Functional food maker Mastix Medica buys private label gum

US functional food manufacturer Mastix Medica has acquired the private label division of edible novelties firm Koko’s Confectionery & Novelty. The business, operating from a 28,000 square foot facility in Baltimore County, US, currently manufactures tableted chewing gum and mints for contract and private label customers.

Mastix said it would focus on developing products in emerging dosage forms like orally disintegrating tablets and tableted chewing gum. "Our directly compressible chewing gum tablets are an excellent delivery vehicle for nutritional supplements and, longer term, for pharmaceutical products,” said Robert Estey, CEO of Mastix.

Mastix, which "specialises in developing custom formulations that incorporate nutritional supplements" said future plans will see the start-up expand into manufacturing and marketing its own healthcare products, including supplements and niche generic pharmaceuticals.

“In this evolving marketplace, product differentiation will become an even more important requirement to having a protected, competitive and successful product," added Estey.

Koko’s Confectionery and Novelty makes edible novelties and produces a number of interactive confectionery products made from ingredients such as pressed dextrose, gummy, marshmallow, candy sprays and lollipops. In addition to licensed products, Koko’s proprietary lines include 'Snap N Glow', 'Glo Popcifier'and 'Dip-N-Lik'.