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Stevia First launches new web site

Stevia First has launched what it says is an informative website designed to educate, promote and inform the public, industry partners, as well as local growers regarding the opportunity for California stevia production. As the United States, Mexico, and many additional countries worldwide come to grips with the forecasts of crippling long term economic and […]

Stevia First has launched what it says is an informative website designed to educate, promote and inform the public, industry partners, as well as local growers regarding the opportunity for California stevia production.

As the United States, Mexico, and many additional countries worldwide come to grips with the forecasts of crippling long term economic and social impacts due to national epidemics of obesity, diabetes and related complications, Stevia First believes there is increased pressure to make healthier food and beverage options available. Stevia, it points out, is a zero-calorie sweetener that acts as a healthy, plant-derived alternative to sugar, and its use is an established and effective way to reduce calories and prevent metabolic disorder.

U.S. production of stevia could be a game-changing opportunity for the food and beverage sector, the company claims. The stevia industry has long been dominated by Asian production with availability and pricing determined overseas, due to the introduction of stevia in Japan in the 1970s. But despite recent regulatory approvals in the U.S. in 2008, and in Europe in 2011, and despite many successful product launches, supply and prices from very labour-intensive overseas production systems has been volatile in recent years, Stevia First says. Mechanised agricultural production in the United States combined with modern bioprocessing techniques by Stevia First could, the company believes, significantly change the economics and reliability of stevia leaf extract production, enabling key food and beverage companies to act with confidence to increase usage and marketing of healthier stevia products.

“Today’s announcement is exciting for us, as we’ve laid the groundwork over the last few years to truly modernize stevia production through the first significant U.S. production,” said Stevia First CEO, Robert Brooke,  “and these resources highlight the advances we’ve made and how support from key stevia buyers can readily enable it.”