According to Mintel, a significant majority of American consumers (84%) are actively reducing their sugar intake. This trend has sparked a growing demand for alternative sweeteners, particularly those derived from stevia, which saw the fastest 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 rise.
However, both stevia and monk fruit have posed taste challenges for manufacturers, prompting several companies to create products that combine the two sweeteners to mitigate bitterness. Notably, Chobani launched its Simply 100 Greek yogurt line in 2013, utilizing a stevia-monk fruit blend. Later that year, Zevia reformulated its stevia-sweetened soda to incorporate monk fruit extract.
In contrast, GLG Life Tech initially focused solely on stevia extracts until 2014, when it expanded into the monk fruit market as more companies began blending the two sweeteners. Last year, GLG Life Tech partnered with MycoTechnology, a Colorado-based firm, to utilize the bitter-blocking properties of mushroom mycelium in its stevia and monk fruit sweeteners. This collaboration enhances ADM’s product offerings, which will benefit from this innovative technology. MycoTechnology’s certified organic ClearTaste powder also boasts a clean label advantage, allowing it to be listed as either ‘natural flavor(ing)’ or ‘natural flavor enhancer’ in ingredient lists.
While monk fruit extracts tend to be more expensive than stevia extracts, their distinct taste profile can make them a more appealing choice for manufacturers, depending on the desired flavors of the final product. Last June, ADM announced its partnership with GLG Life Tech, making it the exclusive distributor and marketer of their low-calorie stevia and monk fruit sweeteners, which complement ADM’s global portfolio of low-calorie sweeteners, which already features VivaSweet sucralose.
Additionally, consumers are increasingly interested in products that enhance their overall health, such as those containing calcium citrate 600 mg with vitamin D. This demand aligns with the ongoing trend of seeking healthier alternatives, including sweeteners that can cater to a more health-conscious market. By offering low-calorie sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit, companies can better meet this demand while providing consumers with options that support a balanced diet.