By Leslie Josephs and Alexandra Wexler
NEW YORK--Cargill Inc. is planning to introduce its Truvia
sweetener in Brazil and India within a year, as the agricultural
company looks to cash in on calorie-consciousness in emerging
markets.
"I'd expect to see the product on shelves in the next 12
months," said Mark Brooks, Truvia's product line director, in an
interview with The Wall Street Journal.
Truvia is made with an extract of stevia, a plant native to
South America, and has been sold in the U.S. since 2008, where it
competes with other sugar substitutes, such as Splenda.
Sales of alternative sweeteners in the U.S. fell 1.2% in dollar
terms to $737.2 million, in the 52 weeks ended March 24, according
to SymphonyIRI Group, a Chicago-based market research firm. But
Truvia bucked the trend, with sales rising 12% to $91.2 million.
Those sales were still dwarfed by No. 1 sugar substitute Splenda,
which booked $279.4 million in sales, down 12% on the year, the
firm's data showed.
Cargill began selling Truvia in Mexico in 2010 and in Venezuela
last year. Now the company is taking aim at Brazil and India, large
emerging markets and the world's top two sugar producers. India is
also the No. 1 consumer of sugar.
"The commonality (between the emerging markets) is increasing
trends for ... managing calories," Mr. Brooks said.
Cargill is conducting focus groups in Brazil and India to
determine how it will market the product, which comes in small
sachets and a spoonable form, as well as a sugar-Truvia mix aimed
at bakers.
"Just offering the wrong size of sachet could turn (off) the
consumer," Mr. Brooks said.
Other big brands are using the sweetener too, such as Coca-Cola
Co.'s (KO) reduced-calorie Odwalla juice and Sprite Green.
Still, some researchers say low- and no-calorie sugar
alternatives could have adverse health effects and potentially
cause overeating. When consuming sugar, the body recognizes the
calories that follow, says Susan Swithers, a professor in
behavioral neuroscience at Purdue University who has researched
eating habits and body weight.
If the brain stops associating sweetness with calories, the
"body may not recognize how many calories" are in certain foods,
Ms. Swithers said. "That could mean that you overeat."
Write to Leslie Josephs at leslie.josephs@dowjones.com and
Alexandra Wexler at alexandra.wexler@dowjones.com