OAKLAND, CALIF. — Kuli Kuli, the mission-driven maker of products featuring moringa, is launching a line of gummies packed with nutrient-dense ingredients. Kuli Kuli SuperGummies will debut at Natural Products Expo West, taking place March 8-12 in Anaheim, Calif., and is slated to roll out to Whole Foods Market stores nationwide in April.
The gummies are plant-based and gelatin-free, packaged in pouches made with post-consumer recycled materials. Varieties include green apple, moringa and super greens, including wheatgrass, spirulina, parsley, chlorella and kale; berry, moringa and chaga mushroom; and lemon, moringa and turmeric. The company recommends consuming two gummies once or twice a day for a caffeine-free, energizing boost, said Lisa Curtis, founder and chief executive officer of Kuli Kuli.
“For too long, people have struggled to incorporate superfoods into their diets,” Ms. Curtis said. “SuperGummies makes consuming superfoods simple and delicious in a snackable supplement gummy format.”
Derived from the dried leaves of a plant native to parts of Africa and Asia, moringa is rich in protein, fiber, potassium, calcium and vitamin A. With an earthy green flavor, similar to that of matcha, moringa may be used in a variety of sweet or savory applications. Ms. Curtis was first introduced to the plant nearly a decade ago as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger, West Africa. Feeling fatigued from a diet of mostly rice, she was offered kuli-kuli, a peanut snack made with the nutritious leaves of the locally grown moringa tree.
“I started eating it, and it made me feel a lot better and gave me a lot more energy,” she said.
Kuli Kuli offers a range of powders, smoothie mixes, nutrition bars and wellness shots formulated with moringa at more than 11,000 retail stores nationwide. Last year, the brand added SuperBark, a collection of snacking chocolate infused with moringa, chia seeds, quinoa and cacao, plus additional ingredients such as breadfruit, baobab, maca and hibiscus.
The company partners directly with small family farmers and women’s cooperatives around the world to source moringa leaves that meet its rigorous standards for quality and sustainability, with a focus on regenerative agricultural practices.
The addition of gummies expands the brand’s offerings in the supplement set, alongside its powders and mixes.
“We have known for a long time that a lot of people love moringa and feel like they should take it every day, but they aren’t really smoothie people and don’t totally know what to do with an earthy green powder,” Ms. Curtis said.
Each gummy delivers 200 mg, “a hearty dose,” of moringa, she added.
“Because they really are superfood-forward, they are totally snackable,” Ms. Curtis said of the gummies. “You could eat the whole bag… We’re excited for them to be a daily ritual for folks and also a bit of a treat as well.”