The Best Vegan Gummy Bears: A Sweet Treat
Publushed by:
Lorraine PinnixLast updated:
March 3, 2022
BEST OVERALL
Albanese World's Best Gummi Bears
Affordable
Delicious
12 Flavors
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RUNNER UP
Yum Earth Organic Fruit Snacks
Great for kids
Fruit shape
Organic
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BEST FOR BUDGET
Black Forest Gummy Bears Candy
Zipper bag
Made with real fruits
Good mixture of flavors
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Gummy bears are one of America’s most beloved sweets, but not many people realize they usually contain animal products in them. Thankfully, vegan friendly brands have developed gummies are just as delicious without any of the guilt, and they’re the perfect way to indulge yourself.
Which gummy bears are vegan? A vegan gummy bear is one that doesn’t contain any animal byproducts, including gelatin which is commonly found in candies and sweets. Vegan gummy bears use ingredients like Agar Agar powder, derived from red algae, as a substitute, so they’re just as chewy as the real deal.
If you’re hoping to stockpile some sweets in your pantry, you’ll need to know which vegan gummy bear options are worthy of feasting on. We’ve reviewed the most popular vegan gummy bears on the market today to come up with just a handful that we rate as the best, so check them out.
Just because you went vegan, doesn’t mean you have to give up on the occasional sweet treat, and vegan gummy bears are the perfect way to get it. Check out our favorite finds for delicious gummy bears that have the vegan stamp of approval.
Best Overall: Albanese World's Best Gummi Bears
Short summary
Albanese World’s Best has crafted a 12 flavor gummy bear pack made with an assortment of fresh fruit flavors without any of the guilt. The bulk 5lbs bag of gummies contains no common allergens, animal products, fat, gluten, dairy, or artificial sweeteners.
If you have a major sweet tooth and like to have access to enough gummy bears to last a few months, the Albanese World’s Best 12 Flavor Gummy Bears are the way to go.
This massive 5lbs bag of gummies contains 12 different flavors, all based on fresh fruit, and friendly for vegans to enjoy. Although the flavors are there, you won’t notice too much of a difference between most of them, but that doesn’t mean they’re not still enjoyable.
The Albanese Gummies are not only guilt free but they’re delicious, and according to reviews, they taste even better than the real deal.
You’ll get the bonus of biting into these and not worrying about dairy, fat, animal products, gluten, excess sodium, or artificial sweeteners, so you can truly enjoy the occasional snack.
Because they come in a bulk packet, you save a lot buying this way, but still get a quality gummy bear that’s made with care.
On the downside, the packaging of these gummies means you can’t reseal them so you’ll need to keep them in a container once they’re opened, so an improvement in this design would be better.
This issue aside, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better tasting gummy bear vegan sweets. Albanese World’s Best has been operating for over 30 years and they’re home grown here in the United States, making them one of our favorites.
Quick Facts
- Size: 5lbs
- Flavors: 12
- Color: Assorted
Pros
- At this bulk purchase price, these gummy bears are incredibly affordable, especially for a vegan friendly product.
- The flavor of these gummies is comparable to traditional gummies, and most people find them even tastier.
- You don’t have to worry about any animal products or the usual nasty ingredients that are in most sweets.
- Having access to such a large amount of gummy bears means less shopping when your sweets run out.
- Albanese is a trusted brand that has perfected its recipes over 30 years, and they have plenty of satisfied customers who vouch for their greatness.
Cons
- The packaging isn’t resealable so you’ll have to move it to a bag that is, or put the gummies into a container once they’re opened.
- Not having a see-through packaging means you can’t see the gummies until you get them out, which is sort of a letdown.
- There are 12 different flavors but not a lot of differentiation between them, so if you’re looking for distinct flavors in each one, keep shopping.
Runner-Up: Yum Earth Organic Fruit Snacks
Short summary
Yum Earth’s Organic Fruit Snacks are a healthier way to enjoy gummy bears, coming in a bulk package with six 5oz packs of their delicious gummies. There’s no soy, egg, dairy, artificial colors and flavors, or gluten, and they’re vegan friendly and guilt free.
For organic vegan gummy bears you can feel good about eating, look no further than Yum Earth.
Their Organic Fruit Snacks are made to look and taste like cherry, banana, strawberry, and peach, with each one having a distinct flavor and delicious taste. Inside, you’ll find no hidden nasty ingredients, and even the fruits themselves have been colored using organic fruit concentrate.
Although more expensive, these are truly organic, so you don’t have to second guess the ingredient list. There’s still a good amount of added sugar in these gummies so they taste great, but nothing else like egg, dairy, gluten, or soy to worry about.
These make a better option for kids or consumers who want to avoid artificial products when enjoying their sweets. The added bonus of having fruit shapes for each flavor makes them even more enticing.
Having six smaller packs that you can reseal is handy for taking them on the go, however, Yum Earth uses a lot of plastic in their packaging which could be reduced a bit in future designs.
