PureCircle “unlocks stevia potential” by directly distributing flagship flavor solution

23 Apr 2020 --- Producer of stevia ingredients PureCircle is now offering its proprietary NSF-02 stevia flavor solution directly to its customers. This PureCircle solution was previously distributed by a third party as a strategic option within PureCircle’s growing natural flavor portfolio. However, the company is now able to provide food and beverage companies as well as flavor houses direct purchase of, and access to, the ingredient.

The NSF-02 natural stevia flavor is a powerful and valuable flavor solution for foods and beverages. We can now offer vastly increased access to this ingredient by selling it directly to food, beverage and flavor house companies,” Vice President of Global Marketing Alina Slotnik tells FoodIngredientsFirst. “Selling it directly will also enable us to offer our customers who buy NSF-02 natural stevia flavor from us our formulation expertise with stevia ingredients – both in flavors as well as optimizing solutions across stevia flavors and sweeteners. We can help them unlock the complete potential of stevia.”

Ingredients seen as natural have growing appeal. PureCircle’s flavor portfolio – including the NSF-02 solution – “fills that bill perfectly.”The NSF-02 stevia solution is part of the company’s robust portfolio of stevia leaf ingredients including sweeteners, flavor modifiers and functional ingredients. It is widely valued and used for its ability to enhance sweetness quality and balance the overall flavor profile while minimizing off-notes and aftertaste. It is produced from the stevia leaf and labeled as natural flavor while delivering sweetness enhancement and balanced flavor profiles. 

Importantly, direct partnership with customers allows PureCircle to provide full transparency and assurance in the use of its proprietary NSF-02 ingredient, which it says is the only FDA reviewed GSG (glycosylated steviol glycoside) flavor available commercially.

“Flavor ingredients have specific standards of review by the FDA and other regulatory food safety agencies like the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). PureCircle is the exclusive, authorized provider of GSG flavors, including NSF-02 flavor, and is uniquely able to guarantee full compliance with food safety regulatory authorities related to the use of GSG as a flavor solution,” Slotnik adds. 

Companies can not only purchase NSF-02 stevia flavor directly from PureCircle but also work with the company on determining how to apply this ingredient as part of flavor systems. Customers using NSF-02 stevia flavor can leverage PureCircle’s formulation expertise and technical support with stevia-based ingredients in flavor systems and optimized sweetener/flavor solutions across a broad set of consumer product applications.

Consumers are increasingly mindful of their health and wellness and about the ingredients in the foods and beverages they consume. Food and beverage companies are responding to that. Ingredients seen as natural have growing appeal. PureCircle’s flavor portfolio – including the NSF-02 solution – “fills that bill perfectly.”

Speaking about what PureCircle expects as a result of direct distribution, Slotnik explains how NSF-02 stevia flavor is already being used by some food and beverage companies in flavor systems and growth is expected. “We expect usage to expand significantly, as we now offer it directly for sale to food and beverage companies as part of our full stevia ingredient portfolio.”

“Using NSF-02 in combination with other PureCircle next-generation stevia leaf ingredients, like our sweeteners, and using our formulation expertise, will enable food and beverage companies to produce great tasting products with cost-efficient, plant-based ingredients.”

“Like other stevia-based flavors in PureCircle’s portfolio, NSF-02 natural stevia flavor provides different synergies depending upon what application the ingredient is used in. 

PureCircle stevia flavors have several modification properties like enhancing specific flavor notes (e.g. citrus, cocoa, vanilla, etc.), masking off notes like bitterness and metallic notes and even reducing sodium, she explains. 

“We anticipate a great deal of interest in categories where stevia is already seeing strong growth and increased adoption of next generation stevia leaf sweeteners. Products in the sports nutrition category, products, which support healthier/active lifestyles and applications, which have been traditionally high in sugar and artificial sweetener content, are all fantastic candidates to explore our NSF-02 stevia solution in combination with other stevia leaf ingredients in our portfolio.”

By Gaynor Selby