Sweet as it comes

About 20 miles northweest of the Digest’s West Coast Office, in Rancho Santa Margarita, stevia pioneer SweeGen picked up a tasty and sweting investment from Sumitomo Chemical, and private equity fund Outlook Investment Group  chipped in some welcome buckaroos.

Part of the investment will support SweeGen’s expansion of an additional manufacturing site located in Europe with a capacity to produce 3,000 metric tons of non-GMO stevia sweeteners.

The global sweetener market is valued at approximately $100 billion and non-GMO stevia sweeteners have led the way in replacing sugar in foods and beverages, nutritional products, pharmaceuticals and many other market products.

Sumitomo Chemical and Outlook Investment Group share SweeGen’s vision of global sugar reduction and strategically support the company with their industry knowledge and networks.

“We are developing our strategic partnership with SweeGen to be part of the continuous success in providing the natural sweetener market with the latest innovations and advanced technologies, and also extending our established relationship into new ventures in the field of Synthetic Biology,” said Hiroshi Ueda, vice president, Sumitomo Chemical.

“SweeGen has proven to disrupt the global sweetener market by delivering best tasting, non-GMO stevia sweetener solutions.  We are excited about the next stage growth plans,” said Matt Stamborski, managing partner, Outlook Investment Group.

Sweegen has just launched BESTIVIA Taste Solutions, a portfolio of non-GMO sweet taste solutions, using next generation of stevia sweeteners combined with modulators, mouthfeel and texture components.  Product manufacturers will find the portfolio valuable because in addition to the great taste, BESTIVIA Taste Solutions saves time and cost during their product development cycle.