There’s Gold in Them Thar Sweet (Stevia) Leaves

Implications: Wisdom Natural Brands (Gilbert, AZ) began shipping SweetLeaf tabletop sweetener to stores around the nation on June 2.  By being the first in the race for a good-tasting, natural and nationally available stevia-based tabletop, Wisdom Natural Brands (Gilbert, AZ) stands to establish itself as the defacto standard taste for stevia in the minds of consumers.  The first taste – especially when pleasant and good-for-you – is a powerful habit former and has the potential to affect the other sweeteners to follow. 

Analysis: Stevia, used for centuries to sweeten teas and medicines in South America, is used extensively in Japan and growing popular in China and India – two of the world’s largest sweetener markets.  An aftertaste reminiscent of licorice and green grassy taste held back previously launched stevia dietary-supplement brands from becoming popular with Americans.  The material was banned as a sweetener in the United States by the FDA and allowed only in 1995 PROVIDED it was labeled as a “dietary supplement.”  

On May 15, Cargill launched TRUVIA™, a branded stevia-derived sweetener for use in foods and beverages.  Cargill collaborated with Coca-Cola to sponsor extensive scientific studies of safety to establish “self-affirmed GRAS status” – a route allowed by the FDA in recent years.  Within a fortnight, Wisdom Natural Brands, with approximately $12 million in annual sales, launched SweetLeaf tabletop sweetener. On Thursday, Wisdom will announce the distribution of SweetLeaf tabletop sweetener that will soon be available in thousands of supermarkets across the country and more than 14,000 health food stores. 

The leading non-caloric high potency sweeteners in the market today, including Equal, Splenda, and Sweet ‘N Low, are artificial and not found in nature.  In the natural sector, Sweet Simplicity from Merisant and Z-sweet from Ventana Health Inc have yet to attain the distribution, market penetration or brand equity of Wisdom’s SweetLeaf.  SweetLeaf Sweetener and SweetLeaf SteviaPlus from Wisdom Natural Brands (Gilbert, AZ) is all-natural, contains no calories and does not raise blood sugar levels, making it safer for individuals with diabetes and consumers watching their sugar and calorie intake. 

Stevia promises more than sweet beverages and foods to consumers around the world.  The plant crop deemed “perfect for Third World countries” by Wisdom CEO Jim May offers a sustainable revenue source to marijuana and cocaine growers in Latin America, a lucrative alternative to corn to farmers in the United States and a fascinating number of applications in pet food, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries.