IKEA launched gelatin-free vegan gummy candy in Europe.
According to the Instagram account @thinkvegan.de, the new vegan gummy candies are available in IKEA stores in Germany, the Netherlands, and France. It’s available in three varieties: gooseberry, apple, and pear; raspberry, cranberry, and forest fruit; and sour rhubarb, lemon, and lime.
The gummies are called Lördagsgodis, the Swedish word for “Saturday candy.” IKEA food manager Patricia Meumann explained to Bon Appetit in June 2015, when the chain launched in-store, mix-and-match candy shops across the US, that Lördagsgodis is a Scandinavian tradition.
“Every Saturday, the kids were allowed to go buy their favorite candies as a weekend treat. They grow up with it,” she said.
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Is Gummy Candy Vegan?
Traditional gummy candy like gummy bears and sour worms contains gelatin, an ingredient made by boiling the skin, cartilage, and bones of animals, typically from cows or pigs. But there are ways to make vegan gummy candy.
Agar, an ingredient derived from seaweed, can be used in place of gelatin. Tapioca starch and syrups (such as brown rice syrup), and fruit pectin are other ingredients used to make “better-for-you” vegan gummy candies like Surf Sweets, Wholesome, and sugar-free Smart Sweets. But, classic movie theater gummy candies like Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, Jujyfruits, and Jujubes are also vegan.
Vegan candy launches increased 140 percent between 2013 and 2017, according to data from market research firm Mintel. Germany, where IKEA’s vegan Lördagsgodis is now available, saw a 252 percent increase in options during that time. Increased awareness of common ingredients in candy is driving the demand.
Additionally, German consumers reported the desire to see more clearly-labeled vegan candy in stores. Germans were also more likely than their European neighbors to say that they like to indulge in sweets every now and again.
“A shift away from animal products is currently underway, as described by Mintel’s 2017 Global Food & Drink Trend ‘Power to the Plants’. After a boom in other categories, the vegan and vegetarian trend can now be seen in both chocolate and sugar confectionery,” explained Marcia Mogelonsky, food and drink director of insight at Mintel.
IKEA’s new vegan gummy candy retails for €0.99 per 80-gram bag.
