Mile High Gummy Company
Premier Gummy Manufacturer
Gummy R&D and Custom Formulation Services
Custom gummy formulation, engineered — not guessed at. Mile High Gummy Company's in-house R&D team handles flavor masking, active ingredient stability, custom pectin/gelatin base development, and pilot batch validation for supplement brands, wellness companies, and candy brands launching a gummy product.
You leave with a formula you own — whether or not you manufacture with us.
Formulators on staff | Bench sample turnaround | Included revisions | Minimum run | Stability protocol | Formula ownership |
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3 in-house
formulation scientists
15 to 20
business days
6 to 10 bench iterations included
60,000 pieces (pilot options available)
Accelerated + real-time, ICH-aligned
Yours. Always.
R&D that stands on Its Own
Most gummy contract manufacturers will only talk formulation if you're already committed to a production run. We don't work that way.
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Our gummy R&D services are available as a standalone engagement. If you have a concept, a competitor product you want to benchmark, or an active ingredient that's given other formulators trouble, you can engage our team for feasibility review, bench development, and stability testing — full stop. You're not obligated to manufacture with us to walk away with a validated, manufacturable formula.
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This matters because most custom gummy formulation work in this industry is bundled — meaning the true cost of R&D is hidden inside a production quote, and brands have no way to test an idea without committing six figures to a minimum order. We built our model differently: gummy formulation services you can purchase as a discrete deliverable, priced and scoped on their own terms.
Our R&D Process, Step by Step
Formulation science works best when it's structured, not improvised.
Here's what happens after you bring us a concept, a brief, or an existing product to reverse-eng
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Discovery & Feasibility Review (5 to 10 business days) — We assess your actives, target dose, flavor profile, and label goals against known formulation constraints (heat sensitivity, active load ceiling, pH compatibility) and flag risk areas before any bench work begins.
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Bench Formulation (3 to 4 weeks) — Our formulation chemists build initial prototypes, testing base systems, flavor masking approaches, and active loading in small lab batches.
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Sensory & Taste Panel Evaluation — Prototypes go through structured organoleptic review to validate mouthfeel, aftertaste, and flavor delivery before advancing.
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Stability Testing — Accelerated aging, real-time timepoints, and potency verification confirm the formula holds up over its intended shelf life, not just on day one.
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Pilot Batch ( 6 to 8 weeks) — We scale the bench formula to a controlled pilot run on equipment representative of commercial production — the step that catches "it set on the stovetop but not at scale" failures before they become expensive ones.
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Tech Transfer to Commercial Production — Master formula, batch record, and specification are finalized and handed to the production line — or handed to you, if you're taking the formula elsewhere.
Total timeline varies by active complexity and base system, but every stage above has a defined output and a defined handoff — not an open-ended "we'll let you know."
Who Owns the Formula? You Do.
This is the question every brand asks and almost no contract manufacturer answers in writing: if we develop this together, whose formula is it?
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Ours is yours. We put it in writing, before any spec is exchanged.
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A mutual NDA is signed before we discuss your brief in technical detail.
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You own the master formula and the finished specification — not just a license to use it.
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On project completion (or if you choose to manufacture elsewhere), your exit deliverables include: the master formula sheet, finished-goods specification, packaging specification, stability data, Certificates of Analysis, and batch records.
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We do not sell developed formulas to other clients, list them as stock SKUs, or manufacture your formula for a competing brand.
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Category exclusivity terms are available and are part of the conversation from day one, not an afterthought.
"Your formula is your secret sauce — and we treat it that way." That's not a slogan on our homepage. It's a policy.
High Active Loads: How Much Can a Gummy Actually Carry?
This is one of the most common technical questions we get from supplement brands, and one almost nobody in this industry answers with real numbers.
Active load capacity depends on the ingredient's density, solubility, and interaction with the gel matrix — but as a general range, 5–15% active load by weight is achievable in a standard gummy base, with a theoretical ceiling closer to 25% before texture, set time, or mouthfeel begin to break down.
Worked example: A 500mg vitamin C gummy at a 15% active load requires roughly a 3.3g piece weight. Push the same active to 25% load and you can shrink the piece — but you'll need a base system engineered specifically to carry that concentration without turning gritty or refusing to set.
We offer a defined piece-weight menu (3.5g, 4.7g, 7g, 10g) and will tell you plainly, during feasibility review, whether your target dose is achievable in a single gummy or whether it needs to be split across a serving of two or more.
