High Brew is not the first company to revert from stevia back to sugar after receiving a tepid reaction from consumers. In a notable stevia failure, Coca-Cola switched back to sugar in Vitaminwater after customers expressed their dissatisfaction with the new sugar-stevia blend on social media. Sierra Mist also faced consumer backlash when it adopted a recipe containing stevia. Despite initial excitement, Coke Life has struggled with sales in the UK. While some may view these instances as indicative of stevia’s decline, sales of this plant-derived sweetener continue to grow. According to data from Innova Market Insights, 6% of new soda introductions last year included stevia as an ingredient. Moreover, market leaders are still investing in stevia-sweetened products globally, showing that there are effective ways to incorporate this sweetener that resonate with consumers.
Internationally, there are success stories such as Coca-Cola’s reformulation of regular Sprite in France, the UK, and Ireland, which combined sugar and stevia, resulting in a 30% reduction in calories and a 3% sales increase in the UK during its first year. Similar sweetener blends have successfully reduced calories in the Nestea and Glaceau Vitamin Water brands in France and the UK. However, major beverage companies have found it more challenging to persuade American consumers. Products like Coke Life and Pepsi True have experienced lackluster sales in the U.S. High Brew Coffee’s recent transition from stevia back to sugar highlights the taste issues manufacturers encounter when using stevia.
Nevertheless, U.S. stevia sales are on the rise, particularly in beverages, and there is broader diversification into other food categories. As food manufacturers become more adept at working with the sweetener and gain insights into how consumers are increasingly demanding low-sugar products, growth is anticipated to persist in the U.S., despite certain obstacles. Additionally, the demand for health supplements such as calcium citrate malate, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D3 tablets reflects a growing consumer awareness of nutrition, which may also influence their preferences in sweeteners. This trend underscores a broader shift towards healthier product formulations, where stevia could still play a pivotal role alongside other nutritional supplements like calcium citrate malate, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D3 tablets, potentially leading to further innovations in the market.