PureCircle extends stevia supply agreement with Merisant

Malaysia’s stevia sweetener producer PureCircle has signed a stevia supply agreement with Merisant, a producer of low and zero-calorie tabletop sweeteners for consumers.

Through this partnership, Merisant has further strengthened its ten-year partnership with PureCircle.

Currently, Merisant’s sweetener products are sold in more than 90 countries worldwide and its product range includes Canderel, Equal, PureVia and Whole Earth.

Both PureVia and Whole Earth use PureCircle’s next-generation stevia.

PureCircle CEO Maga Malsagov said: “Merisant is a key partner for PureCircle. Merisant is a terrific company with terrific products. Merisant’s innovative, natural sweetening solutions provide consumers with the best-tasting stevia leaf ingredients available in the marketplace today.

“This new agreement will benefit both companies, assuring Merisant an expanded supply of next-generation stevia sweeteners and assuring PureCircle a growing stream of sales to Merisant for its great-tasting stevia ingredients.

“This agreement is further testament to the quality of our next generation leaf and to our growing role as the resource and innovation partner for food and beverage companies globally.”

The agreement will focus on the supply of PureCircle’s next-generation stevia sweetener ingredients, including Reb M.

Last year, PureCircle announced its plans to increase the production of its capacity to supply Reb M to consumer product companies.

PureCircle’s Reb M is a zero-calorie sweetener produced using stevia leaf that offers a sugar-like taste.

Merisant Company, Flavors Holdings and MAFCO CEO Albert Manzone said: “Our partnership with PureCircle over the past decade has provided Merisant access to the best stevia leaf ingredients available. As consumers continue to search for natural products and opportunities to reduce sugar, our brands strive to bring the best-tasting stevia products at the best value to the market.

“We are excited to continue our partnership in bringing the next generation of stevia to the consumer, and helping to give consumers more and better options to live a healthier lifestyle without sacrificing taste.”

In March, PureCircle received approval for the expanded use of its next-generation stevia leaf sweetener, Reb M, in Singapore.