Dive Brief:
- Steviva Ingredients,which makes natural sweeteners and sweetening systems, received organic certification for its Erysweet Erythritol, SteviaSweet RA98 Stevia Extract, and SteviaSweet 95-60 Stevia Extract products, according to BevNet.
- The certification allows Steviva to market both conventional and organic sweeteners to manufacturers, as well as co-pack and private label them, Steviva Ingredients CEO and President Thom King told BevNet.
- In September, the company received its Safe Quality Food Level 2 certification, which focuses on verification and validation of stringent food safety and quality measures throughout the supply chain.
Dive Insight:
With organic products and alternative sweeteners like stevia both trending right now, it makes sense for ingredient producers to try to hit both of these targets.
The global stevia market is growing, with an estimated size of $337.7 million in 2015, according to Grand View Research. Domestically, the U.S. stevia market is expected to have a 4.5% CAGR from 2016 to 2024. With so much stevia growth, it makes sense for producers to do anything they can to stand out. And considering that some of consumers turning toward stevia and other natural sweeteners are more health conscious, there's likely to be an overlap of consumers who are also interested in more natural production methods.
Steviva's certification covers two of its stevia extract products as well as an erythritol sweetener. This natural product, which has fewer calories than traditional sugar and a glycemic index of zero, only has a small share of the sweetener market because it is difficult to extract. New technology may bring it to more consumers, and the certified organic seal on the product could help it become more popular.