Better Sour makes globally inspired gummy candies with sour flavors that inject new kinds of tart tastes into the category. The plant-based gummies are naturally flavored and free from artificial colors, and they're set to to be introduced in two varieties: a Middle East-inspired stone fruit mix with pomegranate, apricot and plum, and an Asia-Pacific-themed offering that includes guava, calamansi and ume.
Better Sour, the start-up founded by Bella Hughes and Semira Nikou, raised an oversubscribed $1 million pre-seed funding round and is set to make its debut at Natural Products Expo West 2023.
The gummy candy brand offers a different experience thanks to its founders, who are daughters of Iranian immigrants and childhood friends from Honolulu. "We’ve noted a lack of innovation in the candy aisle, with even the better-for-you set focused on Western-centric flavors," said Nikou, "Better Sour is the candy for today’s multicultural landscape, self-described foodies, adventurous eaters — and above all, Sour Seekers."
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Globally Inspired Candy
- Businesses can develop new product lines that take inspiration from global flavors and cultures to offer consumers a unique experience.
- Plant-based Candy
- There is an opportunity to cater to the increasing demand for plant-based options in the candy industry.
- Sour Flavors
- Businesses can explore the use of sour flavors as a way to differentiate their candy products and offer consumers a new taste experience.
Where This Applies
- Candy Manufacturing
- Candy manufacturers can incorporate global flavors and plant-based options into their product lines to cater to different dietary needs and preferences.
- Natural Products
- Natural products companies can expand their offerings to include sour candy options made with natural, plant-based ingredients.
- Ethnic Foods
- Ethnic foods companies can explore the candy industry and develop globally inspired sour candy options that cater to multicultural consumers.
