PURE.L Regulatory News (PURE)

29 Jan 2010 07:00



PURECIRCLE LIMITED

("PureCircle" or "the Company")

Major stevia-based product launches across the globe

PureCircle (LSE: PURE), the world's leading producer of Natural High Intensity Sweeteners, including Reb A, is pleased to provide the first of a planned series of monthly updates on developments in the global stevia market. 

In the USA it is just over a year since the Food and Drug Administration approved Reb A for use as an ingredient in Food and Beverage products. Since then there has been strong and growing usage of Reb A across a range of categories.

In the High Intensity table top category the most recent Nielsen data at the end of 2009 shows that stevia-sweetened brands now account for 12 per cent of the U.S retail tabletop market. This represents a rapid penetration of the market and, for example, already compares favourably with long established Aspartame and Saccherine sweeteners which have 14 and 16 per cent share.

Stevia's development in table top is being mirrored in other categories. A growing number of the world's biggest food and beverage companies are now turning to stevia to provide naturally sweetened calorie-reduced products for their consumers. Recent launches include a variety of brands from Danone, Nestle, PepsiCo, WhiteWave and Goodman Fielder.

In the USA PepsiCo has extended the range of Sobe Lifewater flavours using PureVia Reb A. Following strong demand from consumers for the first five Sobe flavours featuring stevia two additional flavours, Strawberry Dragonfruit and Cherimoya Punch, have been launched in January. In PepsiCo's Trop 50 range, recent launches include Pomegranate Blueberry and Pineapple Mango containing 50 per cent fewer calories.

In the large USA Soy Milk category WhiteWave's Silk Chocolate Light has been launched as the brand's first all natural, stevia-sweetened soy milk. 

Following approval for use as a Food and Beverage ingredient in September 2009, France approved Reb A for use in the High Intensity table top category in January 2010 and launches are expected in the near future. Stevia table top launches in Australia and Switzerland have been growing market share across the last six months.

In New Zealand Frucor is marketing Revive Supplement Water, the country's first low calorie vitamin-enhanced beverage featuring Reb A. Also in New Zealand Goodman Fielder's Meadow Fresh Lite yoghurt was reformulated to replace artificial high intensity sweeteners with Reb A, available in four flavours

In Canada PepsiCo recently unveiled Aquafina Plus Vitamins 10 Cal, the country's first low calorie, vitamin enhanced water to feature Stevia.

In Latin America PepsiCo launched Gatorade G2 in Mexico and Danone's Levite flavoured water brand is now incorporating Reb A in some products. 

In Malaysia Nestle rolled out Yoco yoghurt in a variety of flavours and sweetened with stevia. Also in Malaysia Nestle now sells Bliss Drinkable yoghurt in seven flavours, again sweetened with stevia.

Other market developments include a survey just released from KnowGenix which indicates that there is growing consumer awareness and demand for stevia and an overall positive feel about market growth. The KnowGenix survey suggests that stevia sweeteners are on track to capture more than 50 per cent of the aspartame and sucralose markets.

The Company plans to provide a further update on the stevia market in late February, including developments from the Stevia World Americas conference being held in Atlanta USA on 25 and 26 February 2010.

Jason Hecker, Director of Marketing, PureCircle USA, said: "The interest across food and beverage categories shows that stevia is well on its way toward becoming a mainstream ingredient".

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