Howtian unveils SoPure Dorado amid push for alternative stevia ingredients

20 Aug 2024 --- Howtian has launched its SoPure Dorado, the latest innovation in natural sweeteners designed to meet the rising demand for minimally processed, plant-based products.

SoPure Dorado is an unrefined golden stevia extract, offering the “least processed, plant-based, zero-calorie sweetener.” The company’s latest ingredient was designed for modern F&B consumers who are increasingly seeking out products that are as close to their natural state as possible.

“Natural Seekers”

In many parts of the world, a significant and growing percentage of the population identifies as “Natural Seekers.” 

A 2024 Innova Market Insights Trends Survey revealed that 67% of consumers chose to reduce their consumption of overprocessed foods to lead a healthier lifestyle, claiming the most important value to them in their diets is transparency. 

Today’s Natural Seekers are not only seeking natural ingredients for their nutritional value but are increasingly rejecting industrialized food products in favor of those that are “clean and simple.”

“Many consumers believe that stevia, despite being a natural sweetener, undergoes extensive processing that strips it of its natural benefits,” says Tom Fuzer, VP of market strategy at Howtian. 

“With SoPure Dorado, we aim to change that narrative. Our product retains its natural golden color and delivers outstanding solubility, making it the ideal choice for products appealing to health-conscious consumers seeking minimally processed alternatives.”

Alternative stevias

The misconception that stevia is inherently overprocessed stems in part from the proliferation of alternative stevia processing technologies in recent years. 

Many of these differing methods don’t require stevia leaves as raw material and blur the lines of what can or should be considered natural sweetener products. However, Howtian says SoPure Dorado stands out with its naturally high concentration of the most desired sweet molecules — the steviol glycoside compounds of the stevia leaves. 

SoPure Dorado is clean label, non-GMO and zero calories.This reduces the extraction process to one simple step using pure water, maintaining the sweetener’s integrity and naturalness.

Moreover, Howtian believes that “the cultural significance of golden hues in food is integral to what sets SoPure Dorado apart from other sweeteners.” In many cultures, golden foods symbolize purity, quality and natural goodness. 

Dorado’s naturally retained golden color resonates with these cultural values, adding an extra layer of appeal to an already unique product.

“SoPure Dorado was successfully tested with F&B manufacturing customers around the world. We saw not only strong interest in the product’s unique benefits in the market but also received loads of valuable feedback about the range of opportunities our partners see with it,” Fuzer notes.

According to Howtian, the ingredient opens up new opportunities, particularly in the sugar and sweetener sector.

The product is especially suitable for tabletop sweeteners, liquid sweeteners, low glycemic index sugar blends, sweetener portion packs, syrups and sauces.