CPhI Barcelona 2023: Gummy supplements enter oral care and probiotic weight management

27 Oct 2023 --- Nutrition Insight was in attendance at the recent CPhI nutrition and pharmaceutical trade fair, held in Barcelona, Spain (October 24 to 26). On the show floor, exhibiting suppliers Sirio and ADM spoke with us about the diversification of the gummy supplement space, which now includes functional sweet treats targeting oral care and menopause.

Recent Innova Market Insights data reveals that gummy product launches increased 54% from October 2017 to September 2022. Nutrition Insight also reported on this trend at ISM Cologne 2023, which saw traditional confectionery companies enter the functional gummy market as one of the fastest-growing nutraceutical segments.

Gummies for dental care and menopause
Sirio exhibited its diversified range of gummy and soft gel products, which are branching out of traditional categories while piloting novel sensory elements and ingredient synergies.

“We’re creating concepts that are unique to the market because we want to grab the attention of consumers, knowing that the space can be quite saturated with dosage forms. We started with sports and beauty as main hero categories and now we’re moving into women’s health and mental well-being,” Sara Lesina, general manager Europe at Sirio, tells us.

“We’re pushing on the boundaries of what we can do with gummies and soft gels that have a different palatability and sensory elements, while at the same time having a very high concentration of active ingredients, which is not easy to do. That for us is the sweet spot of growth.”

The Sirio booth at CPhI 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.Sirio’s first highlighted product is a pectin-based and sugar-free oral care gummy, branded Pearly Whites.

“This is a fairly unique concept. In general, we haven’t seen it brought to market yet. It’s something we’re launching exclusively at CPhI. It’s the first gummy for oral care,” says Lesina. 

“Typically, when you think of oral care you imagine toothpaste, mouthwash or tablets for freshening.”

“When we look at the oral care market, the CAGR is sustainable,” she highlights. “But dosage format innovation has been lacking somewhat. Think about applications for teenagers or children, who might be reluctant about having to brush their teeth.”

“Gummies are not a space that has been explored as much in oral care. We formulated Pearly Whites with calcium and vitamin D3. It has green coffee and shiitake mushroom extract, because these are herbal ingredients that help with curbing bacterial growth.”

Treating women’s flora with flowers
Sirio’s second concept was launched in the women’s health category, branded Berry Shield. It is a gummy supplement for UTI, based on cranberry and hibiscus extracts. 

“Hibiscus has a claim against UTI. Our supplement is specifically targeted toward women. It has 120 mg of cranberry and 60 mg of hibiscus, so you only need to take one gummy per day to reap the full benefits from the ingredients” details Lesina.

Sirio’s third product is a cough and cold gummy containing extracts of eucalyptus and mint.

“It’s not like the regular gummies you are used to. It’s the first time we’ve launched it anywhere, and we decided to do it at CPhI. This is not an OTC product, but it’s OTC-adjacent, because of the cough and cold element. It is a gummy that has a shell made of gelatin and a semi-viscous core made of honey.”

She continues: “The combination of honey, eucalyptus and mint gives relief to sore throat and cough, and the sensory element is the best part of it because it brings something unexpected. Basically, you either let it melt in your mouth or you chew on it, then you have a very nice semi-liquid filling that spills into your mouth and is very soothing for your throat.”

Carotenoid gummies for blue light protection
Alongside its gummy range, Sirio also exhibited two new soft gels being brought to market. The first is a soft-gel with lutein and astaxanthin for eye protection. 

“We call it Blue Guard, because it targets people who work a lot with computers,” says Lesina. “But it also targets gamers, who spend many hours in front of the screen and pose a degeneration to their macula.”

“Blue Guard has EFSA claims for everything and has been proven to protect from and somewhat diminish the effects of blue light. It cannot be a total barrier, because blue light is still not great for you, but this absolutely helps protect your eyesight in the long term.”

Marie Benedicte Charpentier, H&W director, EMEA at ADM.Sirio’s second soft gel concept is a fully plant-based capsule made for menopause relief, called MenoStop. “It’s a vegetarian soft gel made with 500 mg of evening primrose oil, which is quite a high payload in one soft gel. So if you take two a day, you’re done for the day,” she highlights.

“Because it’s a somewhat small oval capsule format, it’s also nice for swallowability. So we think it is a nice fit for the target consumer segment. It is also based on gellan gum, so there is no carrageenan in the formulation.”

Probiotic fast melts and weight management gummies
ADM presented three different types of ingredients and capabilities, each designed to integrate functionality with pleasure, taste and texture.  

“The first are our specialty oils — highly purified oils — that we can use for parenteral nutrition or for people that want to maintain their good health,” Marie Benedicte Charpentier, H&W director, EMEA at ADM, tells Nutrition Insight.

“Next to our oils, we offer natural solutions that target consumers taking care of their health through a preventative approach,” Charpentier continues. “Our dietary supplement capabilities include microbiome solution ingredients, which are pre-, pro- and post-biotics that can be used across many different categories.”

“We also have a range of functional botanicals made using natural water extraction.”

Among ADM’s showcased items is a gummy made with BPL1 postbiotic and tea extracts. This comes in the natural flavors of lime, lemon and orange, made from fruits and vegetables. 

“The gummies’ functionality is to help control weight and metabolic health in terms of parameters like blood pressure, BMI and waist circumference,” adds Charpentier.

“We also are able to deliver finished products like fast melt sticks, which contain a blend of different live bacterial strains. The sticks contain a dextrose-based natural flavored powder that dissolves instantly on the tongue.”

By Benjamin Ferrer