Better Sour and Good Greed expand functional candy market

The functional confectionery market is seeing growth through brands focusing on retail presence and digestive health. Better Sour, founded by Isabella Hughes and Semira Nikou, has adopted a retail-first strategy, prioritizing brick-and-mortar locations over direct-to-consumer online sales. The brand, which launched at Natural Products Expo West in 2023, expects to be in approximately 5,000 stores by the end of 2026. Its expansion includes partnerships with retailers like Erewhon and presence on United Airlines flights.

Simultaneously, Good Greed is expanding its gut-health focused candy line with the introduction of ‘Sour Apple’ and ‘Sour Watermelon’ prebiotic gummies. These products are designed to provide digestive benefits, containing 9g of prebiotic fiber per pouch without the use of sugar alcohols or allulose. This shift reflects a broader trend in the confectionery sector where brands are moving beyond simple sugar reduction toward providing specific wellness benefits, such as microbiome support, within traditional snack formats.