The Natural Sweetener Alliance: Tate & Lyle and Manus expand access to sugar reduction solutions

Aiming to accelerate sugar reduction, ingredient supplier for healthier F&B Tate & Lyle launches The Natural Sweetener Alliance with bioalternatives scale-up platform Manus. The partners aim to expand access to natural sugar reduction solutions, starting with stevia Reb M. They note that this is the “first large-scale commercialization” of stevia Reb M, which is sourced, manufactured and bioconverted in the US.

Stevia Reb M is researched, developed and scaled by Manus and manufactured at the company’s BioFacility in Augusta, Georgia, US. The novel source enhances supply chain security and reliability for customers as it leverages Manus’ existing “all-Americas” supply chain, from leaf harvesting and extraction to bioconversion and final ingredient. 

Nick Hampton, Tate & Lyle’s CEO, comments: “This partnership, which represents a further strengthening of our sugar reduction offering, will enable us to create new and innovative solutions for customers and help them meet growing consumer demand for healthier and tastier food and drink.”

Ajikumar Parayil, Manus’ founder and CEO, adds that the Natural Sweetener Alliance partners “will accelerate innovation, secure supply and grow the global natural sweeteners market, driving down sugar consumption and making healthier, high-quality options accessible worldwide.”

Advancing innovations

Tate & Lyle will leverage its stevia R&D on sensory applications, nutrition and regulation in the partnership, aiming to develop additional innovative ingredients to meet customers’ sweetening needs.  

“Our customers will benefit from more flexible, expanded supply chain sourcing and the highest quality of stevia in the market. We are setting the standard together for Reb M and its expanded use across food and beverage categories in all regions as we partner to deliver on sugar reduction goals,” says Abigail Storms, Tate & Lyle’s SVP of the fiber and sweetener platform.

“This Reb M is the result of stevia leaf grown extracted and bioconverted within the Americas, optimizing the end-to-end supply chain and thereby supporting local economies and communities.”

Sugar reduction efforts are key in food and beverage developments to support consumers’ demand for healthier options.In addition, Christine Santos, Manus’ chief technology officer, says the company aims to develop and scale sustainable solutions using industrial biotechnology to improve health and the environment. 

“With The Natural Sweetener Alliance, we look forward to further expanding our ingredient portfolio to meet customer and consumer needs globally for natural sugar reduction solutions.”

Sugar reduction developments

As consumer demand for healthier and natural options increases, sugar reduction efforts take center stage in F&B developments. At the recent SIAL trade show, brands showcased their low- or no-sugar formulations, such as products infused with fruit juice instead of sugar or using allulose as a sweetener. 

Amid a debate on the safety and effectiveness of non-sugar sweeteners such as aspartame, companies are exploring stevia and other natural sweetener solutions. For example, Shiru and Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America joined forces to identify and develop sweet proteins to replace sugar and sweeteners. 

Stevia suppliers highlight the need for innovation to improve the ingredient’s taste and applications. In addition, stevia supplier Cargill highlighted research earlier this year finding no significant impact of the sweetener on gut microflora. Another study found that stevia helped reduce hunger feelings, with participants consuming fewer calories than people taking water or any other sweetened beverage.