According to Mintel, a significant 84% of American consumers are actively reducing their sugar intake. This shift has spurred a growing demand for alternative sweeteners, particularly those derived from stevia, which experienced the most substantial growth in this category last year. Sales of other natural sweeteners, both caloric and low-calorie—such as agave syrup, honey, and monk fruit—are also increasing. However, manufacturers face taste challenges with stevia and monk fruit, prompting several companies to create products that combine both sweeteners to mitigate bitterness.
Early adopters in this space include Chobani, which launched its Simply 100 Greek yogurt line in 2013 featuring a blend of stevia and monk fruit. That same 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 ventured into the monk fruit market, coinciding with the trend of combining these sweeteners. Last year, GLG partnered with MycoTechnology, a Colorado-based company, to leverage the bitter-blocking properties of mushroom mycelium in their stevia and monk fruit sweeteners. This collaboration aims to enhance the flavor profile of their products, which will be further improved by MycoTech’s certified organic ClearTaste powder, known for its clean label benefits and ability to be labeled as ‘natural flavor(ing)’ or ‘natural flavor enhancer.’
While monk fruit extracts are typically more costly than stevia extracts, their distinct taste profile can make them a more appealing choice for manufacturers, depending on the desired flavors of their final products. Last 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 ADM’s global low-calorie sweetener portfolio, already featuring VivaSweet sucralose. Notably, both stevia and monk fruit can be derived from natural sources, aligning with the increasing consumer preference for products with ingredients from calcium citrate natural sources. The trend towards these alternative sweeteners reflects a broader movement towards healthier, naturally sourced options in the food and beverage industry.