GUMMY PRODUCTION AND INNOVATION
For formulators, that creates a delicate
balancing act. Bitterness and chalkiness need to be masked, but doing so without relying heavily on sugar or artificial flavouring introduces another layer of complexity. At the same time, active ingredients need to remain stable through processing and work effectively within the gummy’s gelling system. “Texture adds another layer,” he adds.
“Some active ingredients interfere with gelling agents, which can leave you with a gummy that’s either too soft or too tough.” Much of the development work
consequently centres on finding the point where technical performance meets the expectations of a confectionery product. Encapsulation, natural flavour systems and gelling bases all form part of the equation, with the finished gummy needing to deliver its intended dose while remaining enjoyable to consume. “We spend most of our R&D time here,
iterating on encapsulation, natural flavor systems and gelling bases so the dose that’s on the label is the dose you actually taste and absorb without it tasting like medicine,” Randall says.
EFFICACIOUS DOSES OF ADAPTOGENS AND
FUNCTIONAL COMPOUNDS ARE FREQUENTLY BITTER, CHALKY OR UNSTABLE — DAVID RANDALL, SPACEGOODS
“Consumers are becoming much
more informed and selective,” Randall says. “They’re looking for products with ingredients they recognise, benefits they understand and brands they trust, alongside great taste and convenience.” The next generation of functional
products, he suggests, will therefore need to bring scientific credibility and everyday usability together. The challenge is to make the benefits understandable without making the product feel overly technical or medicinal. “We think the future of the category lies
That distinction is becoming increasingly
important as functional confectionery enters a more competitive phase. The category is not just novelty or putting a functional ingredient into an established confectionery format, consumers are becoming more knowledgeable about ingredients and more demanding about the relationship between a product’s claims and its actual experience.
in products that combine credible science with everyday usability, making functional wellness feel less intimidating and more accessible,” he says. Taste, meanwhile, remains non-negotiable.
Greater awareness of functional ingredients does not mean consumers are prepared to accept an unpleasant sensory experience in exchange for a perceived benefit. The brands capable of succeeding will instead be those that remove that compromise altogether. “People are tired of wellness products that ask them to choose between ‘good for
28 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2026
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