It took five years. The process started in 2011, the reformulation of Katjes’ diverse line of gelatin-based fruit gummies into vegetarian counterparts, that is. As Tobias Bachmüller explains, “The existing paradigm [gelatin-based gummies] had to be changed deliberately to bring the company and brand forward.”

First, there were the technical challenges facing the change. After all, there was a reason why gelatin was used in producing gummies. Its functionality had proved itself time after time, first manually and then on highly automated starch mogul lines.