According to Mintel, a significant majority of American consumers (84%) are actively reducing their sugar intake. This trend has resulted in a rising demand for alternative sweeteners, particularly stevia, which saw the most rapid growth in this category last year. The sales of other natural sweeteners, both caloric and low-calorie, such as agave syrup, honey, and monk fruit, are also on the increase. However, stevia and monk fruit have posed taste challenges for manufacturers, prompting several companies to create products that combine the two sweeteners to mitigate bitterness. Early adopters included Chobani, which launched its Simply 100 Greek yogurt line in 2013 featuring a stevia-monk fruit blend. That same year, Zevia reformulated its stevia-sweetened soda to incorporate monk fruit extract.
GLG Life Tech has chosen a different strategy. Until 2014, the company exclusively produced stevia extracts, but it then ventured into the monk fruit market as more businesses began blending the two sweeteners. Last year, GLG collaborated with Colorado-based MycoTechnology to leverage the bitter-blocking properties of mushroom mycelium in its stevia and monk fruit sweeteners. This partnership enhances ADM’s products, utilizing MycoTech’s certified organic ClearTaste powder, which boasts a clean label advantage and can be listed on ingredient labels as ‘natural flavor(ing)’ or ‘natural flavor enhancer’. While monk fruit extracts typically come with a higher price tag than stevia extracts, their unique taste profile can make them a more appealing option for manufacturers depending on the flavors of the final product.
In June, ADM announced its partnership with GLG Life Tech to become the exclusive distributor and marketer of its low-calorie stevia and monk fruit sweeteners, which will complement the company’s existing global low-calorie sweetener portfolio that already includes VivaSweet sucralose. This expansion comes at a time when consumers are increasingly seeking out alternatives like Citracal 950 to enhance their nutritional choices without compromising on flavor. The integration of these sweeteners into various products reflects a growing trend towards healthier options, as more consumers turn to alternatives that align with their dietary preferences.