Gummy Manufacturing

Current Market Insights

Can you provide an overview of the current market trends in the gummy manufacturing industry?

How has the demand for gummy products evolved in recent years, and what factors have influenced this change?

The gummy manufacturing industry is experiencing steady growth, driven by increasing consumer demand for convenient and enjoyable dietary supplements. Vitamin-fortified gummies dominated the market last year with nearly 24% share, and expect to experience north of 10% growth annually for the next five to seven years. We believe the main driver for this is the growing consumer preference for the enjoyable convenience that gummies offer over other delivery forms. Gummy demand continues to evolve around natural, vegan, and efficacy, with consumers becoming more and more educated about what they eat to supplement their healthy lifestyles. Gut health continues to be at the forefront of food and supplement trends, driving innovations that can meet those needs.

Manufacturing Technologies and Trends

What are some of the latest manufacturing technologies being utilized in the production of gummy candies?

How do you stay updated on emerging trends in gummy manufacturing processes, and how do these innovations impact your operations?

Vitamin gummy technology continues to move away from the original starch mogul manufacturing towards cleaner, more flexible starchless equipment. With the FDA honing in on food safety standards and consumers becoming more educated about how their food is made, starchless equipment offers a degree of cleanliness that is unparalleled. It also offers a smaller footprint and run sizes, allowing brands to try innovations without having to make large investments. AI is now becoming a staple in packaging and inspection processes, allowing for unprecedented speeds and consistency, while improving quality standards over the inspection capabilities of human inspectors. To stay updated on emerging trends in gummy manufacturing processes, we actively participate in industry conferences, engage with industry experts, and continuously invest in research and development to incorporate new technologies into our operations.

Consumer Preferences

How do you conduct market research to understand consumer preferences when developing new gummy products?

What are some key factors that drive consumer choices in the gummy market, and how do you adapt to meet these preferences?

We conduct market research through surveys, sensory groups, and market data analytics to understand consumer preferences and retail trends when developing new gummy products. Some factors that drive consumer choices include the perceived health benefits followed closely by taste and texture. To meet these preferences, we leverage our expert R&D staff with over 75 years of collective experience to push the envelope on what we can fit in a gummy and still make it taste great. Ultimately taste is king. Taste makes the gummy experience what it is and why consumers are demanding more in this delivery format, so even a very efficacious product that doesn’t taste great, will not sell.

Regulatory Issues/Concerns

How do you ensure compliance with regulatory standards and guidelines in the production of gummy candies?

What are some of the main regulatory challenges or concerns that impact your manufacturing processes, and how do you address them?

Ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and guidelines is prioritized for our organization. Above the baseline requirements set forth by the FDA and CDPH, our facility is GFSI certified, demonstrating our commitment to food safety. As our operation grows, we will continue to add certifications, so that we can provide innovations and label claims that will set our customers apart in the marketplace. Regulatory challenges we face are mainly with ingredient sourcing and federal CBD regulations. As we are steadfast in providing the highest quality products, finding ingredients that meet these elevated compliance and food safety standards becomes increasingly challenging, so our procurement and compliance teams collaborate to source, confirm, and closely monitor our incoming materials and their respective manufacturers. With CBD, states continue to introduce legislation in favor of consumable CBD products, but each state has its unique twist. These state-specific rules require our regulatory and compliance teams to stay at the forefront of regulatory standards so that our customers can offer their products to whatever market they see fit.

Quality Control Measures

What quality control measures do you have in place to maintain consistency and ensure the safety of your gummy products?

How do you handle issues related to product quality or safety, and what steps are taken to prevent them from occurring?

Food safety, which is paramount, provides the framework for our quality system; this is exemplified by our facility’s GFSI certification. This certification is globally recognized as the gold standard for food safety in food and dietary supplement manufacturing. We have implemented comprehensive quality control measures throughout the manufacturing process, including regular testing of raw materials and finished products, adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and thorough sanitation practices. With food safety as our focus, we look beyond the regulatory requirements and have augmented our food safety program by implementing an Environmental Monitoring Program which leverages our pharmaceutical manufacturing expertise. In the event of an issue or non-routine event involving product quality or safety, we have established protocols for investigation, corrective actions, and communication with customers and regulatory authorities. Prevention lies in the awareness of everyone in the organization; they are trained, tested, and retrained to know what to look for and how to respond and report, which is a force multiplier for our proceduralized control measures.

Future Outlook

What do you see as the future outlook for the gummy manufacturing industry, in terms of growth opportunities and challenges?

How are you preparing to adapt to potential changes in consumer preferences, technology advancements, and regulatory landscapes in the coming years?

We believe the future of the VMS space is very promising for gummies, with continued growth opportunities driven by increasing consumer awareness of health and wellness. Consumers will continue to require that gummies provide more health and supplemental benefits while maintaining the taste and texture that drive the consumer experience. Challenges such as an ever-evolving regulatory landscape and changing consumer preferences will require us to remain agile and innovative. We are an innovation-driven organization and continue to reinvest in research and development, expanding our product offerings, and enhancing our manufacturing capabilities to meet the demands of the evolving market.

Author Details

Roger Tyre, VP of Operations - CAPTEK^® Softgel International

Publication Details