FDBusiness.com

PureCircle, the leading global innovator and supplier of stevia sweeteners, reports that the use of stevia in beverage and food products is expanding rapidly. In the second quarter of 2017, the percentage of beverage and food products launched containing stevia increased +13% versus the comparable period in 2016. That data, and all data contained herein, is from Mintel Group, an independent data provider and market intelligence agency and has been commissioned by PureCircle*.

The companies launching these new products with stevia, according to Mintel, include: The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, Kraft Heinz, Nestle, PepsiCo and Unilever. In the second quarter of this year, the percentage of food and beverage products with stevia launched globally by these companies plus others nearly doubled such products launched in the second quarter of 2012.

Looking at this second quarter data separately for beverages and foods, the percentage of global food introductions with stevia increased +57% from 2012 to 2017.  The percentage of global beverage product introductions with stevia increased at an even greater rate, up +161% from 2012 to this year.

Looking at the different beverage and food categories, carbonated soft drinks accounted for 9% of global launches of products containing stevia in the second quarter of this year. Within the carbonated soft drink category, the percentage of products launched with stevia increased 27% between the second quarter of 2016 and 2017.  Juice drinks with stevia launches also accounted for 9%, also posting a +27% increase.  The top-5 categories in terms of new product launches with stevia in Q2 2017 were: snacks, other beverages, carbonated soft drinks, dairy, and juice drinks.  Among the categories posting the highest growth rates were “sugar and gum confectionery” with a +125% increase and “sports and energy drinks” with a +102% increase.

The new beverage and food product launches with stevia are occurring worldwide with all global regions participating.  Of the total new food and beverage products launched with stevia in the second quarter of 2017, 40% of launches were in Asia Pacific, 21% in Europe, 19% in North America, 17% in Latin America, and 3% in Middle East Africa.

Mintel research also indicates that use of “natural origin” sweeteners is sharply on the rise.  When looking at products launched globally with high intensity sweeteners (as defined by sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and stevia), just 9% of products used stevia in 2010.  Acesulfame potassium (also known as ace-K), sucralose and aspartame dominated.  But much has changed.  As of August, 2017, stevia was used in 27% of new products launched using high intensity sweeteners so far this year.  Stevia was more widely used in those new product launches than aspartame.

PureCircle produces and sells a wide range of stevia-based sweeteners.  Due largely to PureCircle’s research, development and innovation, its stevia-based sweeteners offer sugar-like taste and zero calories.  These great-tasting, from-nature sweeteners — often used in combinations with each other — work well in many beverages and foods, providing value for beverage and food companies.

* The data used in this analysis was pulled from Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD) on August 29, 2017.