Northampton gummy base maker reaches fastest-growing companies list

NORTHAMPTON — Melt-to-Make, a food science company based in the Northampton Industrial Park, has become a major supplier of semi-finished gummy bases to cannabis and nutraceutical businesses across the United States and beyond. The company produces organic pectin- and gelatin-based gummies that are about 90% complete, allowing customers to add their own active ingredients without needing extensive candy-making expertise.

Co-founded by Sarah McLaughlin, Jake Goodyear, and Tim Van Epps, Melt-to-Make has grown substantially since its 2018 founding. According to the company, more than 1,000 businesses in 16 countries now use its product. The company made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in 2026, reporting a 163% revenue increase from 2022 to 2025. Melt-to-Make estimates its base is now used by roughly 7% of United States cannabis companies that sell marijuana gummies.

The company's origin traces to cannabis dispensaries struggling with gummy production. McLaughlin, a dietitian and nutritionist, developed candy for her partners' cannabidiol business, Heritage Hemp, which drew attention for its flavor and texture. When another business that Van Epps owned, the Heirloom Collective dispensary in Bernardston, could not replicate the process, McLaughlin supplied buckets of gummy base that solved the problem immediately. "It fixed their problem so quickly," Goodyear said. "We were like, 'OK, this could be a bigger need for companies.'"

The business quickly outgrew Van Epps's home kitchen and moved to a 27,000-square-foot warehouse in Northampton's industrial park about a mile away. The location has proven attractive for recruiting talent from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Department of Food Science. The company currently employs 35 people, with Goodyear expecting to hire more as it expands within the building.

Making gummy candy requires precise control of temperature, ingredient ratios, and timing, as incorrect conditions can leave batches chunky or unset. "There's a lot of science involved," McLaughlin said. "So basically we're allowing people with very little science to be able to make stable finished gummies." Melt-to-Make produces an average of four tons of gummy base per day, using a machine that processes 300 kilograms per hour and switches daily between gelatin and pectin formulations. The company has ordered an additional machine to increase output.

Van Epps said the company plans to remain in Northampton. "This will be the business in Northampton for many years to come," he said.