Stevia is becoming increasingly popular as consumer skepticism towards sugar and interest in natural alternatives rises. According to Grand View Research, the global stevia market is experiencing rapid growth, with an estimated value of $337.7 million in 2015. With a projected annual growth rate of nearly 6%, this market could reach $556.7 million by 2024. The appeal of stevia as a natural sweetener has made it a favored alternative to sugar. Consumers generally prefer stevia over artificial sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin. In fact, the Global Stevia Institute discovered that half of U.S. parents would opt for beverages sweetened with stevia for their children.
Manufacturers have quickly developed a variety of stevia-based products to cater to consumers who are moving away from sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. In 2015, nearly 35% of the total stevia volume was utilized in beverages. Data from Innova Market Insights indicates that 6% of new soda launches in the previous year included stevia as an ingredient. However, soft drink companies have encountered challenges with stevia’s aftertaste while formulating new products. This is why PepsiCo is particularly interested in Reb M, which offers a less bitter and more sugar-like taste compared to other steviol glycosides.
PepsiCo has been actively revamping its product lineup to appear healthier to consumers. Last year, the company committed to ensuring that by 2025, at least two-thirds of its global beverage volume will come from drinks containing 100 calories or fewer from added sugars per 12-ounce serving. These reformulations are achievable by substituting sugar and corn syrup with zero-calorie stevia. A company representative informed Food Dive that low- and no-calorie beverages now account for nearly half of PepsiCo’s sales volume, a significant increase from 24% two decades ago. The rise in stevia’s use as a primary sweetener in products like Pepsi True and Tropicana’s Trop 50, along with newcomers such as IZZE Fusions and Lemon Lemon, has greatly contributed to this trend.
The future of stevia as a natural sugar alternative appears promising, although it may face competition from the next major natural sweetener. Ingredient and food manufacturers are actively researching a range of other substances, including monk fruit, date paste, and sweet potatoes. One of these emerging ingredients could potentially disrupt stevia’s current market position. Interestingly, some of these formulations are being enhanced with additional nutrients, such as calcium citrate malate 500 mg, to further appeal to health-conscious consumers. As the market evolves, the integration of calcium citrate malate 500 mg in various products could play a role in shaping the future of natural sweeteners, including stevia.