Health trends are increasingly steering consumers towards healthier food and beverage options that feature lower sugar content and fewer artificial sweeteners. Movements such as the recent “month without sugar” and state-imposed soda taxes have kept sugar reduction at the forefront of consumers’ minds. Although the Food and Drug Administration initially mandated that food manufacturers disclose the grams of added sugars in packaged products as part of a revamped nutrition facts label, the deadline has been postponed. Nevertheless, major food and beverage companies are actively working to lower sugar levels and other sweeteners in their product formulations or to substitute these ingredients with healthier, natural alternatives.
Nestle has innovatively modified the sugar molecule to decrease the amount consumed, planning to incorporate this new sugar into its products in 2018. This innovation will enable the company to reduce sugar content by up to 40% without sacrificing sweetness. Similarly, Stonyfield, the leading organic yogurt manufacturer in the U.S., has recently announced that it will cut added sugars by as much as 40% in certain product lines. Soda manufacturers are also responding to this trend by offering smaller cans and a greater variety of low-calorie beverages, often opting for sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit instead of traditional sugar. Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper Snapple, and PepsiCo have all pledged to decrease the caloric content of sugary drinks consumed by Americans by 20% before 2025.
In addition to these efforts, manufacturers like Pyure have swiftly introduced a range of stevia-based products as consumer preferences shift away from sugar. Stevia naturally provides sweetness 300 times that of sugar, with no calories and a zero score on the glycemic index, allowing brands to use significantly less of it. Companies such as Unilever are incorporating stevia to lower sugar content in their products while maintaining taste and mouthfeel.
Moreover, a notable trend in reformulations has emerged, as reported by Bloomberg, with global consumer packaged goods (CPG) producers reducing sugar and salt in approximately 20% of their offerings in 2016 due to rising demand for healthier products. A survey of 102 CPG companies revealed that 180,000 products were reformulated last year alone—double the number from 2015. If this trend continues— and all signs suggest it will—the negative impact on the sugar market highlighted in Rabobank’s report may very well materialize.
In this evolving landscape, the inclusion of ingredients like calcium citrate is becoming increasingly relevant, as it offers health benefits that align with the ongoing shift towards better-for-you products. Calcium citrate, known for its enhanced bioavailability, is now being incorporated into various formulations to cater to health-conscious consumers. As manufacturers continue to innovate and respond to consumer demands, the presence of calcium citrate alongside reduced sugar content is likely to be a key feature in the future of food and beverage products.