Tate & Lyle Launches First Fruit-based Calorie-free Sweetening Solution

Tate & Lyle has entered into a five-year strategic partnership agreement with New Zealand-based BioVittoria for the exclusive global marketing and distribution rights for BioVittoria’s monk fruit. The only fruit-based calorie-free sweetening ingredient available today, natural monk fruit extract is a means to reduce sugar and calories in foods and beverages.

The agreement expands Tate & Lyle’s broad portfolio of wellness ingredients and advances the company’s strategy of extending its leadership position as a global provider of specialty food ingredient solutions. Tate & Lyle will be marketing the products in the US under the Purefruit brand name.

According to terms of the agreement, BioVittoria will award exclusive global sales and distribution rights to Tate & Lyle for its monk fruit extract. Tate & Lyle will support the development of the line of Purefruit products with sales, research, marketing and product development. Using proprietary, natural methods, the Tate & Lyle research team has further refined and improved the taste of its Purefruit products for a wide array of foods including beverages, dairy, cereal, confectionary and bakery products.

BioVittoria will continue management of the monk fruit extract supply chain, including seedling cultivation, the grower network and natural processing.

Monk fruit is also known as luo han guo and is native to South East Asia where it has been in use for hundreds of years. Its pulp is steeped in hot water to release a natural, calorie-free sweetening ingredient that is around 200 times sweeter than sugar. Monk fruit extract received a letter in January 2010 stating that FDA had no questions after receipt of BioVittoria’s GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) notification.