As consumers seek convenient and enjoyable supplement formats as alternatives to pills, Cosmax NBT has introduced functional jelly stick packs, a ready-to-eat single-serve format to combine premium sensory appeal with advanced formulation flexibility.

The jelly sticks provide a single-serve, on-the-go format that supports compliance with supplement routines and a differentiated sensory experience. Serving sizes can reach 25-30 grams, nearly ten-times larger than 3-gram gummies, enabling more space for meaningful active ingredients and multi-benefit formulations.

“Consumers increasingly expect functional ingredients to be seamlessly integrated into everyday food and beverage experiences,” said Jay Ahn, CEO of Cosmax NBT. “Jelly stick formats enabling precise dosing, improved ingredient stability, and optimized delivery of actives through carefully engineered gel matrices and controlled water activity systems.

Gummies have dominated as an alternative to conventional supplement formats for years, but come with key performance challenges. Cosmax NBT’s jelly sticks can address these with:

• Higher active capacity: traditional gummies weigh about 3 grams per piece, limiting dosages. Jelly sticks can provide 25-30 grams per serving, enabling more meaningful doses.
• Lower sugar dependency: gummies rely heavily on sugar for texture, moisture retention, and structural stability. Jelly formulations aren’t structurally dependent on sugar, allowing for lower sugar content.
• Heat stability: gummies can soften, deform, clump, or melt when exposed to high temperatures during shipping or storage. Jelly sticks remain stable and retain their shape thanks to individually-sealed packaging.
• Dose uniformity: in gummy products, active ingredients can redistribute during manufacturing or storage, leading to inconsistent dosing across pieces, Cosmax reported. Jelly sticks maintain precise dose integrity, ensuring consistency and minimal product loss if a single stick is compromised.

As supplement users seek formats that feel less like medicine and more like food, the jelly stick concept bridges the gap between functional nutrition and everyday snacking, enabling brands to deliver higher levels of actives and more sophisticated formulations.

“Consumers want wellness solutions that fit effortlessly into their lifestyle,” added Ahn. “Jelly sticks represent a new frontier in supplement delivery, combining convenience, taste, stability, and performance in one format.”

Cosmax NBT’s proprietary jelly blend is formulated with ingredients permitted in the U.S., designed to align with domestic quality and labeling requirements. The company’s platform enables the transfer of Cosmax NBT’s jelly manufacturing expertise from Korea to the U.S., allowing brands to commercialize jelly stick products with ease and confidence.