The Yum Earth Organic Fruit Snacks are a healthier way to enjoy vegan gummy bears, and if you’re willing to pay a little more, you’ll be rewarded with an organic option that tastes just as good.
Quick Facts
- Size: 30oz (5 x 6oz packets)
- Flavors: 4
- Color: Red, Orange, Yellow
Pros
- There’s a distinct flavor difference between each of these gummies so you get something different in every bite.
- Having a fruit shape for each of the flavors makes these a little more fun to eat than a traditional gummy bear.
- These are truly organic vegan gummy bears with all of the ingredients being the highest quality.
- Each packet contains 5oz of sweets and the packet can be resealed keeping them fresher for longer.
- There are not a lot added ingredients and mainly natural ones, so you can feel good feeding these to your kids as well.
Cons
- Although buying bulk saves some money, these are one of the more expensive vegan gummy bear options.
- There’s an obvious waste of plastic when you realize how much packaging is required to store all of these gummies in smaller bags compared to using one larger bag.
- Those hoping to get a mixture of all flavors in each bag will be disappointed to learn that they’re randomly chosen, and sometimes don’t have all of the flavors.
Alternative: Black Forest Gummy Bears Candy
Short summary
Black Forest has created an all-natural Gummy Bears solution to fix your sweet tooth, coming in a bulk size 6lbs bag that features a resealable zippered top for freshness. Inside you’ll find some delicious, certified organic gummy bears.
If you’re wondering where to buy vegan gummy bears that won’t break the bank, Black Forest has the answer. Their 6lb bulk packet of natural gummy bears are delicious and feature no nasty ingredients, so you can feel good with every bite.
There are six flavors on offer from Black Forest, including cherry, lemon, apple, and orange. The lemon is a favorite among customers because it mixes things up a bit and gives you a sour option to enjoy.
Black Forest has thoughtfully placed these gummies inside a zipper bag which means they can be sealed for freshness and there’s no need to store them elsewhere.
Not only does the bulk packaging save plastic but it saves you money as well, making these some of the most competitively priced gummy bears on the market today. There’s also a good mixture of flavors in there so you can try them all, unlike other brands that tend to feature more of certain flavors than the others.
The Black Forest Gummy Bears are made with real fruit juice and are free from soy, gluten, fat, and more, so you can feel good on this front. However, they do feature a hefty amount of added sugar which might make you cautious when giving them to your kids too often.
They’re certified organic by the USDA and certified gluten free by the Gluten Intolerance Group. To save money and ensure you’re eating a more natural style of junk food when you treat yourself, grab a bulk pack of the Black Forest Gummy Bears today and taste the difference.
Quick Facts
- Size: 6lbs
- Flavors: 6
- Color: Green, Yellow, Orange, Red
Pros
- The large 6lbs bag has a resealable top to keep them fresh, so there’s no need to transfer them to somewhere else once they’re opened.
- For such a large package, these are some of the more affordable vegan gummy bears, and they’ll last forever.
- These gummy bears are certified organic for those who want to eat only all-natural goods.
- Having a lemon flavor in there means people who want vegan sour gummy bears get their needs met as well.
- There’s no gluten included in these either which means those with special diets can still enjoy a treat.
Cons
- The flavors aren’t overwhelming and don’t taste as vibrant as other gummy bears, which could be a good or bad thing depending on your preference.
- Although marketed as a healthier option, there’s a lot of added sugar in these gummy bears, so be mindful of your intake.
- These are a softer type of gummy which can be more gel-like, so they won’t suit people who like a harder chew gummy.
Alternative: Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks
Short summary
Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks are a fun way to enjoy vegan sweets, featuring 24 small packets inside each box. You’ll get six counts of each flavor in a 0.8oz bag.
They’re vegan friendly, feature no artificial colors or flavors, and come with 100% of your daily vitamin C requirements in each pack.If you’re looking for a fun treat that’s vegan friendly and delicious, Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks can deliver.
This box contains 24 packets of Bunny Fruit Snacks with six of each flavor, including Tropical Treat and Sunny Citrus, and there’s no need to feel guilty when you enjoy them because they’re vegan friendly.
Annie’s Organic has ensured nothing artificial gets into their gummies, including flavors and colors. However, they have a fairly high sugar content which means they shouldn’t be eaten all the time but enjoyed in moderation.
One bonus that other gummies don’t offer, though, is their high vitamin C levels which means you get 100% of your daily recommended intake in each pouch. If you struggle to get your kids to enjoy healthier foods, these cute bunny treats could make it a lot easier.
While it’s convenient having the smaller packets to enjoy and keep the gummies fresh, it does seem like a lot of plastic was wasted in the process, and they’re one of the costlier options.
These issues aside, there’s no denying the delicious flavors and lack of nasty ingredients used to create them, making Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks one of the best.
