredients, starch-free molding technology is the first choice. In addition to solving the contamination problem, it also omits the starch preparation and gummy drying steps, simplifying the demoulding process. More importantly, the raw materials can be mixed and cast at a lower temperature, which is friendly to heat-sensitive functional ingredients while perfectly maintaining the shape of the gummy.
Rousselot Simogel allows the gel solution to be directly cast into silicone or metal molds for starch-free gummy supplement production in less than 20 minutes. It is clean and hygienic, and the mold is easy to clean, which helps to optimize equipment efficiency and output. In 2023, Rousselot launched a new supplement format with Simogel, Gummy caps, designed to carry nutritional and pharmaceutical ingredients. Gummy caps combine the advantages of capsules, soft gels, and gummies. They are soft and delicious, and the center can be filled with liquid or paste, which is versatile. In addition, it can provide highly accurate dosage and is suitable for a wide range of active ingredients.
2) Pectin VS Gelatin: Which is more popular?
The texture of gummies is affected by the material. For example, gelatin gummies are usually chewy and elastic, pectin gummies are soft and tough, and carrageenan gummies can be soft/soft or hard/crisp. Locust bean gummies are usually relatively hard. In contrast, starch-based gummies are stickier and tend to stick to teeth when chewing. A preference test conducted by Cargill on 129 consumers showed that pectin-based gummies scored the highest in overall liking, followed by gelatin, then carrageenan, and finally starch gum.
The main difference between gelatin and pectin is the source of raw materials. Gelatin comes from collagen in animals, while pectin comes from the peels of citrus fruits. Although the best-selling gummies on the market are still made with gelatin, pectin helps promote flavor release and is expected to optimize production costs, so it has a large market. To meet the growing demand for pectin, Cargill established a new pectin production plant in Brazil in 2021.
Because gelatin occupies a long molecular chain and occupies a large space, it is difficult to effectively bind vitamins and minerals. The original gummies could only contain one specific type of vitamin. In 2009, companies began to use pectin instead of gelatin as a raw material for vitamin gummy supplements. Compared with gelatin, pectin has a tighter molecular structure and occupies less space, which can accommodate more functional ingredients in each gummy.
In addition, another advantage of using pectin to prepare gummy supplements is that pectin can promote flavor release better than gelatin, and pectin tastes better than other gelling agents. And pectin can carry a plant-based statement, which can be favored by vegetarians, while also satisfying markets where consumers avoid animal products, such as the Middle East.
Nutreebio's apple cider vinegar gummies use pectin as a gum base, contain a lot of dietary fiber, are beneficial to digestion, and have high thermal stability. Each serving (2 gummies) contains 1000 mg of apple cider vinegar, which supports digestion and weight regulation.
3) Expansion of multifunctional ingredients
Probiotics Vitamins/minerals have always been the main type of gummy supplements, but in recent years, gummy supplements rich in probiotics have gained great attention. The health benefits of probiotics in improving immunity and promoting digestion are well known. For example, the multi-complex nutrient apple cider vinegar gummies, with 2 billion CFU Bacillus coagulans and Bacillus subtilis DE111, contain 700 mg of apple cider vinegar and 12 micrograms of B12 per serving, which helps immunity and digestion.
Collagen Recently, the topic of "collagen gummies are IQ taxes" has exploded on the Internet. In fact, collagen was originally used in the skincare industry and successfully entered the food market through the concept of "food as makeup", which not only helps skin care but also supports bone and joint health. Therefore, collagen gummies are not simply "IQ taxes", but have expanded their application areas while meeting different needs, providing consumers with more choices. Each 2 gummies of Nutreebio Collagen Gummies contain 1000 mg of marine collagen, and vitamin C, taurine, and L-malic acid are added to nourish the skin from the inside out.
4) Expansion of multiple application scenarios
In addition, in addition to the complex nutrient gummies that supplement vitamins and minerals, the functions of gummies supplements have begun to expand into various fields. In addition to the common functions of emotional sleep, vision protection, immunity improvement, and internal beauty, functional gummies for brain health, sports nutrition, weight loss, and heart health have also begun to appear.
A. Brain Health
Nutreebio's new blackberry gummies that are about to be launched recently have added natural coffee plant extracts Neurofactor TM and PS. Neurofactor TM can increase the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and PS helps neuron health, enhances memory and learning ability.
B. Sports Nutrition
Nutreebio’s Creatine Gummies contain Creatine Hydrochloride, which helps improve muscle strength and lean muscle mass and aids in recovery from exercise. In addition, our gummies also support the addition of natural ingredients such as citric acid, electrolytes, and beetroot extract to enhance endurance and replenish water. Nutreebio’s gummies are vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free, providing an ideal choice for health-conscious consumers.
C. Weight Loss
Nutreebio’s hot product, acv gummies, incorporates highly bioavailable Apple cider vinegar powder, as well as Cyanocobalamin, Folic acid, and other ingredients to help metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. In addition, the Apple cider vinegar powder in the gummies provides a sweet and sour taste, adding a unique taste to the product.
D. Heart Health
Nutreebio Coenzyme Q10 gummies use advanced gummy filling technology to encapsulate active functional ingredients that are sensitive to temperature or pH inside the gummies to protect Coenzyme Q10 from oxidation, thereby maintaining its potency and effectiveness. This helps support healthy cellular energy metabolism, thereby promoting cardiovascular health. In addition, the combination of natural berry extracts and pomegranate extracts further strengthens the comprehensive support for heart function.
Summary
Gummy supplements have always been one of the biggest successes in the healthcare industry. Originally designed as a form of children's vitamins, similar to candy, it has now developed into a preferred way to deliver a variety of active nutrients. I believe that as the gummy supplement market develops, more innovative products and technologies will emerge in the future, bringing consumers more personalized and customized health solutions.
References：
[1] Kimberly J. Decker. Are gummy supplements difficult to make? Nutritional Outlook.
[2] Jennifer Grebow. Gelatin versus pectin: Which gummies do consumers prefer? 2023 SupplySide West Report. Nutritional Outlook.
[3] Natalie Leuwer Get Set…Go! Finally…a Gelatin That Is Compatible With Starch-Free Production. Gelita.
[4] Capol.Starch-Free Gummy Production.
