PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. — Demand for corn sweetener-based products has faced persistent challenges over the years, ranging from health policy interferences to shrinking manufacturing capacity and now the advent of GLP-1 usage, which has started to impact demand in all caloric sweetener categories. But one food trend is bringing some unexpected growth to this side of the sweetener market area.

“How many people here are seeing more and more items in the gummy space?” asked Craig Ruffolo, vice president and commodity specialist at McKeany-Flavell Company, Inc., at the recent International Sweetener Colloquium. “Tums is now in the gummy space. Mucinex is now in the gummy space. With high prices for chocolate, the confection industry is going to be focused more and more on this area.”

The National Confectioners Association (NCA) in its 2025 State of Treating report said confectionery sales surpassed $54 billion in 2024, an all-time high, with a little more than half of the sales dedicated to chocolate products. But the non-chocolate candy category saw the most growth year over year, growing 4.9% in 2024 compared with chocolate’s 0.4% sales growth during the same period. The NCA forecast US confectionery sales to exceed $70 billion in all categories by 2029.

Polaris Market Research recently projected the global gummy market to reach $53.61 billion by 2032, nearly doubling its 2024 sales of $24.65 billion. The US market share of gummy sales was $3.2 billion in 2024, according to Global Market Insights.  

Corn syrup, a primary ingredient in many gummy products that prevents crystallization while also providing volume and moisture control, is made from a wet corn milling process. Ruffolo said corn is the No. 1 input cost for the wet corn milling process, and despite the rally in corn futures in February, corn prices may likely be facing some significant pressure, especially if a record number of corn acres are planted this year.