Quick Facts
- Size: 19.2oz (24 x 0.8oz packs)
- Flavors: 4
- Color: Yellow, Orange, Red
Pros
- Having each gummy bear shaped like a bunny makes them fun to eat and can entice your kids to try something a little healthier.
- There’s no high fructose corn syrup used to sweeten these so you can feel good about treating yourself occasionally.
- The smaller packets make them more convenient and there’s no risk of the gummy bunnies going stale because they’ve been left open for too long.
- You get 100% of your daily vitamin C requirements from just one packet of these gummies, which is pretty impressive.
- These gummy bunnies taste delicious even though they're on the more natural side of things.
Cons
- Although more convenient to have these bunny snacks in 24 separate packets, it does waste a lot of plastic.
- The overall size of the gummies inside each packet when you add them up means these are a much more expensive option than other vegan brands.
- The sugar content of these is almost half of the serving size, so be mindful of eating too many of them.
Alternative: Smart Sweets Fruity Gummy Bears
Short summary
Smart Sweets new Fruit Gummy Bears formula contains just 4g of sugar in each packet, and you’ll get six 1.8oz tasty packets in every box. These vegan gummy bears are non-GMO, feature no added sugar, artificial colors or flavors, and have 9g of soluble prebiotic fiber in each serving.
Smart Sweets is a brand dedicated to low sugar sweets and they’ve managed to create something tasty and guilt free with their Fruity Gummy Bears.
These are vegan gummy bears containing a healthy dose of fiber as well, and they feature nothing artificial and no added sugar, with just 4g of natural sweetens in each pack. Those watching their carb intake will be thrilled to find these gummies have less than 18g of net cards per serve, which is another bonus.
Although they’re low in sugar, they’re also quite expensive, and when you add up how many gummies you get in each packet and compare that to the price and quantity of the competition, they could be out of your price range.
You might also notice a huge amount of plastic waste in the Smart Sweets packaging with the smaller packets, so seeing a larger resealable bag made of recycled plastic would be better for the future.
These problems aside, you’ll find it hard to get another vegan gummy bear that’s as healthy as this, while still managing to taste like a decadent treat.
Smart Sweets Fruity Gummy Bears are tasty, sweetened with monk fruit and allulose, and come in six convenient packets for your enjoyment, so consider them for your next sweet treat.
Quick Facts
- Size: 10.8oz
- Flavors: 4
- Color: Yellow, Red, Orange
Pros
- You'll get a healthy dose of fiber in these bears with around 9g of soluble fiber in each packet.
- Each serving of Smart Sweets Gummy Bears contains 18g of net carbs so they’re great for people who are following a low carb eating plan.
- The flavors are noticeably different from each other and because they’re naturally sweetened, they taste better, too.
- These are some of the only vegan gummies that also managed to keep sugar content down, with 4g of sugar in each packet.
- The texture of these gummies is as close to the real deal as you can get but without using any animal byproducts to get there.
Cons
- Don’t expect the Smart Sweets bears to taste like the traditional gummy bears you used to eat, as they’re not as sweet.
- The cost per packet of these, even when purchased in bulk, could be too much for some people to rationalize, especially when there are cheap vegan gummies on the market.
- There’s a lot of plastic used to house these gummy bears and a larger resealable packet would’ve been more environmentally friendly.
Vegan Gummy Bears FAQ
There’s no need to give up on your favorite sweets just because you’re vegan, and that includes gummy bears.
If you’re curious about these animal friendly alternatives, read on for a few FAQs about vegan gummy bears that can help you understand more.
Are Any Gummy Bears Vegan?
It is possible to purchase vegan gummy bears that are made with a natural substitute for gelatin.
However, it’s safe to assume that most gummy bears and similar sweets which are purchased at the grocery store would not be classified vegan, unless specifically stipulated on the packaging.
What Are Vegan Gummy Bears Made Of?
Vegan gummy bears use a natural thickener to give them the same consistency, usually made of something like agar powder, and might use natural colorings as well.
Agar powder is derived from red algae and has a naturally gelatinous texture which helps to give the product the chewy feeling that you’re used to.
Is There Pork In Haribo Gummy Bears?
Haribo Gummy Bears do not contain any pork or byproducts of pig, but they do contain beef gelatin which made of beef products like bones.
These gummy bears would not be suitable for someone following a vegan or vegetarian diet because of the animal content, so searching for a vegan friendly alternative is best.
What Kind Of Gummies Are Vegan?
There are some popular gummies that could be classed as vegan, that is they contain no animal products like gelatin or bone-char which is used for refining sugar.
Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Berries, and Fuzzy Peach are a few mainstream favorites, but as the contents and processes differ in each country, you’ll have to assess the ingredient list first.
Conclusion
Many people assume that a vegan diet can’t be fun, but there are lots of ways to get a junk food or sweet treat hit occasionally and still be kind to animals.
Vegan gummy bears are a delicious and guilt free way to treat your sweet tooth, so check out our favorite finds to see which one you like best.
BEST OVERALL
