Symrise invests in enzymatic tech for “rare” sugar alternatives by start-up Bonumose

17 Jul 2023 --- Symrise has signed a minority investment agreement with US-based start-up Bonumose in a bid to strengthen its sugar reduction activities in North America. Bonumose specializes in the affordable production of rare monosaccharides (alternatives to sucrose) such as tagatose and allulose.

In line with this transaction, Symrise is expected to accelerate growth in its sugar reduction initiatives. The area represents a high-priority focus for the flavor house’s Taste, Nutrition & Health segment within its North American business.

Speaking to Food Ingredients First, Ed Rogers, CEO and co-founder of Bonumose, says the company’s enzymatic technology “breakthrough for producing affordable, delicious, healthy tagatose,” is growing, and the company has developed methods for making additional affordable ingredients, such as allulose, allose and D-mannose, among others.

“There is a rising demand for products that retain a favorable taste but limit sugar content because of the escalating rates of obesity and diabetes and increased consumer awareness about the potential risks of excessive sugar consumption. The value of tagatose has already been validated by our existing partners/investors – ASR, Hershey and now Symrise,” he underscores.   

“We are working to encourage broad market adoption of this pure granulated tagatose as a healthier sugar option by using plant-based starch, enzymes and a patented production process, making rare monosaccharides a commercially viable/affordable alternative.”

Enhancing flavor combinations
Rogers says Bonumose will collaborate “broadly” with Symrise for tagatose while developing flavor combinations in beverages and other food (and non-food) categories. 

Nick Russell, senior vice president of the Business Incubation Group at Symrise, also tells Food Ingredients First that sweet and beverage applications that already, or could, include refined sugars such as ice cream, bakery, sweet fruit-based applications, soft drinks, energy drinks, will be best suited to this technology. 

The new partnership will enable the production of rare monosaccharides such as tagatose and allulose.“These innovations will also benefit F&B manufacturers whose applications contain artificial high-intensity sweeteners and are looking to change their sweetening systems to natural solutions.”

“Bonumose’s advancements in this area are perfect timing to bring new product offerings to the marketplace, and we want to support innovation with this minority investment. By collaborating and combining our expertise in sugar replacements, we will help solve the challenges of the food and beverage marketplace,” he explains. 

“The investment will enhance our flavor and taste balancing technologies with Bonumose’s innovative and economical tagatose and other alternative sweetening solutions.”

“Combining our technologies will enable us to offer our customers new pathways to sugar reduction and taste-balancing solutions,” outlines Russell. 

Ramping up production 
Bonumose opened a new R&D facility and manufacturing plant earlier this year. 

The facility allows for quality, consistent and economical production of their growing portfolio of sugar alternatives. 

Bonumose was founded in 2016 as a start-up. Since then, it has grown in the sustainable bulk production of healthy ingredients from globally-abundant plant material.

“We are coupling our expertise in tagatose and other naturally-occurring sugar alternatives with the extensive Symrise flavor proficiency and expansive portfolio across multiple human food and animal nutrition platforms,” adds Rogers. 

“This creates the opportunity to offer unique value to customers. The strength of Symrise as an augmented flavor house paired with Bonumose’s patented enzymatic technology will enable cutting-edge solutions to sugar reduction.”

By Elizabeth Green