Update on New Product Launches
April 06 2010 - 2:00AM
UK Regulatory
TIDMPURE
RNS Number : 7176J
PureCircle Limited
06 April 2010
PURECIRCLE LIMITED
("PureCircle" or "the Company")
Stevia-based product successes fuel new launch activity
PureCircle (LSE: PURE), the world's leading producer of Natural High Intensity
Sweeteners, including Reb A, is pleased to provide this update on the latest
developments in the global stevia market.
Stevia-based product launches continue rapid expansion globally. Thirty-five
countries across six continents have now launched a stevia-sweetened product.
According to Mintel, in 2010, 102 new products sweetened with stevia have been
launched, with 37 new products launched in March alone.
Japan remains the global leader in stevia product launches, with the United
States, South Korea, and Brazil showing increased activity in the month of
March. Key categories that have benefitted from the use of stevia this month
include beverages, dairy, confectionery, and sauces.
The new "green" stevia table top category continues to grow share behind more
than $70 million in media spending to date. Stevia has now surpassed both
saccharin and aspartame in terms of dollar sales share and has partially
contributed to the 2% decline in sucralose dollar sales compared to the same
period in the prior year.
This continued momentum in the marketplace is underscored by the unparalleled
successes achieved by initial products to hit the market.
Tropicana's Trop50 juice has "the highest repeat purchase after trial than we
(PepsiCo) have ever experienced. Not just in juice but across all of our
beverage (portfolio)," said Massimo d'Amore, CEO of PepsiCo Beverages America at
its investor meeting held on March 23, 2010. To continue the momentum with
Trop50, new flavors were launched to extend consumption occasions beyond
breakfast, tapping into the afternoon and snack occasions, which have also
proven to be successful.
SoBe Lifewater's launch of zero-calorie, naturally sweetened beverages is
evidence of how line extensions can reinvent a leading brand. Recent Nielsen
data indicates that its zero-calorie skus represent four out of the top five
skus for the brand. As a result, this month, the brand introduced two new
zero-calorie items to the portfolio - SoBe Lifewater B-Energy in Black Cherry
Dragonfruit and Strawberry Apricot varieties.
With proven success in the juice and hydration category, PepsiCo has now
announced the planned introduction of stevia into the market-leading Gatorade
brand, with the formulation of Natural G2 for the U.S. market. Stevia-sweetened
G2 is already enjoying initial success in Mexico.
Additionally in March, Kraft introduced a new line extension of its Crystal
Light drink mix called Crystal Light Pure Fitness. The Pure Fitness line
contains no artificial sweeteners. It consists of Strawberry Kiwi, Grape, and
Lemon Lime varieties, each with just 15 calories per serving.
To add to the tea category, Starbucks has announced plans to launch a line of
naturally sweetened, zero-calorie Tazo iced teas using stevia. The first three
all-natural varieties will be available in April 2010. Already available in the
iced tea category is Lipton 100% natural iced tea and green tea sweetened with
stevia, which was launched in February by the Pepsi Lipton Tea partnership.
The momentum for stevia continues in the confectionery category as well. In the
U.S. Ragold has re-introduced Velamints, which is now naturally sweetened with
stevia. The company also plans to launch stevia-sweetened Velamints in other
markets later this year.
In Switzerland, Villars Maîitre Chocolatier, a Swiss chocolate manufacturer with
a philosophy of not using any artificial colors or flavors, launched a
low-in-sugar, 70% cacao chocolate bar that is the first chocolate bar sweetened
with stevia. And in France, Abbaye de Sept-fons, launched NutriChoco a
chocolate grain-based product made for making hot chocolate or desserts that are
naturally low in calories.
"We are very encouraged to see the expansion of stevia-sweetened products in
2010. The continued movement into more countries, broader categories, and bigger
brands, with excellent business results, is a great sign that the mainstreaming
of stevia is accelerating," said Jason Hecker, Group Marketing Director of
PureCircle Limited.
About PureCircle
PureCircle is a pioneer in the extraction of natural goodness from plants and a
leading global producer of natural high-intensity sweeteners, including
high-purity Rebaudioside A (Reb A). The company has a vertically integrated
supply chain operating in three continents. Activities range from breeding of
proprietary stevia varieties, sourcing of dry stevia leaves and extraction, and
purification of extracts into sweetening ingredients to the marketing of these
ingredients to food and beverage manufacturers worldwide. PureCircle is listed
on the London Stock Exchange AIM market with the ticker symbol: LSE.PURE. For
more information, visit www.purecircle.com.
For More Information
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
| PureCircle Limited | |
| (www.purecircle.com) | |
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
| Jason Hecker, Marketing | (847) 630-0374 |
| Director | |
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
| Magomet Malsagov, | +60 1 2388 8049 |
| Managing Director | |
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
| William Mitchell, Finance | +44 7974 005 163 |
| Director | |
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
| | |
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
| Westport Communications | +44 20 7065 2690 |
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
| Alan Frame | alan@westportcomms.com |
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
| Jeanette Bishop | jeanette@westportcomms.com |
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
| | |
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
| RFC Corporate Finance Ltd | +61 8 9480 2500 |
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
| Stephen Allen | |
+---------------------------+----------------------------+
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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