A Beginner's Guide to Small Scale Gummy Making Equipment

The term "gummy" is not just about chewable candies today. It has become a new form of nutraceutical supplement. More and more health-conscious consumers are looking for healthy alternatives to traditional sweets. Chewy, easy-to-consume gummies offer a more enjoyable way to consume vitamins and supplements than traditional pills or tablets. The increasing demand for gummy products has driven the growth of the gummy making machine market.

Are you considering making gummies? Starting with a piece of small scale gummy making equipment can be a wise move. This 101 guide will explore all the basics you want to know about this machine. With this information, you may be more confident to venture into a gummy manufacturing business.

What is Small Scale Gummy Making Equipment?

As the name implies, small scale gummy making equipment is a good helper for small-batch gummy manufacturing. It either comes in a standalone device or a production line consisting of multiple compact machines.

These components have their own jobs in making gummies. The tasks include heating, mixing, cooking, depositing, forming, cooling, and discharging. If you are starting a small-sized confectionery or dietary supplement business, small scale gummy making equipment is ideal for producing gummy products in limited quantities.

Why Should You Choose Small Scale Gummy Making Equipment?

No matter what business, starting small is always a practical approach. Here are 7 top benefits of using a small scale gummy making machine.

1. Budget-friendly

If this is your first time buying a gummy making machine, the size of the initial investment can give you a headache. In this case, small scale gummy making equipment is an ideal option. These machines are generally more affordable for smaller businesses or startups.

2. Space-saving

I guess your facility now is not that large enough to accommodate a large device if you're a newbie. If so, go for small scale gummy making machines. These compact machines, especially standalone options, typically take up less space.

3. Simple to operate

Compact equipment often has a simple configuration. Looking around the gummy making machine market, you will find that small scale equipment often can be controlled with a foot pedal switch or PLC. This requires less training, making it ideal for small businesses or individuals new to gummy making.

4. Quick setup, maintenance and cleanup

Smaller equipment can save you much time on setup, maintenance, and cleaning. This helps increase overall efficiency in the production process. Also, it allows you to spend more time on quality control over the final product.

5. Flexibility

As a gummy making first-timer, you should test different shapes, flavors, colors, or recipes of your gummy products before mass production. Small scale gummy making equipment allows you to conduct testing and easily adjust batch sizes.

6. Reduced waste

Starting with small scale gummy making equipment is beneficial for reducing the risk of overproduction. Excess inventory may go to waste if not sold promptly.

7. Ideal for niche markets

Do you want to make your gummies more competitive in the market? Focusing on niche markets is a smart move. Small scale equipment is ideal for producing unique and customized products. This helps you build customer loyalty.

How Does Small Scale Gummy Making Equipment Work?

The working principle of small scale gummy making equipment is straightforward. Here are the five major steps of how the equipment generally operates.

STEP 1 Preparation of Ingredients

The first step is to prepare all the ingredients required for your gummy product. Suppose you're producing candies or dietary supplements. The ingredients can vary slightly depending on your recipe. Here are some common ingredients used in both types of gummies.

STEP 2 Cooking

All necessary ingredients are loaded into a cooking vessel. They are heated and mixed in the vessel to form a homogeneous blend - a gummy slurry. Once the slurry reaches the desired temperature and consistency, it's transferred to a storage tank.

STEP 3 Depositing

The slurry is then poured into the hopper of a depositor. The depositor dispenses the slurry into molds using nozzles. The molds are available in various sizes and shapes to cater to your needs.

STEP 4 Cooling and Setting

Once the molds are filled with the gummy slurry, the cooling step takes place. Depending on your machine configuration, the molds are put aside by hand for cooling or automatically conveyed through a cooling tunnel. This step allows the gummies to set and take on the final shape.

STEP 5 Demolding

After the gummies are set, remove them from the molds. Also, depending on your equipment, this step can be done using a demolding device or in a manual fashion.

What Are the Essential Components of Small Scale Gummy Making Equipment?

As mentioned above, small scale gummy making equipment can be configured as a standalone machine or a production line. To help you better understand the entire gummy making process, we will take a small scale gummy production line as an example. A gummy production line consists of a bunch of equipment responsible for each stage of gummy making. These components ensure a smooth, seamless production process.

1. Cooking vessel (cooker)

Cook and blend ingredients until reaching a specific temperature. A homogeneous gummy slurry is formed inside the vessel.

2. Storage tank

Store the slurry while keeping it warm and evenly mixed.

3. Depositor

The most critical component in gummy manufacturing. Features a feed hopper to hold the slurry and depositing nozzles to dispense it into the molds. Based on the equipment's automation levels, the depositing action can be controlled by PLC or a foot pedal switch.

4. Molds

Made from food-grade silicone or metal. Come with an array of designs to make different-shaped gummies, like cubes, bears, worms, and more.

5. Cooling unit

Consists of a cooling tunnel and a conveyor. As the molds filled with slurry pass through the tunnel via the conveyor, cool them down and set the gummies.

6. Demolder

Responsible for ejecting the cooled and set gummies from the molds.

What Are the Uses of Small Scale Gummy Making Equipment?

Thanks to the ever-increasing demand for gummy products in recent years, small scale gummy making equipment is now widely used in many industries. If you're thinking about entering the gummy world but not knowing where to start, here are some common applications of small scale gummy making equipment.

1. Production of gummy sweets

Gummy candies and sweets are favored by both children and adults. The equipment is designed to make gummy candies in various sizes, appealing shapes, and tasty flavors for personal consumption and commercial sale.

2. Gummy vitamin manufacturing

There are more and more health-conscious consumers after the pandemic era. Gummy vitamins offer an enjoyable way of consuming nutrients for people with problems swallowing traditional pills. Additionally, the latest reports say that over half of parents in the U.S. give their kids dietary supplements. Chewable gummies are the choices of these parents.

3. Customized product production

The equipment is flexible enough to create customized products with unique flavors or nutrients to meet special demands.

4. Small batch manufacturing operations

The equipment is ideal for various small-sized productions. It can be used for educational and training, research and experiment, and home-based gummy making.

iPharMachine Equipment for All Your Gummy Making Needs

If you want to know more about making gummy products with small scale equipment, our experts are here to help. iPharMachine has been a pharmaceutical and nutraceutical packager for over two decades. We're dedicated to providing every customer with a perfect gummy production solution. To learn more about small scale gummy making machines, contact us today!