With the upgrading of consumption, traditional foods are becoming more and more healthy, and candies have also begun to upgrade in the direction of health. At present, the entire candy industry is trying to find new breakthroughs in creativity such as function, vegetarian nutrition, and sugar reduction, which has also become a key part of the innovation trend of the candy industry.

Functional sugar

In the candy category, functionality is a very potential development direction, although the market share of functional candy in the current market is small, but its health efficacy is still a benefit growth point that cannot be ignored.
According to data from the China Business Industry Research Institute, the domestic sales market of functional candy has grown significantly, and it is expected that the functional sugar market will exceed 8.6 billion yuan in 2022. According to NBJ data, it took just 4 years (2014-2018) for functional confectionery to double global sales.
Among functional candies, gummy candy is especially popular. Tmall's consumption data shows that in 2020, functional gummies will become the fast-growing consumer dosage form of health care products among young groups such as the post-90s and Generation Z. At present, there are vitamins and minerals on the market, such as vitamin and mineral supplement gummies, DHA gummies, yeast zinc gummies, probiotic gummies, melatonin gummies, collagen gummies and other products.
The launch of functional candy is an extension of traditional candy brands to high-end product categories, and it is a high-level and multi-level demand for candy products by consumers.

Sugar-free candy

With the increasing expansion of people's health needs, the trend of "low sugar and no sugar" has hit, so consumers have also put forward demands for candy products - not only nutritious and healthy, but also less sugar.
In the context of sugar reduction becoming a global trend, the daily demand for traditional sweets is gradually decreasing. According to the "2019-2023 Candy Industry In-depth Market Research and Investment Strategy Recommendation Report", in 2017, our country's candy output was 3.31 million tons, down 6.0% from 3.52 million tons in 2016; In 2018, our country's candy production fell to 2.88 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 13.0%, and the decline was further increased.
To this end, many companies have launched sugar-free lollipops, such as Dr. Xu Fuji Xiong sugar-free lollipops, Three Squirrels and Deer Blue Blue Sugar-free Lollipops, Sugar Cube Sugar-free Lollipops, etc. The development of sugar-free candy is worth looking forward to.

Vegan sweets

The plant-based proposition is another significant consumer trend in the confectionery market. The data shows that from 2016 to 2020, the compound annual growth rate of confectionery products claiming vegan was 17%, while the compound annual growth rate of confectionery products claiming plant-based products more than doubled last year.
Confectionery manufacturers are removing ingredients such as dairy, gelatin, and carmine to meet the growing demand for plant-based products, which are not only healthier but also more ethical and sustainable. For example, Canadian candy brand Yumy Bear's low-sugar vegan gummies use plant-based ingredients instead of gelatin.

In recent years, with the diversification of consumers' health demands, a number of candy manufacturers have regarded the research and development of new products that meet consumer needs as their top priority, and a steady stream of innovative products has injected new vitality into the candy market. Riding on the "healthy" train, the confectionery industry is moving forward slowly.