PureCircle reported launches of new food and beverage products containing stevia leaf sweeteners increased significantly in the first six months of 2018 vs the comparable period in 2017. The data used in this release was provided by Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD). Specifically, new product launches with stevia rose +27% globally. About one-third of foods and beverages launched using high-intensity sweeteners contained stevia this year, nearly double the rate when compared to the first six months in 2012. Looking at results separately for global beverages and foods, launches of beverage products containing stevia grew 33% in the first half of 2018. Launches of food products with stevia grew 23%. As evidenced by this growth data, stevia has become a very important ingredient for beverage and food companies. To meet this increase in demand, PureCircle has increased production capacity enabling it to supply significantly more of the best-tasting stevia sweeteners like Reb D and Reb M. That enables the company to provide customers the best-tasting stevia sweeteners in significant quantities and cost effectively. PureCircle works with a growing global network of farmers to sourcestevia leaf – and has begun working with farmers in North Carolina. Consistent with the growth of stevia use in product launches, the increase relative to other zero-calorie sweeteners has also been dramatic. In the first six months of 2012, stevia was used in 16% of food and beverage products launched with high-intensity sweeteners; aspartame was at 36%. Fast forward to the first six months of 2018, stevia usage nearly doubled to 31%; aspartame fell to just 22%. With stevia, food and beverage companies have access to a non-GMO sweetener from a plant which can deliver on taste. PureCircle works closely with the world’s leading beverage and food companies to supply them with stevia and to support their use of stevia. Major companies launching products with stevia leaf sweetener in the first half of 2018 included the following (in alphabetical order): Calbee Foods, The Coca-Cola Co, Danone, Grupo Bimbo, Kraft Heinz, Nestle, PepsiCo, Seven & I Holdings and Unilever. Beverage and food product launches with stevia as an ingredient are taking place globally, according to Mintel research, with all regions seeing growth. The top two regions were Asia/Pacific (42%) and Europe (22%), followed by Latin America, North America and Middle East/Africa.