Stevia supplier PureCircle has argued that new “important” markets will open for the high-intensity sweetener after a positive ruling global food standards body Codex.The London-listed firm said yesterday that a decision from the Codex Alimentarius Commission would help markets including India, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines approve the use of stevia in food and drink products. CFO William Mitchell said a decision from Codex to adopt all of the proposed draft maximum levels for... ...Read more »

Suppliers of stevia today lined up to welcome a ruling within the EU that brings full regulatory backing for the intense sweetener a step nearer. The EU’s Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health yesterday voted to recommend the use of stevia as an ingredient in food and beverages. Products containing stevia have been on sale in France for two years but suppliers are waiting for the EU to say that the ingredient can be used across the region. The European Parliament is set to look... ...Read more »

Stevia firm PureCircle nearly doubled its sales in the third quarter as its table-top sweeteners won market share in the US and France. In a trading update yesterday (13 January), the firm recorded sales of US$995m for the quarter compared to $488 in the comparable period of 2009. The company said it is expecting to report sales of $13m in the first half to 31 December. For the full-year, analyst consensus estimates are in the range $69m to $78m. “The company will benefit from having more... ...Read more »

US food giant Cargill said yesterday that it believes there will be demand across the EU for stevia, the natural, low-calorie sweetener awaiting regulatory approval from Brussels. Cargill, which develops stevia sweeteners for food and drink makers and sells its own branded tabletop sweetener under the Truvia trademark, is eyeing opportunities in the EU for the ingredient. Zanna McFerson, assistant vice president of Cargill’s health and nutrition arm, told just-food that the company has been... ...Read more »

Stevia supplier PureCircle has signed another venture to market sweeteners, this time with German food ingredients group Dohler.The venture, announced yesterday (23 September), comes a day after Malaysia-based PureCircle announced it was teaming up with French sugar giant Tereos to sell low-calorie sweeteners in Europe and Brazil. The Dohler venture will see PureCircle combine its stevia ingredients with the German group’s “sweetening flavour and application know-how” to make “natural,... ...Read more »

Stevia supplier PureCircle yesterday (3 August) launched a global campaign in a bid to boost awareness of the natural sweetener among consumers. The UK-listed group said a “trust mark” entitled “Stevia by PureCircle” would be carried on the packaging of “leading manufacturers around the world”. The print, digital and TV campaign will start next month alongside other co-marketing activities already in place. Products with the message “naturally sweetened... ...Read more »

Shares in UK-listed stevia producer PureCircle soured yesterday (27 July) after the business warned profits in 2010 would be lower than a year earlier. PureCircle’s stock was down 16.2% to 229.5p at 09:59 BST this morning in the wake of the company’s profit warning. The company said profits would be “held back” by “significantly increased investment” in production, sales and marketing. The group said it was also running under capacity. “PureCircle’s... ...Read more »