Gimme Gummy

Squishy, Sweet, and Strategic: Pinterest predicts that a gummy renaissance is upon the food, beauty, and home design industry in 2026, gaining inspiration from the original gummy craze in the late 1990s - early 2000s.

Search inquiries of “jelly candy aesthetic” saw a 100% increase on Pinterest in 2025, indicating a strong suggestion of the gelatin comeback. Though Pinterest mentions transparent silicone phone cases, elastic cheek tints, and rubberized nail art, the food industry could expect to be hit hard by this trend.

With gummy treats taking over the snack aisle, bringing back nostalgia by potentially aligning with gut-healthy, or probiotic versions of millennials and Generation Z’s favorite childhood gummy snacks.

In addition to food products participating in this nostalgic trend, packaging could display bright colors, 3D features, bubble or jelly fonts, and soft, rounded shapes.

I asked our PR and growth experts: What food products do you think this trend will mostly affect and why? How can brands avoid coming off as "childish" to consumers with more mature demographics that want to participate in this trend? How can small companies participate in this trend without compromising brand identity?

Here are the experts' insights:

• Test trends is by incorporating them on social media
• The biggest winner will be the functional food space
• The gummy trend for custom celebration cakes
• The gummy aesthetic for the all-day breakfast and brunch space
• Treat the gummy trend as a delivery mechanism
• An easy bridge for gut-healthy or probiotic twists
• Brands need to create elevated sensory experiences

Test trends is by incorporating them on social media

Emily Reynolds-Bergh, Owner at R Public Relations

"I expect this trend will mostly affect packaged goods, although I wouldn’t be surprised if top chefs across the country incorporate more “jelly” elements into their dishes, especially desserts. In terms of brands adopting this trend, my rule of thumb is this: only adopt a trend if it feels authentic for your brand and resonates with your core audience. If you fear looking “childish” by incorporating jelly and gummy elements into your creative assets, that may be a sign to skip this trend entirely. But if it does make sense for your brand, an easy way to test trends is by incorporating them on social media. Social media allows you to test the reception of a new trend before rolling it out in more permanent creative assets."

The biggest winner will be the functional food space

Deepak Shukla, Founder & CEO at Pearl Lemon PR

"When I look at the 2026 “Gimme Gummy” prediction, the biggest winners won’t be candy brands, it’ll be the functional food space. Anything gut-healthy, adaptogenic, energy-boosting, or vitamin-infused will jump on gummy form because it’s nostalgic, portable, and feels ‘fun’ without feeling like self-care homework. Millennials and Gen Z are tired of capsules and chalky powders; turn it into a gummy, and suddenly they’re excited again.

But brands need to grow the aesthetic up a bit. Think glossy textures, sophisticated transparencies, and bold-but-not-toyish colours. I’ve run enough brand campaigns to know that adults don’t mind playfulness as long as it feels intentional, not infantilising. That’s the line most companies completely miss, and it shows immediately in their sales data."

The gummy trend for custom celebration cakes

Luke Wallace, Director at Black Velvet Cakes

"I've fulfilled 50,000+ custom cake orders in Sydney, so I can tell you this gummy trend will absolutely slam custom celebration cakes—specifically sculptural cakes that mimic objects. We already do handbag cakes for Chanel and Hermès clients, but imagine those same designs with translucent gelatin panels that catch light like actual patent leather. The textural contrast between traditional buttercream and jelly elements creates that premium "foodie art" vibe that gets shared obsessively.

For mature demographics, the trick is scale and context. We've made bitcoin cakes and Jack Daniels barrel cakes for corporate clients—nobody calls those childish because they're tied to adult interests. A gummy aesthetic works the same way when it's a 12-inch sculptural statement piece for a product launch, not a 6-inch kids' party cake. We charge $200+ minimum for heavily customized work, and that price point alone signals sophistication.

Small bakeries shouldn't overhaul their range—just add one hero product with gelatin as a featured element. For us, that could be our existing photo disc technology (we already print edible images on rice paper) but executed as a suspended gelatin layer inside a window cake. Same personalization service we're known for, just with a trend-relevant technique that photographs like crazy for social sharing.

The real move is treating gelatin like a premium ingredient, not a novelty. Price it higher, pair it with adult flavors like champagne or yuzu, and photograph it in natural light like you would a semi-naked wedding cake. Our customers buying Louboutin shoe cakes aren't looking for childish—they want Instagram-worthy luxury that happens to be on-trend."

