Layn Corp., located in China, has been dedicated to developing a new variety of monk fruit for several years. The company announced that it has enhanced the sweetness level from 0.3% to 0.5% over the past decade, with a target of reaching 1% by 2020. Last year, Layn formed a partnership with Swiss flavor and fragrance company Firmenich to distribute natural sweeteners. This collaboration is viewed as a significant opportunity for Firmenich to introduce monk fruit and stevia extracts to international markets and key Layn customers in China. If this agreement also includes the new Super V Fruit variety, it could potentially increase Layn’s market share for this latest innovation in natural sweeteners.
Although monk fruit has been utilized for centuries, its application as a sweetener in foods and beverages has only gained popularity recently. It was granted Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status by the Food and Drug Administration in 2010. Monk fruit is 100 to 250 times sweeter than sugar, contains no calories, and has a zero glycemic index, making it suitable for diabetics. Research has indicated that the mogrosides in monk fruit possess antioxidant properties. As consumers increasingly limit sugar intake and seek natural sweeteners, monk fruit has garnered growing interest. Should the new Super V Fruit variety prove effective in sugar replacement and product formulations, Layn could see a boost in market share and profits.
Stevia remains a competitor to monk fruit as a sugar substitute; however, Layn USA President Elaine Yu informed Food Ingredients 1st that extracts from both plants can be used together in certain applications. The company has integrated them into its Lovia sweetener product, launched in 2013, aiming to highlight monk fruit’s sweetness while mitigating stevia’s occasional bitter aftertaste. With most commercial monk fruit production taking place in China, Layn is strategically positioned to capitalize on the market, particularly through its Shanghai facility, which opened in 2017 and quadrupled production capacity for both monk fruit and stevia extracts. The company emphasized its long-standing relationships with local farmers, enabling it to maintain strong control over its supply chain.
Layn is not the only company focused on developing natural sweeteners from monk fruit. As noted by Food Insight, this sweetener is becoming increasingly prevalent in soft drinks, juices, dairy products, desserts, candies, and condiments under various brand names, including Nectresse from McNeil Nutritionals, PureLo from Swanson, Purefruit by Tate & Lyle, Fruit-Sweetness from BioVittoria, and Monk Fruit in the Raw from In the Raw Sweeteners. Additionally, Utah-based Lakanto, part of Japan’s Saraya Co., Ltd., has expanded its monk fruit products’ reach from the U.S., Canada, and Asia into Australia and New Zealand, while California’s Senomyx is developing a monk fruit-based sweetener named siratose.
As production ramps up and monk fruit becomes more prevalent in food and beverage products, Layn and other suppliers will likely face considerable demand. A sweeter extract could be particularly profitable and help solidify Layn’s position among monk fruit providers. In the context of nutrition, incorporating supplements like Jarrow Calcium Citrate could further enhance the health benefits of monk fruit, making it an even more attractive option for health-conscious consumers. The integration of such products could lead to a synergy between natural sweeteners and dietary supplements, ultimately benefiting both sectors as they respond to market trends.