25-26 Feb, 2010 - Atlanta, U S A
W Atlanta Midtown Hotel
W Atlanta Midtown Hotel
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"One year on, PureCircle says, “stevia becoming mainstream”
OAK BROOK, ILLINOIS - January 27, 2010 –It’s been a little more than a year since the zero-calorie, all-natural sweetener, Reb A attained GRAS status in the U.S. for use in food and beverages. Regulation of stevia in the U.S. and other parts of the world ignited a strong interest in the natural sweetener from both manufacturers and consumers during the past year. Not surprisingly, the first products with stevia to market were tabletop sweeteners and beverages. But because of its naturally broad appeal, stevia is now making its way into other categories as well.
“The interest we’ve experienced across food and beverage categories continues to reinforce that stevia is on its way toward becoming a mainstream ingredient,” commented Jason Hecker, director of marketing, PureCircle USA. “In the past year, we’ve partnered with companies to deliver great-tasting products across global markets in diverse categories from beverage to dairy. All these new products continue to drive stevia into the mainstream. Reinforcing this, we have proprietary research conducted earlier this month that indicates nearly half of all women in America are aware of stevia. This is a significant increase from eight months ago when we conducted our initial study.”
Research presented during PureCircle’s global Webinar in May from a mom-focused study indicated that just five months after GRAS status was achieved for stevia-derived Reb A, one in three moms were aware of stevia. (To view the Webinar, go to www.purecircle.com)
“We’ve seen clearly that acceptance has been not only as a zero-calorie solution, but also as a wonderful way to reduce calories in the ‘full-calorie’ products consumers’ love,” says Hecker. “And we are especially excited to see the recent move into products outside of beverage and tabletop.” Here’s a brief review of some of the latest stevia-sweetened products to debut globally over the past six months:
White Wave Foods, a subsidiary of Dean Foods, introduced Silk® Chocolate Light soymilk, offering consumers a naturally-sweetened, lower calorie option with only 90 calories per serving. Another product that came onto the market as a lower-calorie version of a higher-calorie favorite was Trop 50 orange juice drinks. It quickly became a $100 million brand and recently added two new varieties—Pomegranate Blueberry and Pineapple Mango.
Zero-Calorie Sobe Lifewater also got a very positive response from consumers, so the line was extended with two additional flavors: Strawberry Dragonfruit & Cherimoya Punch. Further PepsiCo launches includeAquafina Plus Vitamins 10 Calin Canada—the nation’s first low-calorie vitamin-enhanced water to feature a pure stevia extract, all-natural sweetener—and the low-cal, hydrating beverage G2 from Gatorade, which debuted in Mexico in three 100% naturally sweetened flavors.
Other notable international flavored water launches came from Group Danone and Frucor. Group Danone’s Bonafont recently rolled out a stevia-sweetened version of its Levite brand flavored water into Latin America. And Frucor introduced New Zealand’s first low-calorie, vitamin-enhanced beverage, featuring a stevia-derived sweetener.
Beyond beverages, Nestle rolled out Yoco Yogurt and Bliss Drinkable Yogurt in Malaysia. Both of these dairy products are naturally sweetened with zero-calorie, stevia. In New Zealand, Goodman Fielder’s Meadow Fresh Lite Yoghurt was reformulated to replace the sucralose in it with naturally-derived Reb A from stevia. It’s now being promoted as ‘naturally sweetened.’
Shortly after France gave regulatory approval to Reb A last September, Whole Earth Sweetener Co. announced plans to introduce its all-natural, zero-calorie, tabletop sweetener, PureVia™ into the market. The PureVia tabletop product was also recently launched into Mexico and Australia.
The introduction of all of these products is indicative of the global interest in and desire for a natural, zero-calorie sweetener that tastes great. Stevia-derived Reb A is meeting that desire.
About high-purity Reb A:
High-purity Reb A is the world’s first all-natural, zero-calorie sweetener derived from the Stevia Rebaudiana plant. For more on Reb A visit www.reb-a.com
About PureCircle:
PureCircle is a pioneer in the extraction of natural goodness from plants and a leading global producer of natural high-intensity sweeteners, including high-purity Rebaudioside A (Reb A). The company has a vertically integrated supply chain operating in three continents. Activities range from breeding of proprietary stevia varieties, sourcing of dry stevia leaves and extraction, and refining of crude extracts into sweeteners to the marketing of these sweeteners to food and beverage manufacturers worldwide. PureCircle is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market with the ticker symbol: LSE.PURE. For more information, visit www.purecircle.com.
For More Information:
Kitty Kevin
815.398.6860
Stevia World Americas is just 2 weeks away, this will be your last chance to register, especially if you are keen to network with the who’s who in the stevia industry.
This conference has attracted a good mix of industry players and end-users, please see pie-chart below for the detailed breakdown:
Do join us at Stevia World Americas and be part of the revolution. You can register now at <<CLICK HERE>>.
Hope to see you on 25-26 February in Atlanta!
