Energems 50-calories per serving dietary supplements made with dark chocolate, vitamins B and D, and caffeine.
CRN is a trade association, representing dietary supplement and functional food manufacturers and ingredients suppliers.
To be accepted by CRN, Energems’ products were thoroughly reviewed and had to meet CRN’s code of ethics.
Consumer shift
“Acceptance into CRN is a wonderful confirmation that the product path thus far has gone in the right direction and from here we will continue to explore how to give consumers what they are looking for,” Energems General Manager Kristopher Trust told ConfectioneryNews.
He said consumer behaviour is shifting to a more health-conscious direction, and food and ingredients companies are feeling the pressure to evolve with this shift.
“Healthier alternatives to what were once common candies and supplements will continue to grow and evolve, and we plan to be a leader in this movement,” he said.
Supplemented chocolate: A brand new category in confectionery
Trust said Energems focuses on delivering energy-enhancing vitamin supplements, whereas other chocolate products only deliver a delicious treat.
With extensive research on both chocolate and energy supplement industries and consumer trends, Trust said: “We created a completely new category within our space.”
“Through our research, we found that consumers across the board are looking for a healthier, safer, yet delicious energy source,” he continued. “To deliver on that consumer need, the Energems formula has absolutely no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and includes vitamins B to support physical energy and vitamin D to support a healthy mental state.”
Chocolate enters energy supplement market
One serving of three pieces of Energems chocolate energy provides as much caffeine as a large cup of coffee, Trust said. “It gives consumers control of how much of an energy boost is necessary.”
The energy chocolate products are presented in several flavors, including dark chocolate, mint dark chocolate, and berry dark chocolate, according to Trust.
However, Trust refused to share the company’s market value and sales performance with Confectionery News, since the branded products were recently launched in October.
“Our initial research showed that 85% of Energems’ projected volume would be incremental to the energy category, confirming that our biggest element to overcome in the new space is bringing forth a product the white space demands.”