Water-free DTM supplement innovation

Despite the supplement market experiencing significant growth, many consumers are not sticking with them.

Capsules, tablets, gummies, and powders dominate shelves, yet usage patterns tell a different story: people are increasingly tired, inconsistent, and overwhelmed by traditional formats.

Recent consumer research highlights this shift. A 2022 study found that up to 40% of the population has difficulty swallowing capsules or pills.¹ Meanwhile, in a Spiegel Institut survey, 66% of US participants said that to support long‑term compliance, supplement dose forms must be easy and comfortable to swallow, and 34% said products must integrate easily into their daily lives.²

This rising “format fatigue” is creating a clear opportunity: water-free, direct-to-mouth (DTM) delivery systems that eliminate prep, improve convenience, and enhance the overall experience.

From “take with water” to water-free wellness

For decades, the standard use instruction has been simple: “take with water”. This applies across traditional tablets, capsules, and many powders. While effective, that expectation introduces several points of friction:

The consumer needs access to water
Powders often require equipment (shakers, bottles, or glasses)
There is clean-up and planning involved
At night, many consumers purposely avoid extra water because they don’t want to wake up to use the bathroom

Modern routines increasingly involve travel, hybrid work, and on-the-go movement. Today’s consumers want products that fit micro‑moments throughout the day – without requiring a bottle, shaker, or kitchen counter.

This sentiment was echoed in the Vitamin Shoppe’s 2025 Consumer Survey, where 34% of supplement users said a greater variety of delivery formats would make it easier to take their supplements, and 20% said it would help to improve consistency.³

“This transition is reshaping the innovation landscape,” says Chase Shryoc, director of sales for North America at TSI Group, a leader in root‑cause‑driven formulations that combine science‑backed branded ingredients and novel delivery technologies. “Brands aren’t just asking, ‘what’s the best active ingredient?’, they’re asking, ‘how can we deliver it in a way people will actually use every day?’”.

What DTM really means for supplements

DTM supplement formats are designed to be taken without water. Consumers simply open a sachet, pour, chew, or let the product dissolve – with no mixing glass or prep.

Three new DTM delivery formats rising in popularity are:

Fast-melt powders
Chewable or fast-disintegrating tablets
Effervescent, fizzing granules

Other interactive formats are also emerging that enhance the sensory experience.

These delivery systems address the core barriers consumers report most often: inconvenience, poor taste, difficulty swallowing, and lack of portability.

For formulators, DTM also opens doors to new usage occasions – from night-time routines to travel, school, office, and fitness environments where water isn’t easily accessible.

Waterless delivery formats help brands stand out

As major supplement categories become increasingly crowded, brands struggle to differentiate. Gummies once served as a novel format, but with so many brands launching them, they no longer offer meaningful distinction.

DTM and water-free formats present a new opportunity. They deliver:

Frictionless convenience
A positive sensory experience
Water-free dosing in any environment
A format consumers perceive as fresh and intuitive

These benefits make DTM formats not just consumer-friendly, but also strategically valuable for brands looking to break through the noise.

In response, many supplement brands are turning to TSI Group as an innovation partner. TSI integrates root‑cause formulation expertise, science‑backed branded ingredients, and novel delivery technologies – including multiple DTM solutions – to help brands develop products that look, feel, and function differently from anything else on the shelf.

Supplement brands are turning to and water-free innovations

By integrating delivery innovation with clinically supported ingredients and targeted, expert-driven formulation design, TSI helps brands move beyond basic line extensions and develop products with unique formats, synergistic ingredient combinations, and clear consumer relevance.

As part of its differentiated platform, TSI offers three water‑free, DTM formats that are reshaping how consumers take supplements:

Fast‑melt, DTM powders: The essence of water-free convenience

TSI’s fast-melt powder technology dissolves directly on the tongue with no water needed. Key advantages include:

True portability in slim stick packs
Discreet dosing that’s ideal for work, school, travel, or commuting
Night-time suitability, especially for recovery, sleep, and relaxation formulas where users prefer not to drink before bed

This format can support different actives depending on dose and sensory targets.

Chewable and fast-disintegrating tablets: A modern take on a familiar format

Chewables remain a preferred format for anyone who dislikes swallowing pills. But many chewables on the market struggle with chalkiness, taste, or mouthfeel.

Advances in ingredient processing and formulation design are helping redefine what chewables can deliver:

Improved texture
Better flavor masking
Faster disintegration
Water-free use

For example, TSI has applied its OptiCreatine™ processing technology to support chewable creatine formats that address common grittiness and mouthfeel challenges, demonstrating how ingredient optimization can expand the potential of DTM delivery.

These improvements are repositioning chewables as a premium, lifestyle-friendly format rather than a compromise, supporting more consistent use and better overall product experience.

Effervescent granules with water-optional flexibility

FZZR is one of TSI’s most dynamic delivery systems. These effervescent granules:

Can be taken DTM
Can be mixed in water when desired
Deliver a distinctive fizz, sound, and mouthfeel
Create a small, delightful “moment” that aligns perfectly with energy, focus, and immunity categories

Formulators benefit from FZZR’s versatility, which supports a wide variety of actives and flavor systems while offering a standout user experience.

This multiple-use format makes FZZR appealing to a broad range of consumers. It’s also already on the market: MuscleTech’s Eff’n Energy and Eff’n Hydrate products both feature the FZZR technology, demonstrating early demand for sensory-forward supplementation.^4-5

Why supplement brands are moving toward water-free formats

Water-free, DTM formats are more than a trend – they’re a response to real and measurable shifts in consumer behavior.

Brands that embrace these technologies can meet rising expectations for convenience, portability, pleasure, and flexibility.

These DTM delivery options offer compelling commercial advantages, including:

Better real-world fit: Consumers can take their supplements anywhere, without disrupting their routine.
Superior experience: Fizzing, melting, or chewing creates a small, enjoyable moment – reinforcing habit and brand affinity.
Shelf differentiation: A novel delivery system stands out when many brands are using gummies or capsules.
Consistent use equals better outcomes: If a product is easier and more enjoyable to take, usage improves – which supports both perceived and actual effectiveness.

By bringing delivery innovation together with clinical validation and targeted formulation design, TSI Group gives brands a path to launch products that are meaningfully differentiated in crowded categories. The company is helping formulators design products that align with how consumers actually live, and what their routines demand.

Looking to innovate beyond traditional supplement formats? Partner with TSI to explore new approaches to water-free, direct-to-mouth delivery.

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