The Berlin-based candy manufacturer, Katjes, has made history by becoming the first food company to make a 3D printed candy product that is not made from Chocolate. Although Online product designer is well known already, they have created the ‘Magic Candy Factory’, which prints custom-made gummy sweets.
Traditionally, candy gummy bears are made with the bear lying on its back, and then the candy is stacked up. Once the printing is done, the product can be picked up and positioned correctly, with the feet at the bottom. This printing process works well with the candy being kept warm while it is printed, and the bottom areas cooling slowly to solidify into the correct shape.

We informed you about HTML5 Online Product Designer. With the Magic Candy Factory, instead of the gum being applied into a mould, the printer will make several passes with the liquid candy, forming the shape slowly, layer by layer. The candy is made from a molten sugar mixture, which will print slowly following instructions provided to the machine. The printing is not as high resolution as plastic printing, but the shapes are recognizable, and the Magic Candy Factory is experimenting with different sugar mixtures in a bid to find the perfect recipe.

Enter The Era of Customisation with online design

Custom design online is popular today. The 2010s are being called the Decade of Customization. If you think back to Henry Ford’s famous comment about offering cars in any color the buyer wanted, as long as it was black, then you can see how far we have come. Everything from vehicles to clothing can be made to order, and now food is the latest avenue for people to express their creativity. Shoppers can choose the shape, style, color and flavor of their candy, making amazing gifts that go far beyond the traditional “cake with special icing” or “Chocolate bar with your name on it” that is offered in the high street today.
At the moment, the Magic Candy Factory is based in Berlin, and has a facility at Café Grun-Ohr. It will be a long time before custom candy becomes as accessible as other forms of customisation, but the fact that there is one service provider offering such an option is a good sign. Doubtless there will be many imitators cropping up over the next year or two, offering other candy options (perhaps even solid candy) as well as more customisation options.