ADM, GLG Life Tech collaborate on Reb M stevia launch

GLG Life Tech's new sweeteners are made from its proprietary high Reb M Dream Sweetener stevia leaf.

VANCOUVER, B.C. — GLG Life Tech Corp. on Feb. 7 launched its Reb M sweetener product line in collaboration with Archer Daniels Midland Co., a global sales and marketing partner. The sweeteners are made from GLG Life Tech’s proprietary high Reb M Dream Sweetener stevia leaf, which has high quantities of Reb M steviol glycosides that have a sugar-like taste.

Luke Zhang, Ph.D., c.e.o. and chairman of GLG Life Tech

“These products provide a clean and full-bodied sweetness experience that is remarkably close to sugar, allowing for deeper calorie reduction through sugar formulations, and with its sucrose-like sweetness, these high Reb M products enable formulators to reduce sugar more than ever before and provide the end consumer with better-tasting choices,” said Luke Zhang, Ph.D., chief executive officer and chairman of Vancouver-based GLG Life Tech.

Since the Reb M extracts are produced solely from the stevia leaf, the extracts may be used as sweeteners in jurisdictions like Europe that do not otherwise permit the use of such extracts with steviol glycosides when produced using bioconversion or fermentation methods, according to GLG Life Tech.

Brian Meadows, president and c.f.o. of GLG Life Tech

“Having this wide-ranging acceptance across key regulatory jurisdictions provides a significant advantage, not only for Europe-centric brands but also for those global brands looking to distribute their products in all major global markets,” said Brian Meadows, president and chief financial officer of GLG Life Tech.

Reb M is 200 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose, giving it more upfront sweetness with reduced lingering and bitterness when compared to traditional stevia sweeteners, according to GLG Life Tech, a supplier of zero-calorie natural sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit extracts. The Reb M sweeteners work well across all food and beverage applications. They may be used in blends with monk fruit, allulose, agave syrup, and erythritol and other polyols (sugar alcohols).

Rodney Schanefelt, director for ADM

“GLG’s high Reb M product line provides many different options for our customers who are seeking improved taste, greater calorie and added sugar reduction, and clean label solutions for their latest food and beverage innovations,” said Rodney Schanefelt, director for Chicago-based ADM. “Because GLG Dream Sweetener leaf is the direct source for these products, we can also offer customers an organic line of leaf-sourced high Reb M products through GLG, which gives formulators even more options. We are excited about the possibilities this new line of sweeteners opens for our customers.”