The Gummy Project Inc. will launch low-sugar, plant-based, gluten-free gummy products under a purpose-driven approach in Canada, and the brand has its sights set on the United States.

By tapping into the public’s desire for “better-for-you” candy options while also supporting the planet’s endangered species, CEO Charlie Lamb and his team have set out to establish their own footprint in the industry — one gummy at a time.

The Gummy Project has now finished the first production run of the company’s initial gummy products — Watermelon Sharks and Peachy Bees. During production, the company generated 80,000 50-gram bags (40,000 bags per product) and 8,500 snack-sized packages (10 grams) of each product.

 “Over the last few years, we have observed the quick creation and rapid growth of the low-sugar gummy market," Lamb said. "First, we set out to enter this market with a better tasting product than what is currently available, and second, develop a purpose-driven brand that is truly different than what we see in the market today.”

And to fulfill its purpose-driven strategy, as each new animal shaped gummy is created, Gummy Project partners with an organization that is focused on saving that same animal and gives a portion of the proceeds from each bag of gummies sold to the corresponding organization.

The first two organizations that have partnered with Gummy Project are The Bee Conservancy, an organization protecting bees and the environments that sustain them to ensure ecological health and security for all, and OCEARCH, a global non-profit organization conducting research on shark populations in order to accelerate the ocean's return to balance and abundance.

“In our opinion, every company has a responsibility to do something good in this world," Lamb said. "We chose to support endangered keystone species because losing these species will have a significant impact on key ecosystems and the overall health of our planet. So, while Elon Musk is working to get us set up on Mars, we are working to ensure a viable future for humanity — here on this beautiful planet we call Earth.”

In terms of flavor, Lamb’s team engaged in a process that included three rounds of research to arrive at the flavors they used to develop its first two gummy products.

First, they convened a focus group to conduct research on what flavors consumers prefer — more common flavors or some newer, off-the-beaten-path flavors. Then, the company offered the focus group a list of obscure flavors to choose from, and the research group landed on Watermelon and Peach for the company’s first two products. With the flavors chosen, it was now on to the third round of research — taste tests on the street with total strangers. The company used several rounds of taste tests to fine tune the flavor formulation for both flavors.

Gummy Project has a multi-tiered sales channel approach that will allow the company pick up brand awareness while testing different channels simultaneously. The company will then choose the winners and where to invest more heavily.

“This includes our initial launch in Canada by July 2022 where we will have an e-commerce site shipping Canada-wide," Lam said. "We'll be listed on various online marketplaces as an ‘add to cart’ product, and we'll be getting our gummies into physical retail stores throughout Vancouver to start as a test market through our distribution partner, Deans Dairy & Specialty Foods."

Gummy Project aims to launch in the United States by September/October 2022 with a similar set of sales channels, focusing heavily on physical retail.

“Our go-to-market strategy also includes a focus on airlines and major hotel chains," Lamb said. "Over time, we may consider sports teams/arenas and other venues where a somewhat captive audience can have the time and space to see our product and to learn about our product and our purpose (aside from the regular grocery shopping routine).”