Gummy Supplements are commonly a popular way of persuading children to consume vitamins and minerals while thinking they are getting a sweet treat. However, the gummy supplement trend is picking up with adult consumers. Brands such as Sugar Bear Hair have thrived using celebrity endorsements and influencers to grow within the millennial market.
The increasing popularity in gummies is surprisingly not from child consumption but from adults. With adults taking more vitamins than children, naturally, there is a large market opportunity for developing gummy items for men and women. The idea that bringing the nostalgic effect of a gummy vitamin will drive sales, as well as the novelty of a sweet providing your daily nutrients.
As the requirements of a healthy lifestyle are becoming more apparent to the population, nutrition is at the top of consumers minds today. Convenience is key for busy lifestyles, with taste following a close second for influencing purchasing decisions. This gives the potential for the format of gummy supplements to climb into adult supplement ranges everywhere.
A 2016 report into Vitamins, minerals & supplements by Mintel stated that “supplement shoppers are looking at gummies because they like a fun and tasty approach to vitamin and mineral consumption.” Associating the gummies with sweets makes them a more enjoyable experience and easier to include within a daily routine.
In a recent article containing cited data from Nutrition Business Journal, gummy supplements accounted for 7.5% of the $6 billion multivitamin market in the US in 2016. In 2017, gummy products now account for $1 billion out of the $41 billion supplement market, which is up 25% since the previous year.
In 2018, gummy supplements are continuing to gain traction. The global gummy supplements market is set to continue growing with an annual growth rate of 5% over the next 8 years, reaching $4.17 billion by 2025 which is up almost $3 billion since 2016. Consumer behaviour is driving the demand for alternate delivery forms in the nutritional supplement range. The baby boomer generation statistically takes more tablets or pills than younger generations. These pills are often large, frequently needed and the number of vitamins and minerals an ageing consumer needs can become inconvenient and more of an annoyance than a benefit.
Millennials are another consumer group driving the shift from tablets to gummies. Millennials love to discover new things, follow trends and require unique product features to be persuaded to buy into new products and services. They are also much more interested in the ingredients found within the capsule than just the packaging that surrounds it. Millennials want to feel the benefit of the ingredients as quickly as possible, with ingredients such as vitamin B12 now being made into effervescent tablets to enable quicker absorption. Sticks filled with powders to be swallowed or mixed with water are growing increasingly popular.
How are gummy supplements made?
Gummy supplements are made in various ways, but the most recent trend involves pectin as a gelatine alternative, making them widely available and not excluding dietary preferences. A typical gummy is around 2.5g but there is potential for larger pieces to include more daily nutrients per gummy, such as collagen, as well as the usual vitamins and minerals.
A potential issue with gummy supplements is the sugar and filler content. Currently, most gummies on the market contain extra sugar and flavourings to make them pleasant to consume. The caution to consumers is that overeating gummy supplements because of the sweet taste will cancel out any benefits, in this case, more is not better.