Stevia sweeteners specialist PureCircle has been given the green light for expanded use and applications of its “next generation” stevia leaf sweetener, Reb M, in Singapore, opening up opportunities for food and beverage companies seeking zero- and low-calorie options. Chicago-headquartered PureCircle has ramped up its capacity to supply plant-based and non-GMO certified Reb M to keep pace with the growing global demand for stevia.

PureCircle reports there are several factors driving demand for its proprietary stevia sweeteners including high demand for sugar reduction from a consumer perspective and regulatory agencies around the world calling for sugar reformulation across food and beverage categories.

New generation stevia leaf sweeteners such as Reb M allow great tasting experiences without the calories of sugar, notes the company, which is officially debuting the expanded use of its Reb M stevia leaf sweetener during an event in Singapore today.

PureCircle Vice President of Asia Pacific Navneet Singh and Chief Supply Chain Officer Gary Juncosa will present an in-depth look at stevia innovations and trends.

PureCircle will also discuss its participation in the 2022 mission to help eliminate 150 billion calories from the Singapore diet by replacing 10 percent per capita sugar consumption with stevia.

“Singapore’s approval to expand the use and application our Reb M stevia leaf sweetener enables us to even better capitalize on the growth opportunities in Asia created by our innovation and by the increasing demand for new generation stevia ingredients,” says PureCircle CEO Maga Malsagov.

“It enables us to even better serve our customers by providing them with the best-tasting stevia leaf sweeteners and flavors at scale and cost-effectively.”

By way of background, the story of stevia is evolving.

PureCircle points out that stevia’s application and popularity continues to evolve.

Recent PureCircle advances enable the company to significantly boost production of next-generation stevia sweeteners, like Reb M, which have the most sugar-like taste and are highly-sought after by food and beverage companies, according to PureCircle.