Pectin, Gelatin, and Vegan Systems: The Real Tradeoffs
The pectin-vs-gelatin decision isn't cosmetic — it determines melting point, clarity, chew, allergen status, and label claims.
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Gelatin delivers a classic chewy bite and sets reliably across a wide processing window, but it's animal-derived and softens at lower temperatures — a real liability for warm-climate shipping.
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Pectin produces a firmer, more heat-resistant gummy and is the standard for vegan formulations, but it's more sensitive to pH, sugar content, and deposition temperature — pectin gummy stability requires tighter process control, not just a different ingredient swap.
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Hybrid and modified systems (using buffer salts, sequestrants, or blended hydrocolloids) can capture benefits of both — heat resistance closer to pectin with a chew profile closer to gelatin.
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We run pectin deposition in the 88–95°C range and adjust total soluble solids, pH, and gelation kinetics specifically for your active load and target climate — because a formula validated for a Denver warehouse and one validated for a Miami delivery truck are not the same formula.
Sugar-Free and Low-Glycemic Formulation Without the Texture Penalty
Sugar isn't just sweetness in a gummy — it's structural. Pull it out and you risk syneresis (weeping), poor set, and a shortened shelf life if you don't compensate correctly.
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Our sugar-free systems work with allulose, tapioca syrup, monk fruit, FOS, and other bulking and sweetening agents, each selected for how it behaves in the gel matrix — not just how it tastes on its own.
Sugar-free pectin gummy formulation done poorly is the single most common cause of the "great taste, falls apart in the bottle" complaint we hear from brands who've been burned elsewhere.
Heat-Sensitive and Water-Sensitive Actives
Some of the most in-demand supplement categories are also the hardest to put in a gummy:
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Creatine is notoriously water-sensitive and prone to degradation in a moist gel matrix — a large share of "creatine gummy" products on the market test below label claim for exactly this reason. We formulate around it, not past it.
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Probiotics need protection from moisture and processing heat to survive to the point of consumption.
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Botanicals and standardized extracts (adaptogens, ashwagandha, elderberry) often carry bitterness and heat sensitivity that compound each other.
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Cannabinoids (Delta-8, Delta-9, Delta-10, HHC, THCP, THCV, THCA) require precision dosing, homogeneity, and 2018 Farm Bill-compliant sourcing and testing — a category we've worked in longer than most gummy manufacturers in this space.
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GLP-1 support ingredients — a category almost nobody in contract gummy manufacturing has formulated for yet — bring their own stability and dosing considerations that we're actively building formulation protocols around.
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Actives that degrade above a defined heat threshold get a heat-stable form, a post-deposition coating, or a recommendation to shift delivery format entirely. We'll tell you which, and why, during feasibility review.
Taste Masking Bitter Actives
Bitterness, metallic notes, and chalky mouthfeel are the single biggest reason finished gummies get returned or reviewed poorly — and the biggest reason brands come to us after a first attempt elsewhere failed.
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Our gummy flavor masking approach layers multiple techniques rather than relying on flavor alone to cover a problem: complementary flavor architecture, sweetness and acid modulation, and — where the active demands it — encapsulation or coating to physically separate the bitter compound from the tongue until after the chew.
Masking a mineral like magnesium glycinate is a different technical problem than masking a bitter botanical extract, and we formulate for each differently rather than reaching for the same flavor system every time.
Stability, Shelf Life, and Why Gummies Melt in Transit
"It arrived melted" is a formulation failure, not a shipping accident — and it's preventable.
Our stability program includes:
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Accelerated stability testing (elevated temperature and humidity conditions) to project shelf-life behavior in weeks instead of waiting out real time.
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Real-time stability studies at defined timepoints (3, 6, 12 months and beyond) to confirm what accelerated data predicts.
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Water activity (Aw) analysis to control microbial risk and prevent syneresis and bloom over shelf life.
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Transit and temperature-abuse simulation — because a formula that holds at 75°F in a lab and a formula that survives a parked delivery truck in July are not automatically the same thing.
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Freeze-thaw cycling where relevant to your distribution and storage conditions.
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If a lot fails stability or falls outside spec, we have a defined remediation path — we'll walk you through exactly what that looks like and who bears the cost before you ever sign anything.
How We Prove Potency: NIR, Assay Methods, and Third-Party Testing
Trust in this industry has been earned back the hard way — including public cases of supplement gummies testing far under label claim. We built our testing program to answer the question buyers are actually asking: does it really have what the label says?
