The Sweet Side of Sustainability
Written by Kristie Paton
Last month, Hershey’s released two new products for a growing market—Hershey’s Plant Based and Reese’s Plant Based. While vegan chocolate isn’t a new concept, the trend towards a plant-based diet isn’t slowing down. Big brands are just starting to catch up.
Plants have been weaving their natural tendrils into our treats for years now. It was late 2021 when I first noticed the only realfruit Gummies available at the grocery store were, well, real fruit. The brand’s parent company, Dare, had quietly discontinued their original gelatin-based gummies in 2019, and are now certified vegan. Other popular vegan candy producers like SmartSweets, YumEarth, Unreal, and Chocolove have been popping up and growing in popularity since the late 00’s.
Most of the gummy candy we know and love today contains gelatin, a protein derived from animal collagen, but it hasn’t always been this way. The first real gummy candy, Turkish Delight, or lokum is a sweet confection that originated in Turkey in the late 1700s. The original version of Turkish Delight was made by boiling a mixture of sugar, water, and cornstarch or rice flour until it formed a thick, sticky syrup. The syrup was then flavoured with ingredients such as rosewater, lemon juice, or mastic tree resin.
The Process
The syrup was then poured into a shallow, rectangular mold that had been dusted with powdered sugar. Once the syrup had cooled and set, it was cut into small cubes or rectangles and dusted with more powdered sugar to prevent them from sticking together. Turkish Delight spread to other parts of the world through trade routes and today is still a beloved treat in many countries, enjoyed in a wide range of flavours and varieties.
As Turkish Delight was gaining popularity worldwide, the process of extracting and refining gelatine from animal collagen was first developed. Its first documented use was in a recipe for a molded jelly dessert in a French cookbook. The process of making gelatin from animal bones and tissue involves extracting the collagen, which is then purified and dried into a powder. This process was refined over time, and by the mid-1800s, gelatin had become a widely used ingredient in a variety of food products, including candies, desserts, and marshmallows.
A Key Ingredient
In the early 20th century, gelatin became a key ingredient in the production of gummy candy, including the first gummy bears created by Haribo in the 1920s. It all started when a man named Hans Riegel started making candy in his home in Bonn, Germany. Hans had made gummy bears a household name by the time World War II rolled around, and by the time it was over, Haribo was beginning to expand the brand internationally.
In the 1960s, Haribo opened its first foreign production site in France, and by the 1980s, the company had established a presence in over 100 countries. In recent years, however, Haribo has faced pressure to move away from animal-derived ingredients like gelatin. In 2018, the company announced that it would be launching a line of vegan gummies made with pectin, a substance derived from fruit.
Changing Diets
The increase in plant-based diet popularity has significantly impacted the food industry. As more people adopt a vegan lifestyle, there is a growing demand for plant-based foods that can replace traditional animal-based products. This has led to a boom in the plant-based food market, with many new companies entering the space and established companies expanding their plant-based offerings.
One of the most notable areas of growth in the plant-based food market is plant-based meat. Companies such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have developed plant-based burgers, sausages, and other meat alternatives that mimic the taste and texture of real meat. These products have become increasingly popular in recent years, with many restaurants and fast food chains now offering plant-based options on their menus.
Plant-based dairy is another area of growth in the plant-based food market. Companies such as Oatly and Silk have developed plant-based milks, yogurts, and cheeses that are increasingly popular with consumers. These products are often seen as healthier and more sustainable alternatives to traditional dairy products.
Aside from meat and dairy alternatives, there are also many plant-based snacks and treats available on the market. From vegan gummy bears to dairy-free ice cream, there are now vegan versions of many popular treats that were previously only available in animal-based form.
Gelatin isn’t the only animal-derived ingredient typically found in gummy Candy. Many of Haribo’s products also include beeswax for added shine and carmine as food dye. Carmine is a natural red colouring, made from crushed bodies of cochineal insects. While the brand isn’t broadly vegan, a few of their products like Rainbow Spaghetti, Rainbow Strips Zing, and Sour Rainbow Twists just happen to be entirely plant-based.
Accidentally Vegan
Many other of our favourite treats are unintentionally free of animal byproducts. Skittles, Starburst, Oreos, and Twizzlers have been vegan long before the trends of today.
As more people become aware of the ethical, environmental, and health benefits of a plant-based lifestyle, the demand for plant-based treats is likely to continue to grow. This presents both challenges and opportunities for the food industry, as companies seek to adapt to changing consumer preferences and develop new plant-based products that can meet the needs of a growing market.
