The classic refrain of Neil Diamond’s 1969 “Sweet Caroline” extended beyond radios and recording studios when it became the anthem for the Boston Red Sox, being played during the eighth inning of every game at Fenway Park since 2004. When it comes to sweetening solutions like stevia, erythritol and monk fruit, ingredient suppliers and consumers alike are “singing the sweet refrain” of healthier beverages with reduced sugar content and calories.
Nancy Polito, innovation project manager for Pyure Brands LLC, Naples, Fla., notes that the impact of COVID-19 has resulted in an 11 percent increase in alternative sweeteners’ consumption, boosting sweetener category growth to the $5 billion mark.