According to the recently published ‘Global Stevia Industry Perceptions Report 2009’, tackling the taste profile and after-taste tops the list of industry concerns. That’s why Stevia World Americas has made Flavor Solutions as one of the key agenda. Top ingredient companies, Wixon Inc. and Overseal Natural Ingredients will be sharing about their technologies that can improve the taste profile of Stevia sweeteners.
For more information on Wixon’s presentation, please see their press release below. A range of other topics covering the stevia market outlook, safety & quality assurance, and supply chain development will also be addressed at the conference. To explore the updated conference agenda, please >>Click Here<<.
Jan 22, 2010, ST. FRANCIS, Wis. – Mariano Gascon, vice president of research and development for Wixon Inc., will discuss how to mask off-notes and enhance sweetness with flavor modifiers for stevia, Thurs., Feb. 25, at the Stevia World Americas conference. Held at the W Atlanta Midtown Hotel, the conference will examine how to advance stevia’s position as a mainstream sweetener while improving its taste profile and ensuring the reliability of quality and supply.
Gascon will detail stevia vis-à-vis sugar and other high-intensity sweeteners, describe the ‘silver lining’ of flavor modifiers, and present a tasting session for conference participants.
As vice president of research and development, Gascon directs product and food technology developments through Wixon’s staff of food technologists, flavorists, and research professionals. He joined Wixon in 1997 as flavor lab director from Virginia Dare, New York, and International Flavor & Fragrances Inc., Mexico. His experience in creating flavors spans nearly 20 years and includes many successes in developing new products and masking unwanted notes for clients. Under Gascon’s direction, the Mag-nifique™ line of flavor modifiers was developed.
Gascon is a certified flavor chemist and has served as president of the Society of Flavor Chemists. He also is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the American Association of Candy Technologists (AACT). He is known internationally for his work in flavors and ingredients and has been published in “Modifying Flavour in Food” (2007) contributing “Masking Agents for Use in Foods.”
He earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemical engineering with a major in food sciences from the National School of Biological Sciences of the National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico City, a master’s degree in product development from Northwestern University, and a chef certificate from Kendall College, Chicago.
Wixon is a fully integrated food and beverage ingredient leader providing custom-ground spices, blended seasonings, flavor technologies, protein expertise, and consumer products and packaging. Wixon’s brand promise of Service Driven Culinary Science gives customers the added benefit of food technology enhanced by the creativity of culinary arts. With its advanced scientific and culinary capabilities combined with a passion for service, Wixon drives innovation and provides solutions for its customers. Besides custom flavor formulations, Wixon offers R&D, product development, packaging options, inventory management, and just-in-time delivery. Wixon is ISO9001 certified and QAI Organic Certified. It celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2007. Its campus is located at 1390 E. Bolivar Ave. in the Milwaukee suburb of St. Francis, Wis., 53235. More information on Wixon or any of its products may be obtained at www.wixon.com or by calling (414) 769-3000.
CMT is proud to welcome GLG as PLATINUM SPONSOR
for
SteviaWorld Americas on 25-26 February 2010 in Atlanta!
About GLG Life Tech Corporation
GLG Life Tech Corporation is a global leader in the supply of high purity stevia, an all natural, zero-calorie sweetener used in food and beverages. The Company’s vertically integrated operations cover each step in the stevia supply chain including non-GMO stevia seed breeding, natural propagation, exclusive stevia leaf growth and harvest areas, proprietary extraction and refining technique, marketing and distribution of finished product. GLG’s advanced technology and innovation in extraction make it one of the world’s leading producers of high purity stevia extracts.
Offering a number of stevia based sweetening systems, GLG’s premier, high quality Rebaudioside A product line includes RebpureTM RA97, RebsweetTM RA80 and AnysweetTM RA60. GLG has also recently launched its newest product line Sweet Success (SM), which provides food and beverage manufacturers greater flexibility in formulating with high purity stevia sweeteners while still maintaining a smooth, clean, sucrose-like taste profile. In addition, GLG also has capabilities to formulate and granulate any of its stevia extracts to provide a tabletop ready consumer product.
With ample capacity to meet demand, GLG stevia leaf processing capabilities include 41,000 metric tons of raw stevia leaf and annual production of 3,000 metric tons of high quality stevia extract. Facilities are GMP and ISO9001:2000 and meet the strictest quality and safety requirements. GLG is unique in that the stevia leaf processed and used in production is the company’s own special strain, rich in Rebaudioside A and reaching a much higher level of quality and taste in the raw leaf than that of common market leaf. GLG’s patented stevia strains enable the company to produce great tasting stevia extracts more efficiently and with a secure leaf supply.
From seed to shelf, GLG utilizes its technology, innovation and focus on customizable solutions to provide great tasting stevia sweetening systems to companies around the globe.
The Company’s headquarters are located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
NASDAQ: GLGL
TSX:GLG
Click below for more GLG news / press releases:
>>GLG LIFE TECH CORPORATION ANNOUNCES NEW SWEET SUCCESSSM LINE OF STEVIA PRODUCTS
>>GLG LIFE TECH CORPORATION COMPLETES CONSTRUCTION ON NEW REBPURETM RA97 REFINING FACILITY
