People aren’t just looking for sweet treats anymore – they want something that satisfies their cravings and offers a benefit, whether it’s extra protein, gut health support, or even stress relief.
Julie Johnson, President of HealthFocus International
A growing trend indicates that 75% of consumers are willing to pay more for confectionery products that offer functional benefits.
This demand is pushing gums and candies, especially convenient, on-the-go formats, into new roles as delivery systems for targeted nutrition, oral care, and stress management. But turning sugar-based products into nutritional ones isn’t easy. Companies must balance taste, texture, ingredient stability, and regulatory compliance.
The innovations emerging in this space show how companies are tackling these pressures and improving functional gums and candies to align with shifting consumer expectations.
These insights are part of our detailed report on gum and candy innovations. Fill out the form to learn about what other innovations industry giants like Kraft Heinz, Oterra, and MARS are using in their confectionery products:
Yili is filling candies with dead bacteria to cure cavities and bad breath
Existing xylitol and herbal extract-based gums and candies provide only general oral care benefits. They have limitations, including the need for frequent usage, compromised taste, and uncertain effectiveness.
The confectionery industry has been trying to solve these problems and deliver products that go beyond masking bad breath. Decades-long research on probiotic gums and candies is one part of this effort. To date, there are no widely known or commercially available probiotic or postbiotic gums or candies on the market that specifically target oral health issues, such as dental caries.
Yili, a major dairy company in China, has entered the functional confectionery market with its health brand Quanjiayi, aiming to change this status quo. It is targeting the oral care confectionery with its patented postbiotic strain derived from Lactobacillus paracasei ET-22 lysate.
This strain showed positive results in animal research carried out by the Yili Institute, where it reduced the risk of dental caries.
The in vitro trials have also shown that ET-22, whether live or heat-killed, was able to limit Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) biofilms that cause plaque and cavities. The strain is already in use in beverages and yogurt, and can be used in gums and candies as well (as per patent claims).
Recently, Yibobo Kouxiang Probiotic Microbubble Tablets with Yili’s Lactobacillus paracasei ET-22 hit the Chinese market. They target the bad breath and dental caries problems. These tablets also carry two other patented oral health strains of Yilli: Lactobacillus salivarius AP-32 and Lactobacillus paracasei ET-66.
Mengniu is creating gums and candies using milk components to improve sleep and bone density
Sleep support and bone health are two areas where demand for functional confectionery, such as gums and candies, is high. Companies have struggled to offer credible and clinically relevant benefits in these products. Most current options rely on generic or pharmaceutical supplements that lack targeted, science-based support.
Mengniu, a Chinese dairy company, is exploring different mixes of milk fats and sugars to capture their functional value in nutritional confectionery.
One of its patented innovations involves using medium-long chain fatty acid triglycerides (MLCT) in combination with milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) in specific weight ratios, ranging from 0.1:1 to 50:1, to improve sleep quality.
Another Mengniu patent combines MLCT with human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) in weight ratios of 1:1 to 9:1 to improve bone mineral density. The combinations can be used in gums and candies for the same functional benefits.
These patents introduce new ingredients, including MLCT, MFGM, and HMOs, into gum and candy formats. They also address long-standing issues in functional confectionery for bone and sleep health, including dosage accuracy, bioavailability, and regulatory fit.
What’s Next
Making products functional is just one consumer-driven trend in the gums and candies or confectionery segment. The industry must also meet other growing consumer demands related to sustainability, taste, sugar reduction, and clean label in these products.
Emerging innovations in ingredients, alternatives, formulations, and production processes can help confectionery companies meet these demands.
Source: Slate Dashboard
A broader, cross-industry approach to innovation for drawing new ingredients, advanced formulation technologies, and consumer research is the key here.
Tracking innovations within and across industries, while improving products in the fast-moving confectionery industry, can be overwhelming for R&D teams.
That’s where GreyB can help you. We can find answers to your questions and uncover more challenges in your industry that you may not even know exist.
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