White as Snow, Sweet as Candy

 

Believe it or not, sugar addiction is a very real issue. Generally, sugar addicts are (sugar) lumped in with food addictions. With this in mind, a study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry titled “Sugar Addiction: From Evolution to Revolution,” found that the prevalence of food addictions was as low as 5.4% and as staggeringly high as 56%, or a weighted mean prevalence of 19.9%, depending on the population studied.

It is worth noting, this figure almost runs parallel with the prevalence of legal drugs, including alcohol and tobacco. As you probably could have guessed, food addictions and, more specifically, sugar addictions, are rampant in the United States (US). According to the Addiction Center, approximately 75% of Americans eat excessive amounts of sugar. To put things into perspective, on average, American adults consume 77 grams of sugar per day.

That is three times more than the recommended amount for women and two times the recommended amount for men. As for those sugar fiends, otherwise known as children, an American child consumed roughly 81 grams per day. With this in mind, beverages are the leading source of added sugars, with soft drinks like Coca-Cola containing 39 grams of sugar per 12 ounces, or one can.

Out of personal curiosity, I decided to check the nutritional value of Maynards Sour Patch Kids. Much to my dismay, just 12 pieces of those sweet little bastards contain 24 grams of sugar. Keep in mind, I eat the entire 3.6-ounce bag in one sitting. According to the nutrition facts, each bag contains 3.5 servings, with each serving consisting of 12 pieces. That means I am eating 84 grams of sugar in under an hour.

Needless to say, I have had my fair share of diabetes warnings and just as many cavities. Considering the Addiction Center compares the addictive properties of sugar to that of cocaine, can you blame me? However, it’s not all bad news. From sugar-free candy to vegan confectionary, there are plenty of alternatives out there to help sugar addicts curb their addiction.

In particular, the Global Vegan Confectionery Market was valued at USD$816 million in 2019, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.8% from 2020 t0 2027. Market growth can be attributed to a growing number of product launches, which have increased by 185% between 2012 and 2016, according to a report from Mintel. Of this market, the sugar vegan confectionery segment is anticipated to witness the fastest growth due to the rising adoption of plant-based candies.

The Yumy Candy Company Inc.

• $41.232M Market Capitalization

The Yumy Candy Company Inc. (TYUM.C), formerly Yumy Bear Goods Inc. (YUMY.C), is an affordable health-conscious, low-sugar, plant-based confectionery company based in Vancouver, British Columbia (BC). The Company announced that it had received approval from the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) to change its name on December 29, 2021. Yumy has developed a portfolio of healthier gelatin-free candies, named Yumy Bear, made from non-GMO ingredients with its proprietary recipes.

In addition to being gelatin-free, all of Yumy’s products are free of soy, gluten, nuts, dairy, eggs, sugar, alcohols, artificial sweeteners, and GMOs. Furthermore, every pack contributes to supporting local community initiatives, charities, and animal rescue centers. The Company prides itself on using 100% natural colors to make candy that has up to 92% less sugar than traditional candy. For a closer look at Yumy Bear’s specs, check out the graphic below!

Latest News

Today (March 30, 2022), Yumy announced that it will roll out its low-sugar better-for-you confectionery products into IGA. Keep in mind, IGA is one of the largest American chains of grocers, operating in 41 different countries with over 5,000 stores. In Canada alone, IGA has more than 195 stores, however, the chain is further expanding its model with IGA Extra.

“IGA is becoming a destination location that fulfills all consumer needs, and with our products, we feel we are going to become a necessity product…Confectionary has long been a mainstay to people’s nutrition and consumption, and we feel we are the logical evolution of confectionary due to our health benefits and our flavor profile,” states founder and CEO, Erica Williams.

IGA Extra stores will be larger and carry a wider variety of general merchandise, comparable to a hypermarket model, which refers to a retail store combining the offerings of a department store with that of a grocery supermarket. In other words, hypermarkets are intended to be one-stop shops providing consumers with a wide variety of products such as appliances, clothing, and groceries. An example of a company utilizing a hypermarket model includes Walmart.

Just prior to the Company’s latest announcement, on March 26, 2022, Yumy announced that it will also be launching its products in Western Canada’s largest retailer, consisting of over 160 stores and over 21,000 employees. In addition to being one of the fastest-growing chains in Canada, this retailer’s banner also includes high-end boutique stores located in dense urban areas.

“Being on shelf with every established confectionary company truly shows our success in creating an amazing product with incredible brand recognition. When starting The Yumy Candy Company getting shelf space in this group of stores was a goal we focused heavily on and are proud to see come to fruition,” stated Erica Williams.

If that wasn’t enough, Yumy also announced on March 24, 2022, that it has received an initial purchase order for its products from The Hudson Group, one of North America’s largest travel retail chains. With over 1,000 stores, this chain operates in more than 87 airports and services upwards of 300,000 travelers every day in the US and Canada.

“Our brand and products continue to get great reviews and more recognition in the confectionery industry. Over the next quarter we expect to be adding even more significant sales and well-established big-box retailers,” said Erica Williams.

Needless to say, the Company has kept itself quite busy in the last week. With two additional product placements and an initial order from The Hudson Group, both Yumy’s trade volume and share price have climbed significantly in the last month. However, the Company is well equipped to meet this demand. Late last year, on September 27, 2021, Yumy announced that it has increased its manufacturing capacity from 500,000 gummies per month to an impressive 1,000,000 per month.

Yumy’s share price opened at $1.43 today, down from a previous close of $1.46. The Company’s shares are up 2.74% and were trading at $1.50 as of 9:39 AM EST.