The gummy delivery format for CBD has become incredibly popular in recent years, and this is only the beginning.

May 13, 2022

5 Min Read
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When it comes to supplements in gummy form, a format once primarily marketed to children,  the market has exploded both in growth and for end users of all ages. As noted in Inside The Bottle’s Top 10 Natural Products Expo West trends breakdown, supplements have taken on a wide variety of formats, with gummies being among the most popular. Data from Nutrition Business Journal indicates that the gummy format grew a whopping 74.9% in 2021, outpacing powders, capsules, tablets, liquids and more.

As one might expect with that kind of growth, gummies have now taken their place as one of consumer’s favorite formats. A recent Nutrition Business Journal survey reports that gummies are the preferred non-pill supplement format, with 27% of respondents listing gummies as their first choice.

This trend is especially evident in the CBD space, with the size of the CBD gummy market recently clocking in at $2.13 billion, according to recent research by The Insight Partners. But the real kicker is the projected growth rate. According to The Insight Partners research, the CBD gummy market is projected to reach $12.8 billion by 2028 with a CAGR of 28.3%.

The pros and cons of gummies

Why are consumers flocking towards CBD gummies now when pills have been the standard for years? First, they’re much easier to take. Kids aren’t the only ones who have difficulty swallowing pills, many people across age groups report having issue with this. The ease of eating a simple gummy ensures that everyone can get the full benefit of the CBD. If the goal for brands is to make CBD supplements for everyone, then gummies are a great place to focus on thanks to how easy they are to take.

Taste, of course, is another reason gummies have become so popular. Some people call gummies “candyceuticals” thanks to the sweet and often candy-like flavors available. Taste is always the number one driver of purchases in the food and beverage world, and that applies just as much to the gummy supplement format, since the method of consumption is closer to food than that of traditional supplements. Some of the most popular gummy CBD products are the ones that taste great and don’t have the distinctive taste of hemp. For those who prefer this format, taking a tasty gummy CBD supplement feels more like a treat than a chore.

While gummies have some very compelling pros to drive their popularity, there are also some cons to the format, such as sugar content. In a world where sugar reduction is becoming more important, many gummies are more like little sugar bombs than healthy supplements. Realistically, a small dose of sugar isn’t going to hurt anyone, especially in CBD gummies that have one or two dose serving sizes. But too much sugar can take away from the nutritional value of a gummy and can also be a sign of a low-quality supplement without an emphasis on natural ingredients. Of course, with a product that tastes good, it’s important to stick to the recommended dose and remember it’s not candy.

Greater than the sum of its parts

One of the biggest trends the market is seeing right now is the combining of CBD with other natural ingredients to create a product that’s greater than the sum of its parts. By adding a variety of other natural, science-supported ingredients, a simple CBD gummy can become much more and offer enhanced benefits such as immune support.

There are many different natural ingredients that can add additional benefits to CBD gummies. For instance, Charlotte’s Web Immunity CBD gummies include Astragalus, Vitamin C and Vitamin D3 to turn what would be an ordinary CBD gummy into a powerhouse that supports immune health. Other products like Charlotte’s Web CBD Sleep include melatonin to help people rest easy at night, while its Calm gummies use lemon balm to encourage relaxation.

In addition to the benefits from the added natural ingredients, there exists what is known as the “entourage effect” in CBD. This is a phenomenon where the different cannabinoids in the hemp compound, including various terpenes and flavonoids in addition to the cannabidiol, enhance each other and deliver greater benefits than each ingredient would alone. This effect is primarily in hemp-derived full-spectrum CBD, because full-spectrum CBD includes these additional cannabinoids in the hemp extract as opposed to broad-spectrum or isolate CBD, which filters out those compounds.

Quality at every step of production

Charlotte’s Web has been one of the industry’s biggest innovators in CBD. It is one of the only companies in the space that is fully vertically integrated from seed to shelf. The brand owns the patents on all of its seeds and all of the hemp it grows is organic, with several of the company’s products being certified organic and more on the way. Because of its ownership over a vertical supply chain, Charlotte’s Web can control quality at every single step of the production process, from pulling the hemp from the ground to the packaging of the final product.

This kind of commitment to quality has enabled Charlotte’s Web to become a leader in the CBD gummy category with four lines that deliver different benefits, including Daily Wellness, Immunity, Sleep, Calm and Recovery. With natural, organic hemp and ingredients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin D, lemon balm, ginger, turmeric and more, Charlotte’s Web gummy line of products deliver a superior experience to consumers who want CBD gummies that work well, taste great and are easy to take. And, the sugar content is limited thanks to the emphasis on natural ingredients and flavors, with most gummies having only three to four grams of sugar per serving.

The gummy format is on the rise, and Charlotte’s Web is driving the wave to new heights with a focus on quality in the company’s mission to share the benefits of CBD with everyone.

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