Once a niche delivery format for kids’ vitamins, gummies have become a dominant force in the supplement aisle, reshaping how consumers experience daily nutrition. Gummies fit seamlessly into wellness routines and appeal to younger consumers drawn to flavor and fun, as well as older adults seeking alternatives to pills.

According to SPINS data, gummies posted 7.1% year-over-year dollar growth in the 52 weeks ending Nov. 2, 2025, outpacing several traditional formats like tablets and capsules.

This expansion underscores a broader consumer shift toward enjoyable, sensorial formats that blend function with flavor and convenience. Shoppers increasingly value formats that enhance compliance and satisfaction, making gummies an essential part of the evolving supplement landscape.

SPINS’ consumer survey data show that more than 70% of respondents take supplements daily, and among younger consumers (18-34), gummies are nearly as popular as tablets or softgels.

“The gummy supplement market continues to gain momentum as consumers prioritize formats that are convenient, enjoyable, and easy to incorporate into daily routines,” said Angie Rimel, marketing communications manager, GELITA. “Gummies now appeal well beyond children, attracting adults who want effective nutrition without pills.”

Jennifer Toomey, vice president of product, North America, TopGum, said the gummy supplement market is still “one of the most dynamic spaces in VMS, driven by consumers who want supplements that feel easier to take, more enjoyable, and more tailored to their needs. What’s especially clear right now is that gummies are evolving from a ‘fun format’ into a serious delivery system for condition-specific wellness.”

Top Trends

SPINS data show that gummies are gaining traction across nearly every major supplement category, but the strongest momentum lies in areas tied to daily mood, beauty, and metabolic health. Categories like calm and mood support (+46.2%), fiber and laxatives (+16%), and beauty-from-within have become key growth engines, while newer entrants such as creatine gummies (+171.1%) highlight the blurring lines between performance and lifestyle nutrition.

“One of the biggest trends we’re seeing is personalization through condition-specific formulas,” said Toomey, “products built for a clear need-state rather than a generic ‘daily multi.’ Women’s health is a strong example of why this matters: the category spans multiple life stages and goals (cycle support, PMS, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause/menopause), which naturally pushes brands toward more targeted solutions and differentiated portfolios.”

Active lifestyle gummies are also growing fast, and not only for elite athletes, she added. “The fastest momentum is coming from the ‘everyday athlete’ —  people looking for hydration, recovery, and energy support that fits into a busy routine. That’s exactly why we developed TopGum’s Active Lifestyle gummy solutions, including high-dose concepts like creatine and electrolyte gummies, designed to deliver performance benefits in a format that’s convenient and enjoyable.”

Overall, the market is shifting toward gummies that are more targeted, more functional, and more enjoyable, Toomey said, with product examples increasingly clustered around women’s health, active lifestyle, and other clearly defined condition-specific needs.

“Today’s gummies deliver targeted benefits, from sleep and immunity to beauty-from-within, using more sophisticated ingredients,” said Rimel. “Nutricosmetic gummies, in particular, are growing rapidly, with clinically studied collagen peptides like VERISOL supporting skin health. At the same time, clean-label expectations are shaping formulations, with demand for natural flavors and colors and thoughtfully sourced ingredients.”

Consumers are increasingly asking what’s inside products, “so clean label and transparency continue to rise,” said Toomey. Shorter ingredient lists, recognizable ingredients, vegan/non-GMO expectations, and clearer claims are all in demand.

“In this space, TopGum’s fiber-based gummies with no added sugar are a strong fit for where the market is going, alongside our unique fiber-based organic production capabilities for brands that want certified, premium positioning.”

Formulation Factors

Innovation in gummy formulation is reshaping perceptions of efficacy. Sometimes dismissed as “candy-like,” today’s gummies are increasingly formulated with clinically substantiated actives, enhanced stability, and sugar-free or low-sugar bases.

Manufacturers are also leveraging advancements in gelling agents and encapsulation technologies to accommodate more complex actives, from minerals and plant extracts to probiotics and amino acids, without sacrificing taste or texture.

While the category is healthy, delivering a high-quality gummy comes with real challenges.

Rimel noted one of the biggest formulation challenges is protecting sensitive actives. “Ingredients like probiotics, certain vitamins, and omega-3s can be affected by heat and high temperatures throughout the manufacturing process, as well as moisture and light throughout their shelf life. To manage this, formulators rely on more stable ingredient forms, protective technologies, and tightly controlled processing conditions.”

Dosing accuracy is another key hurdle for gummy formulations, said Rimel. These are “complex systems, which is why it is not easy to change existing recipes and add large amounts of non-traditional ingredients.”

Texture and shelf life also play a major role in consumer acceptance, she said. “Gummies can harden, become sticky, or lose their ideal chew over time, as well as undergo changes in the level of active ingredients. GELITA’s formulation and technical expertise can help solve these problems.”

