Naturally appealing: Layn president flags “strong presence” in stevia and monk fruit ingredients

07 Apr 2020 --- Sugar reduction remains a key theme in food and beverage formulation, with global consumers increasing demand for healthier alternatives and manufacturers avoiding sugar taxes. According to Elaine Yu, President at Layn USA, as sugar reduction efforts grow, industry will continue to see a strong presence and new product launches of stevia- and monk fruit-based sweeteners. “With today’s trend and market focus on natural, plant-based, and clean label ingredients, we believe stevia and monk fruit are the most appealing sweeteners that meet these criteria,” she tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

Stevia has been leading the way in the sweetener space for some time. The natural sweetener works with other flavors in the food and beverage sector. Recent regulatory approval for the use of stevia in food and beverage products has been a win for food manufacturers who want to utilize the high-intensity, zero-calorie sweetener with natural and clean attributes. Manufacturers and consumers who are looking for sweeteners to reduce or remove sugar in a formulation or application intake are not only looking for a sweetness that sugar manifests but also taste and mouthfeel which offers a more sugar-like taste profile.

According to Innova Market Insights’ Consumer Lifestyle and Attitudes Survey 2018, nearly seven out of ten consumers across the countries surveyed (US, UK, France, Germany, China and Brazil) have reduced their sugar intake. Consumers seeking low-calorie solutions are looking for natural or nutritious substitutes rather than artificial sweeteners.

Elaine Yu, President at Layn USA flags monk fruit as a sweetener with a lot of potential.“There are a lot of sugar substitutes available to the market and they compete with each other. However, when it comes to sweeteners that are highly intense, plant-based, non-caloric,

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved, Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS), with commercial scale and a sustainable supply, so far the choices are still just stevia and monk fruit and combinations thereof,” Yu explains. 

There are new varieties of stevia leaf extract, such as better tasting minor steviol glycosides, Yu reveals, which continue to improve the overall taste profile of stevia. “Layn expects to gain more adoption and market success. Monk Fruit Juice Concentrate is also growing in popularity for many applications as well,” she comments. 

Beverage, dairy, table top and bakery applications are bound to benefit most from natural sweeteners, Yu highlights. “We also see significant growth in the sports and active nutrition category, with protein powders, drinks and bars,” she adds. 

The claims which make them appealing to both manufacturers and consumers are plant-based, natural and clean label, Yu adds. “We continue to see increased demand and therefore, new launches with natural sweeteners, and in more regions around the world as well.”

Natural sweeteners’ performance varies in different applications, compared with synthetic sweeteners, there are definitely more challenges in using them in various finished products. “Price is now more competitive with sugar, based on usage level. However, natural sweeteners are still more expensive than artificial sweeteners,” she explains. 

Layn heavily invests in agriculture from seedling preparation to farming management. “For example, once our contracted co-op groups are provided with seedlings developed from our in-house breeding programs, they are trained in our standardized cultivation process,” Yu notes. 

“To ensure the highest quality crops, we monitor every stage of the agronomy operation – from planting and harvesting to drying. Our closely managed farming partnerships and supporting documentation are proof of Layn’s full traceability – from seedling, to field, to finished product.”

With Layn’s vertically integrated structure, global customers can trace all ingredients and processes along the supply chain, guaranteeing true transparency and visibility.

“This approach allows us the ability to quickly scale-up production to meet spiking global demand,” Yu concludes.

By Elizabeth Green