Sweetener specialist PureCircle has developed and is now expanding the use of a new stevia leaf variety, which the company says will provide significant advantages compared to previous generations of stevia plants. Cultivated by PureCircle and field-tested, this new stevia varietal yields more substantial quantities of next-generation stevia ingredients.

This breakthrough – increasing the effective yield of the company’s stevia plants – enhances the company’s production efficiency and even further improves its ability to deliver a sustainable supply of these next-generation stevia leaf ingredients to food and beverage companies. With that higher yield, this new stevia variety – the result of the company’s expertise in stevia innovation and agronomy – provides further cost-effectiveness as more significant quantities of ingredients can be sourced from each leaf.

The PureCircle’s innovation strength has led to its securing 200 patents globally related to stevia. This year, 20 % of the company’s stevia plants were comprised of this new variety, and the company plans to switch 90 % of its stevia crop to this variety in 2020.