The gummy aesthetic for the all-day breakfast and brunch space

Janice Kuz, Owner at The Nines Emporium

"I've run The Nines Emporium on the Sunshine Coast for almost 10 years, and I've seen every food trend come through our doors. The gummy aesthetic will absolutely crush it in the all-day breakfast and brunch space—specifically things like glossy glazes on pastries, wobbly panna cottas, and those jiggly Japanese soufflé pancakes that already photograph like a dream. We've tested shiny, translucent toppings on our waffle specials and the Instagram saves go through the roof compared to matte finishes.

For mature crowds, texture is your secret weapon, not flavor. When we added our blueberry poached pears dish with that glossy compote, nobody called it childish because the flavors were sophisticated and the plating was clean. Same wobbly, shiny appeal as gummy candy, but positioned as European patisserie technique. The translucent quality reads as "refined" when you pair it with unexpected ingredients like elderflower, yuzu, or burnt honey.

Small cafés like mine can't rebrand every month, so I focus on one hero monthly special that rides the trend. Right now I'd test a limited-run dessert—maybe a set panna cotta with that jelly-clear top layer and bright citrus, served in a curved glass. Keep your regular menu untouched, charge a premium for the special, and let your regulars know you're just playing around. It protects your brand identity while giving you permission to experiment where the margin's highest."

Treat the gummy trend as a delivery mechanism

Jon Morgan, Co-Founder at Venture Smarter

"I will focus on your questions about mature demographics and small company brand identity, as these are the primary strategic challenges my CPG clients face. In my nine years of consulting with over 50 startups, the framework is consistent: mature consumers require functional value where the aesthetic is a secondary, nostalgic benefit. A small company must integrate the trend into its core brand narrative, because a simple visual overlay is a tactic that fails to sustain customer interest beyond six months.

Mature buyers do not purchase trends they purchase solutions. My CPG clients targeting consumers over 35 see a 40% higher repeat purchase rate when the gummy format delivers a tangible health benefit like probiotics or specific vitamins. A brand cannot simply apply a jelly font to existing products and expect sustained interest. This functional integration must be the core of the strategy because nostalgic packaging alone provides a sales lift for only one quarter before declining.

Small companies must treat the gummy trend as a delivery mechanism not a brand identity. One of our clients a small wellness brand increased their customer retention by 25% within nine months by introducing a gummy version of their most popular supplement. They did not change their core messaging about scientific efficacy. This approach allows a small business to participate in the trend without risking its long-term brand equity when the aesthetic inevitably fades."

An easy bridge for gut-healthy or probiotic twists

William Fletcher, CEO at Car.co.uk

"A gummy renaissance will hit snacks, functional desserts, and flavoured beverages hardest because they already live at the intersection of fun and wellness — an easy bridge for gut-healthy or probiotic twists. The risk is looking childish, so brands need to borrow the textures of the trend (soft shapes, glossy finishes, jelly fonts) without copying the kids’ aisle outright. Muted brights and cleaner lines keep it adult. Small companies can join in by updating one product or limited-run packaging rather than overhauling everything, so they keep their identity intact. My takeaway: nostalgia works best when it feels like a memory refined, not repeated."

Brands need to create elevated sensory experiences

Hassan Morcel, CEO & Founder at Keys Please Holiday Homes Dubai

"Products in the gummy renaissance will be introduced into snack, functional candy, and beverage categories first as they already sit between indulgence and wellness and therefore offer brands a vehicle for developing probiotic and vitamin enriched gummy varieties while also referencing nostalgic products yet meeting the current consumer's expectations for healthfulness. To create a more grown-up product that doesn't feel as "child-like" as traditional gummy products, brands need to create elevated sensory experiences through using Refined Flavor profiles (ex: yuzu, hibiscus, chili mango), Minimal Package Design accents of jelly, and Messaging to elevate gummies to a position of texture vs Children.

Small brands can still utilize this trend, while staying true to their unique brand position, by creating micro versions of the trend such as limited-edition gummy type products, soft-touch labels/finishes, and products with a primary ingredient featuring jelly-type textures, but still have their brand personality present. All three of these strategies provide the opportunity for brands to create a presence in this emerging trend and show they are knowledgeable about the trend while staying true to the core values that define them."

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