(Food-Beverage-News.Com, July 23, 2022 ) According to a new market research report titled, ‘High-intensity Sweeteners Market by Product (Sucralose, Stevia, Aspartame, Acesulfame-K, Saccharin, Neotame, Others), Source (Natural, Artificial), Form (Solid, Liquid), Application (Beverages, Food, Pharmaceuticals, Others) - Global Forecast to 2029,’ the high-intensity sweeteners market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% from 2022–2029 to reach $4.20 billion by 2029.
The increasing health consciousness among consumers and the rising demand for low-calorie food products are the major factors driving the growth of the high-intensity sweeteners market. Regular consumption of high-calorie sugar negatively impacts health leading to health issues such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular and liver diseases. These factors have influenced people to reduce sugar intake and adopt low-calorie sweeteners, such as stevia, monk fruit, sucralose, saccharin, and other high-intensity sweeteners.
The Impact of COVID-19 on the High-intensity Sweeteners Market
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped everything from global economies to pricing, stock availability, and consumer behavior. Numerous countries worldwide declared emergencies and announced complete nationwide, statewide, or citywide lockdowns, halting all travel, transport, manufacturing, educational institutions, and non-essential trade to curb the spread of infection. These restrictions significantly impacted many industries, reducing manufacturing and distribution globally. The sweeteners industry faced significant disruptions in raw material supply due to the pandemic. In addition, imports and exports in many countries were restricted or delayed due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic creating numerous challenges for sweetener suppliers.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the adoption of some best-practice models for the food industry as it highlighted the importance of hygienic and nutritious foods comprising reduced sugar, calories, and fats in the prevention of diseases. This industry faced unprecedented demand from consumers, particularly for low-calorie food products.
According to an article published in August 2021 by the Massachusetts General Hospital, cutting down 20% of sugar from packaged foods and 40% from beverages could prevent 2.48 million cases of cardiovascular disease, 490,000 deaths related to cardiovascular disease, and 750,000 diabetes cases in the U.S. Therefore, many companies in the food industry have already started changing their strategies by replacing sugar with high-intensity sweeteners.
In addition, there is a rapid surge in demand for less sugary and immunity-boosting products as people seek solutions to boost overall health and wellbeing. The COVID-19 pandemic has also prompted most health-conscious customers to turn to low-calorie or sugar-free food products. Hence, the increasing health consciousness among consumers and high demand for sugar-reducing solutions have compelled manufacturers and product formulators to opt for high-intensity sweeteners.
According to an article published by Nutrition Outlook, the sales of dietary supplements increased during the pandemic due to their immune-boosting properties. During the last week of March 2020, the sales growth for overall dietary supplements skyrocketed to more than 35% in the U.S. Also, according to Glanbia plc., the purchase of dietary supplements in retail outlets increased significantly during April 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of consuming nutritious foods with reduced sugar content, resulting in the increased demand for fortified foods and functional beverages loaded with low-calorie sweeteners and other healthy components globally. Also, food & beverages with zero/low-calorie sweeteners are experiencing a rapid surge in demand due to the increasing health awareness among consumers. According to Glanbia plc, the U.S. functional beverage market was valued at $48.4 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.6% between 2020 and 2025.
Thus, growing health and wellness concerns, strong demand for dietary supplements, and the surge in demand for sugar-free products are expected to propel the growth of the high-intensity sweeteners market.
The high-intensity sweeteners market is segmented based on product (sucralose, stevia, aspartame, acesulfame-k, neotame, saccharin, luo han guo [monk fruit], neotame, and other high-intensity sweeteners), source (natural and artificial), form (solid, liquid), application (beverages, food, nutrition and health supplements, pharmaceuticals, and other applications), and geography. The study also evaluates industry competitors and analyzes the market at the regional and country levels.
Based on product, in 2022, the sucralose segment is expected to account for the largest share of the high-intensity sweeteners market. The large share of this segment is attributed to the increasing application of sucralose in food & beverages and its benefits, such as prolonged shelf-life and low quantity required to achieve desired sweet taste. However, the stevia segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period of 2022–2029. The growth of this segment is driven by the increasing number of new stevia-based product launches, rising demand for stevia application in the beverage industry, and increasing consumer preferences for reduced sugar and healthy products.
Based on source, in 2022, the artificial high-intensity sweeteners segment is expected to account for the largest share of the high-intensity sweeteners market. However, the natural high-intensity sweeteners segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period of 2022–2029. The high growth of this segment is driven by factors such as the increasing awareness about the importance of consuming food products with natural ingredients, growing consumer preference for clean label and healthy products, and the increasing use of stevia and other natural sweeteners by leading food & beverage companies.
Based on form, in 2022, the solid segment is expected to account for the largest share of the high-intensity sweeteners market. The large market share of this segment is attributed to its wide availability and benefits such as ease of handling, transportation, and storage, better shelf-life, ease of use in various applications due to high mixability, and effective product formulation.
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Based on application, in 2022, the beverages segment is expected to account for the largest share of the high-intensity sweeteners market. The large share of this segment is attributed to factors such as the health benefits of high-intensity sweeteners in beverages, increasing number of product development and launches of high-intensity sweetener-based beverages, and rising demand for sugar-free beverages. Also, the increasing demand for natural health and sports drinks with enhanced nutritional value further boosts the growth of this segment. However, the food segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of this segment is driven by factors such as the increasing consumer preferences for healthy food and the increasing application of high-intensity sweeteners in different food products, including baked goods, confectionery, and savory snacks. In addition, the changing food consumption patterns and the rise of clean-label trends supports the growth of high-intensity sweeteners.
Based on geography, in 2022, North America is expected to hold the major share of the high-intensity sweeteners market. The major share of this regional market is attributed to factors such as the increasing obese and diabetic population, growing health and wellness concerns, a well-established food & beverage industry, and strong demand for sugar-free products in North America. However, Asia-Pacific is slated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period of 2022–2029. The high market growth in Asia-Pacific is driven by the change in consumer lifestyles, the emerging trend of healthy food & food ingredients, the rising awareness about the health benefits of sugar-free products, the rising incidence of obesity & diabetes, and rapid urbanization.
The high-intensity sweeteners market has witnessed several new product launches, partnerships, agreements, and collaborations in recent years. The report includes an extensive assessment of the key strategic developments by leading market participants in the industry over the past four years (2019–2022).
The key players operating in the high-intensity sweeteners market are Tate & Lyle PLC (U.K.), Roquette Frčres (France), Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (U.S.), Cargill, Incorporated (U.S.), Ingredion Incorporated (U.S.), JK Sucralose Inc. (China), Ajinomoto Co. (Japan), The NutraSweet Co. (U.S.), Südzucker AG (Germany), Guilin Layn Natural Ingredients Corp. (China), Zhucheng Haotian Pharm Co., Ltd. (China), HSWT France SAS (France), and STEVIALITE Holding (Colombia).
