Steviva Ingredients announced its MonkSweet plus, a natural sweetening solution that combines three branded ingredients — SteviaSweet 95-60, monk fruit extract and Erysweet Erythritol — in a proprietary blend.

Coca-Cola Life, a reduced-calorie carbonated soft drink (CSD) sweetened with cane sugar and stevia leaf extract, will arrive in the United States this week, according to an Aug. 22 blog post by The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta.

Building upon its full-calorie Astro Pop Soda line, which reflects its retro Astro Pop lollipop, Leaf Brands LLC introduced naturally sweetened, zero-calorie versions of the sodas.

At picnics and other outdoor events during the summer and early fall, consumers have to watch out for bees that might crawl into their unattended beverage cans.

The current economic climate coupled with governmental and consumer concerns about health and wellness created a tough environment for the carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) market this year, according to analysts.