DöhlerGroup and PureCircle to Collaborate on Stevia Based Ingredients

Key for superior food and beverage formulations are PureCircle’s vast portfolio of Stevia ingredients combined with DöhlerGroup‘s strong sweetening, sweetening flavour and application know-how.

Sep 23 2010 --- PureCircle headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the Darmstadt, Germany based DöhlerGroup have announce their global strategic partnership on Stevia. Central point of the agreement is the development of innovative Stevia based ingredients and formulations.

Key for superior food and beverage formulations are PureCircle’s vast portfolio of Stevia ingredients combined with DöhlerGroup‘s strong sweetening, sweetening flavour and application know-how. Together the companies will bring these competencies to customers in 21 application centres around the world. DöhlerGroup and PureCircle will also leverage their R&D program to jointly further develop Stevia based sweetening solutions.

Both partners are leading companies in their business. PureCircle is the global leader in the production and marketing of natural high-purity Stevia sweeteners and is a key driver in local approval processes. The company is vertically integrated, sourcing raw materials from 4 continents and has invested approx. $200 million in supply chain and infrastructure. The company has developed a strong sustainable natural supply chain with control across plant breeding, harvesting, extraction, purification and application. With proprietary technology protected by U.S. patents and over 50 patent applications, PureCircle continues to drive industry innovation across its methods and processes for producing high purity stevia products.

Döhler is a global producer, marketer and provider of technology-based natural ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions for the food and beverage industry. Döhler has comprehensive experience of natural raw materials, product formulations and applications. The company offers a unique product portfolio ranging from flavours and emulsions, natural colours and health ingredients, compounds, fruit preparations, alcoholic and non-alcoholic bases, dairy bases, malt and cereal bases to sweetening systems. In combination with fruit and vegetable juices, purees, concentrates and blends Döhler’s comprehensive portfolio is the optimal basis for innovative and safe food & beverage applications. Döhler’s extensive raw material expertise, using state-of-the-art technology in its R&D Centres, and its global innovation network are the drivers for the innovative product portfolio.

Yesterday Tereos and PureCircle Limited announced the launch of Tereos PureCircle Solutions and the signing of a binding Co-operation Agreement between Tereos and PureCircle.

PureCircle also announced its unaudited results for the year ended 30 June 2010 (“FY 2010”) together with audited comparatives for the year to 30 June 2009 (“FY 2009”).

Sales were flat year on year due to strategic decision to sell only direct to end user customers (60% of sales in FY 2009 to trading partner). Underlying sales to direct to end user customers increased from $25m to $60m. Underlying sales growth is a direct result of the company’s strategic decision to focus on end user customers, the company reported.

Paul Selway-Swift, Chairman of PureCircle, commented: “Our strategy is for high purity stevia to become a mass volume natural sweetener, like sugar. Our business model is based on mass volume supply. We have shown we can scale our supply chain. With major contract wins to supply F&B industry globally we are securing major share of emerging market and with our strategic partnerships we hope to accelerate our global distribution significantly. There have been some challenges in the last twelve months, notably as we implemented our strategic decision to move all sales solely direct to end users. However the high purity stevia market is undoubtedly accelerating and as it does so the strength of our direct customer base and of our partners will justify fully the tough decisions taken this year. We are ever more confident about the significant long term prospects of the Company. But the industry is still young and so there will continue to be volatility in our sales progress.”