Wixon announced the appointment of Jason Williams as chief commercial officer (CCO) of the company. Williams will report to President Peter Gottsacker and serve as a member of the executive leadership team. In this role, Williams will lead Wixon’s industrial and protein sales teams, oversee project management, and direct the company’s marketing strategy to support continued growth and strengthen customer partnerships. “Jason’s leadership, industry expertise, and customer-focused mindset make him a strong addition to our executive team,” Gottsacker said in a statement. “His ability to connect strategy with execution will strengthen our commercial operations and accelerate our growth initiatives.”

Williams brings more than 25 years of ingredient industry experience to Wixon, while achieving progressive career advancements and a proven track record in commercial leadership, strategic sales development, and cross-functional collaboration. As CCO, Williams will focus on expanding Wixon’s industrial and protein business segments, while enhancing project management processes, and reinforcing the company’s brand and market presence through integrated marketing initiatives. Taking a customer-centric focus, he will work closely with teams across the organization to ensure seamless collaboration from concept through commercialization. “I’m excited to join Wixon and work alongside such a talented team,” Williams said. “Wixon’s commitment to innovation, quality, and customer partnerships is impressive. I look forward to helping drive continued success and delivering exceptional value to our customers.”

Apura Ingredients, NewTree Fruit announce strategic partnership

NewTree Fruit Co. and Apura Ingredients announced a strategic partnership aimed at bringing NewTree’s patented De-Sugared fruit technology to a broader portfolio of ingredient solutions through Apura’s established global supply network and formulation expertise. NewTree Fruit Co.’s patented process extracts 100% of fruit juice’s inherent sugar while maintaining the full nutrient profile, natural color, flavor and acidity across all beverage and food categories. This is part of the company’s commitment to collaborating with brands to create great tasting fruit infused products without adding unwanted sugar, calories, or carbohydrates and offering a clean label. Through this partnership, NewTree’s De-Sugared fruit ingredients will integrate into Apura’s portfolio of sugar-reduction solutions, providing manufacturers across beverage, dairy, confectionery, and other segments. “Today’s consumers are re-educating themselves on what it means to enjoy fruit and fruit-derived ingredients,” said Kim Anderson, co-founder of NewTree Fruit Co., in a statement. “Our De-Sugared technology empowers product developers to formulate products that feature real fruit nutrition without unwanted sugar. Partnering with Apura Ingredients accelerates our mission by pairing our innovation with their deep market reach and technical formulation expertise.” Nancy Hughes, president of Apura Ingredients, added: “We are excited about partnering with NewTree to bring De-Sugared fruit technology to the global marketplace. At Apura, we believe sugar reduction should not be simply about compromised choices, and this collaboration strengthens our commitment to providing ingredient solutions that maintain taste, functionality, and contribute to consumers’ health goals.”

Tate & Lyle, Manus launch new sweetener brand

Tate & Lyle PLC and Manus announced the launch of Yume, a new brand under The Sweetener Alliance. Yume, from the Japanese word for “dream,” is set to redefine sweetness by harnessing the power of science and nature, the companies say. The strategic partnership, announced a year ago, aims to expand access to innovative sugar-reduction solutions. The first product under the new brand is Yume M Stevia Sweetener, a premium all-Americas stevia-derived sweetener with great sugar-like taste. Developed and scaled by Manus, Yume M Stevia is produced at Manus’ BioFacility in Augusta, Ga., the only large-scale stevia bioconversion site in the United States. Yume M leverages Manus’ comprehensive all-Americas supply chain, ensuring end-to-end traceability, strengthening supply security for customers, and supporting future stevia innovation. Nick Hampton, CEO at Tate & Lyle stated: “The Sweetener Alliance, our strategic partnership with Manus launched a year ago, is a clear example of Tate & Lyle’s science driven, solutions-focused approach at work. Our partnership accelerates the growth of ingredients that meet society’s evolving nutrition needs and industry’s growing need for security of supply. Yume M Stevia – our all-Americas stevia Reb M – gives our customers expanded access to innovative, cost-competitive sugar-reduction solutions.” Ajikumar “Aji” Parayil, founder and CEO of Manus, added: “Yume brings together nature’s promise and Manus’ biomanufacturing capability to deliver a new standard in sweetness. With Yume sweeteners, we are translating next-generation industrial biotechnology and bioalternatives into commercially scalable sweetener solutions. Partnering with Tate & Lyle helps us accelerate global adoption by combining Manus’ bioalternative products, scale-up platform, and supply-chain traceability with Tate & Lyle’s formulation expertise and market access. Together, we are bringing cost-competitive, scalable products to consumer brands looking to reduce sugar without compromising taste.” Crafted for sugar-like sweetness and reliable performance, Yume M Stevia gives brands a scalable, dependable solution as stevia adoption continues to accelerate across food and beverage categories.