GELITA developed CONFIXX, a fast-setting gelatin that enables efficient set-up for starch-free processing for fortified gummies while delivering maximum consumer appeal, Rimel said. “Compared to traditional starch-based systems, it offers significant formulation and production advantages. Without starch, production is cleaner and more efficient, with reduced risk of cross-contamination — making it a smarter, more streamlined solution for modern gummy manufacturing.”

CONFIXX works at low processing temperatures, supporting high dosing accuracy even with heat-sensitive ingredients, she added.

“Overall, companies are overcoming these challenges through ingredient innovation and advanced processing techniques. Working in close collaboration with a supplier, such as GELITA … can enable the creation of gummies that offer the enjoyable experiences consumers demand while meeting regulatory requirements.”

According to Toomey, one of the biggest formulation challenges in gummies is balancing clean-label expectations with meaningful dosing and a great consumer experience. “As gummies increasingly compete with tablets and capsules, the pressure is on manufacturers to deliver higher active doses, without compromising taste, texture, or shelf life.”

This is especially complex in a clean-label context, she added, where fewer masking agents and artificial ingredients are available, while many actives are bulky or bitter by nature. Stability also remains a challenge in a moisture-based format like gummies.

“At TopGum, we address these challenges through advanced formulation know-how and our in-house TopCap microencapsulation technology, which enables higher doses while protecting sensitive actives and maintaining a pleasant organoleptic experience. This is critical, because if a gummy doesn’t taste good, consumers simply won’t keep taking it.

Ultimately, flavor and texture are “central to repeat purchase,” said Toomey. “Brands are investing heavily in differentiated taste profiles and sensory experiences (sweet-sour, layered flavors, improved mouthfeel), because in gummies, the experience is the product.”

Companies that can deliver potent, clean-label gummies that consumers enjoy enough to take every day “are raising the bar for what the gummy format can truly achieve,” she added.

Advanced formats and refined flavor profiles are setting the standard, said Rimel, “while GELITA gelatin continues to play a key role by delivering the texture, stability, and premium mouthfeel consumers expect from high-quality gummies. Together, these trends are helping fuel global growth as gummies move from novelty to mainstream supplement format.”

Despite advances in formulation, critics often cite the high sugar content of gummies. “This is a valid concern, and one the industry is actively addressing,” said Toomey. “One clear direction is moving beyond traditional sugar-based gummies toward better-for-you formulations. At TopGum, our Gummiceuticals platform is built on a fiber-based gummy with no added sugar, allowing brands to deliver functional benefits without relying on high sugar levels.”

It’s also important to consider the total daily sugar intake, not just sugar per gummy, she added. “When a gummy is formulated to deliver a higher active dose, fewer units are needed per day, meaning consumers can meet their nutritional needs while consuming less sugar overall, even in sugar-containing formats.”

By combining alternative bases like fiber with advanced dosing capabilities, brands can confidently offer gummies that are effective, enjoyable, and aligned with modern health expectations, Toomey said.

There are various strategies brands can deploy to reduce or even eliminate sugar from ingredient lists, said Rimel. “A lot of formulation know-how and smart ingredient solutions can make sure that the taste and texture profiles remain consumer-convincing. Gelatin can be a real problem solver in this regard, as it naturally improves gummy textures. An example is GELITA’s VERISOL HST, which makes it possible to lower the sugar in a formulation and still maintain the texture and taste profiles desired by consumers.”

Quality and Consistency

To ensure consistent potency and quality in gummies, Rimel said brands should work with credible ingredient suppliers that offer robust quality assurance programs, clear traceability, and relevant certifications.

“Working in close collaboration with GELITA, who understands the unique demands of gummy formulation, can support brands to optimize ingredient selection, anticipate stability or dosing challenges, and maintain product quality and deliver gummies that deliver reliable potency and a consistent consumer experience.”

Ensuring consistent potency and quality in gummies starts with strict manufacturing standards and deep process control, said Toomey. “Unlike tablets or capsules, gummies are highly sensitive to parameters like temperature, humidity, cooking time, and drying conditions, so precision is critical at every stage.”

Brands can achieve this balance by working with manufacturers that invest in advanced, automated machinery and operate under rigorous quality and safety protocols. “At TopGum, our new production facility was designed specifically to support this level of control, including automated, state-of-the-art drying rooms that ensure uniform moisture levels, texture, and active stability,” said Toomey.

In addition, the manufacturing process is continuously monitored, from raw materials through finished product, to ensure batch-to-batch consistency in potency, taste, and shelf life, Toomey said. “This combination of technology, automation, and quality discipline is what enables gummies to perform with the same reliability consumers expect from traditional supplement formats.”