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100% of incoming raw materials are screened via Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to verify identity, purity, strength, and composition before they ever enter a formula — a step most gummy manufacturers skip entirely.
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Potency, heavy metals, and microbiological testing are run against defined specification, not assumed from a supplier's paperwork.
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We can identify which testing is performed in-house versus routed to an accredited third-party lab, and we'll tell you which is which — a distinction that matters, because a Certificate of Analysis from a manufacturer's own affiliated lab is not the same thing as independent verification.
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Every batch is backed by a Certificate of Analysis, with defined overage philosophy so your product still meets label claim at the end of shelf life, not just at the moment it's bottled.
From Bench to Line: Scale-Up, Pilot Batch, and Tech Transfer
The most common formulation failure we see isn't a bad recipe — it's a formula that was never tested at scale. "It set on the stovetop but not on the production line" is a real, common, and entirely avoidable problem.
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Our pilot batches run on equipment representative of full commercial production, not a scaled-down lab rig — so the formula you approve at pilot stage is the formula that performs at 60,000 pieces or 2 million. Scale-up feasibility is assessed at the bench stage, not discovered after you've committed to a production run.
Regulatory and Label Support
Formulation decisions get made with compliance in view from day one, not bolted on afterward:
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Structure/function claim considerations under DSHEA
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Allergen control and cross-contact review
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Prop 65 awareness for applicable markets
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2018 Farm Bill compliance documentation for hemp-derived cannabinoid actives
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Facility operation under 21 CFR 111 dietary supplement cGMP requirements
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We're not your regulatory counsel, and label claims are ultimately your responsibility — but we flag red flags in your brief before they become a compliance problem after launch.
Certifications, Audits, and What They Actually Cover
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FDA-registered, cGMP-certified facility operating under 21 CFR 111 dietary supplement manufacturing requirements
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Certified Organic Processor through Quality Assurance International (QAI), under USDA Organic requirements
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Cook & Thurber Food Safety and Quality Audits, conducted on a recurring basis
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Positive release program — final batch records and in-process control parameters are confirmed, with pre-inspection quarantine and full lot control, before product is released
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2018 Farm Bill compliance for hemp-derived cannabinoid actives (Delta-8, Delta-9, Delta-10, HHC, THCP, THCV, THCA)
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A certification is a claim. An audit is verification. We'll walk you through what each of ours actually covers — not just the logo.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to develop a custom gummy supplement formula?
Cost depends on active complexity, number of actives, and whether stability testing and a pilot batch are included. See our tiered pricing above for a starting framework — we publish ranges rather than requiring a call just to learn the shape of the investment.
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What's your minimum order quantity for a new formula?
Pilot runs are available starting at 60,000 pieces, well below the 300,000–1,000,000-piece minimums common elsewhere in this industry.
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Can I test a formula before committing to a full production run?
Yes. Our R&D services are available as a standalone engagement — you can complete feasibility review, bench development, and stability testing without committing to manufacture with us.
Who owns the formula if Mile High develops it?
You do. We do not sell developed formulas to other clients or manufacture them for a competing brand. See "Who Owns the Formula" above for the full policy.
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How do you prevent gummies from melting in shipping?
Through base system selection (pectin vs. gelatin vs. hybrid systems), deposition temperature control, and transit/temperature-abuse simulation testing conducted before your formula is finalized — not discovered after a customer complaint.
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Do you test for label-claim accuracy, not just at time of manufacture but through shelf life?
Yes. Our overage philosophy is built to keep your product meeting label claim at the end of stated shelf life, verified through accelerated and real-time stability testing, not just at the point of bottling.
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Can you formulate high-active-load gummies for hard-to-mask actives?
Yes — this is a core part of our R&D practice, including magnesium, botanicals, creatine, probiotics, and cannabinoid actives. We'll tell you honestly during feasibility review if your target dose needs to be split across a larger serving size.
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Do you work with cannabinoid actives?
Yes. We formulate for Delta-8, Delta-9, Delta-10, HHC, THCP, THCV, and THCA under 2018 Farm Bill compliance — a category we've worked in longer than most gummy contract manufacturers.
Ready to De-Risk Your Gummy Formula?
You don't need a finished formula and a six-figure production commitment to start. You need a formulation partner who will tell you honestly what's achievable, prove it at bench and pilot scale, and hand you a formula you actually own.
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milehighgummy.com — Denver, CO
