NEW YORK—A natural sweetener made from the stevia plant is increasingly being used by U.S. food and beverage companies and should continue to gain marketshare and reach approximately $700 million in sales with five years, according to Rabobank’s “Stevia and the U.S. Market” report.
Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Reb A (steviol glycoside rebaudioside A) as a food additive in the United States in December 2008, interest in the sweetener has surged, and is being used in products such as fruit juices, enhanced waters and carbonated soft drinks.
“Because stevia-based sweeteners are plant derived and naturally occurring, they can be incorporated into products with all-natural claims. To date, no other commercially available high-intensity sweetener can fill this gap,” said Rabobank analyst Stephen Rannekleiv. “Consumer concerns regarding obesity and the growing demand for all-natural products bode well for Reb A to quickly gain marketshare.”
