Suku is hoping the fact that more people are thinking about their health during the pandemic will pay off for the vitamin brand – not just when it comes to immunity-boosting, but also other physical and mental health concerns that have become top of mind.

Interest in the the two-year-old, sugar-free, non-GMO, gummy supplement brand is growing despite trade and event show cancelations during the pandemic, according to Suku Vitamins VP Alexandra Zini Azouri.

Despite (evidence-light) claims that things like vitamin D could help people fend off COVID-19, it’s actually Suku’s sleep and stress supplements that are doing particularly well in the current environment, Zini Azouri says, attracting consumers who don’t like swallowing pills to the gummy format. But many of those people have come to realize, she says, that the appealing taste of gummy vitamins typically comes at the cost of added sugar or sugar alcohols, making Suku’s offering especially attractive to health-conscious consumers.

To draw a bigger share of that interest, Suku is running a shopper program with shelf displays and profit panels next month, calling out the fact that it’s not only immunity boosting, but is also free of sugar, gelatin, eggs, dairy and a whole host of other things.

“Most gummies out there, are no different from Halloween candy,” Zini Azouri, citing a New York Times article which says that a 1,000 mg dose can contain as much as 8 grams of sugar. The fact that Suku is the “cleanest” gummy vitamin on the market, she says, which be particularly appealing to the average customer at Loblaw and Whole Foods, where the campaign has its biggest presence.

Aside from being colourful to stand out in a competitive category at shelf which includes the likes of Jamieson, One a Day and Nature’s Bounty, Zini Azouri says Suku wants to make sure the consumer experience is pleasant and straightforward.

“In the vitamin section, a lot of people are overwhelmed…what is zinc, what is melatonin, selenium, what are they good for?” Zini Azouri says. As a result, Suku deploys more accessible messaging: it talks about “sleep” instead of melatonin, and “skin” instead of collagen.

The brand’s straightforward messaging is also finding an audience with women, a group that currently comprises 80% of its consumer base. Zini Azouri says it is going after men too, but that this group is typically focused more on protein rather than holistic health.

Given that Suku has seen boosts outside of simple immune-boosting, Zini Azouri says that even once a vaccine is broadly available, more of us are now more concerned about their overall health, so it represents white space.

My Why is handling the PR for the rollout.