Est. 2026
Hard Candy for the Long Haul
Functional wellness candy with real ingredients, real dosages, and flavors worth savoring. Beauty. Calm. Energy. Three lines. One daily ritual you'll never skip.
For Investors
"Hardly Candy is building the first premium hard candy brand in functional wellness. We're taking the $2.14B functional candy market — currently dominated by sugar-heavy gummies — and creating a cleaner, more sophisticated alternative. Our heat-stable formulations deliver clinically-studied ingredients at effective dosages in a format that dissolves slowly for better absorption. With trademark protection secured, formulations complete, and a clear path to cGMP manufacturing, we're positioned to capture the white space in premium functional confections."
Formulations Complete
Three product lines (Beauty, Calm, Energy) with heat-stable ingredient profiles and verified dosages.
Trademark Secured
Notice of Allowance received November 2025 (SN 99088326). Full trademark protection pending registration.
CMO Shortlist Ready
Identified dietary supplement contract manufacturers with hard candy capabilities and cGMP certification.
Pre-Sample
First production samples pending CMO selection and initial manufacturing run (funded by this raise).
Weeks 1–4
CMO selection, contract negotiation, and production scheduling
Weeks 5–8
First production run, sample validation, and stability testing
Weeks 9–12
Pilot distribution, feedback collection, and DTC launch prep
$12–15
Target Retail
$3–5
Target COGS
65–70%
Target Gross Margin
30ct
Pack Size
Figures represent targets based on preliminary CMO quotes. Final economics pending contract negotiation and volume commitments.
Claims Strategy
All product claims follow FDA structure/function guidelines. We make no disease claims and avoid language that could trigger drug classification.
Manufacturing Path
Designed to comply with dietary supplement labeling and cGMP manufacturing requirements (21 CFR Part 111).
Trademark Protected
SN 99088326
Notice of Allowance Nov 2025
Founder
Pablo Henderson
Based in United States
Instrument
YC-style Post-Money SAFE
$4.5M cap / 20% discount
No public deck hosting. We'll send you the investor materials directly within 24 hours.
Request the DeckThe Problem
Giant horse pills. Chalky powders. Bottles gathering dust on your counter. You had the best intentions, but wellness shouldn't feel like homework.
Pills & Capsules
Hard to swallow. Easy to forget.
Powders & Drinks
Messy. Time-consuming. Taste like dirt.
Gummy Vitamins
Sugar bombs with micro-dosages. Glorified candy.
What if your daily supplement was something
you actually looked forward to?
The Lineup
Clinical-grade ingredients at effective dosages, wrapped in flavors worth savoring. No pixie dust.
Glow from the inside out
Collagen peptides, biotin, and vitamin C for radiant skin, stronger hair, and healthier nails. Berry-forward with hints of elderflower and blood orange.
Active Ingredients
Flavor Notes
Raspberry, pomegranate, blood orange, elderflower
Unwind and drift off
Melatonin, magnesium, and chamomile ease you into deep, restful sleep. Lavender and honey flavors designed for your evening wind-down ritual.
Active Ingredients
Flavor Notes
Lavender, chamomile, honey, gentle mint
Power through, stay strong
Vitamin C, B-complex, and ashwagandha for clean, sustained energy without the crash. Bright citrus kick with a warm ginger finish.
Active Ingredients
Flavor Notes
Lemon, lime, mango, ginger, cooling menthol
The Opportunity
$16B
U.S. Candy Market
$21B
Projected 2031
5.9%
Functional Candy CAGR
0
Premium Hard Candy Players
Fastest-Growing Segment
Functional candy is outpacing traditional candy as consumers demand products that taste good and do something. The functional hard candy segment is growing at 5.9% annually — nearly double the broader candy market.
The Gummy Gap
Everyone in functional candy is making gummies. Gummies are loaded with sugar, limit ingredient stability, and all look the same. Hard candy is an open lane — superior formulation potential, longer dissolution for sublingual absorption, and a format nobody owns.
The Science
Every Hardly Candy is designed to comply with dietary supplement labeling and cGMP manufacturing requirements (21 CFR Part 111). We use clinically studied ingredients at effective dosages — not the micro-amounts that let competitors put buzzwords on labels.
Heat-Stable Formulations
All active ingredients verified stable at 300°F candy cooking temperatures. Zero potency loss.
COA-Verified Ingredients
Every ingredient backed by Certificates of Analysis. Full traceability from source to finished candy.
18+ Month Shelf Life
Accelerated stability testing ensures consistent potency and flavor. No degradation over time.
Retail-Ready Compliance
Complete Supplement Facts panel, allergen disclosures, batch tracking, and nutritional labeling from day one.
Clean Label Promise
Investor Materials
No public deck hosting. We'll send you the investor materials directly within 24 hours.
Request received.
We'll send you the investor deck within 24 hours. Thank you for your interest in Hardly Candy.
Your information is kept confidential and never shared.
Join the Journey
We're preparing our founding production run — a limited first batch for early supporters. Get on the list for exclusive access, founding supporter pricing, and behind-the-scenes updates.
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