The weird science behind your favorite gummy vitamins
- Chewable vitamins are now the most popular way for American adults age 35 and younger to consume supplements.
- But the sugary treat wasn’t always this popular — it took a lot of trial and error, and a few different gummy brands, to nail down the formulas we see today.
- Though early gummy vitamins used gelatin to achieve the familiar, chewy texture, it wasn’t ideal because it takes up too much space.
- Nowadays, many manufacturers use pectin, and the category is worth billions globally.
- Read Business Insider’s full investigation into the world of gummy vitamins here.
Vitamins are big business. According to Andrew Stablein, a research analyst at Euromonitor, the supplement industry will surpass $36 billion this year.
And thanks to the Kardashians and a few lucky strokes of marketing genius, chewable vitamins are now the most popular way for American adults age 35 and younger to consume supplements, despite skepticism