FDBusiness.com

The Real Stevia Company’s product Real Stevia™, with its strong sustainability profile, is now approved by Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products. Barry Callebaut puts great emphasis on sustainable chocolate and cocoa production, from the individual farmer to consumer.

“We have long seen a growing trend in the market for sustainable products of natural origin, the cornerstone of our business. The approval of Real Stevia™ to a world leading company like Barry Callebaut is proof that the market is being driven forward in s sustainable direction, suggesting a continued positive expansion of our stevia products,” says Sophia Horn af Rantzien, Managing Director of The Real Stevia Company.

The Real Stevia Company has a strong sustainability profile and collaborates with farmers in Paraguay, China and other countries where stevia plants are grown. The partnership brings full transparency and traceability from the product to the individual farmer. The company provides seedlings, training and technical support to farmers, educating them in how stevia is grown in a sustainable way and how to bring out the best flavor.

“Our stevia products have so far proved a success in chocolate products. The good taste is in the leaf and is crucial for a successful product. A tasty stevia leaf is as important as using the right cocoa beans in the production of a quality chocolate,” says Sophia Horn af Rantzien, Managing Director of The Real Stevia Company.

The market for stevia has grown substantially in the past year as the demand for sugar-reduced food have continued to rise. Additionally, consumers are becoming less interested in artificial alternatives while steviol glycosides, which are extracted by soaking stevia leaves in water, are natural and calorie-free. The global stevia market accounts for approximately 1% of the total sweetener market (according to Credit Suisse) and the market is expected a growth of between 8-17% over the next 20 years.