SUGAR ALTERNATIVES AND REDUCTIONS
products from the outset. “Sugar reduction will no longer be treated as a constraint to work around, but as a trigger for innovation.”
New stevia brand to drive sugar reduction The race to develop better-tasting sugar alternatives continues to gather pace, with ingredient manufacturers investing in next- generation sweetening technologies to meet growing demand for healthier confectionery. Manus, the proven bioalternatives
confectionery, where texture is central to the overall eating experience. Many of the ingredients enabling
these reformulations are plant-derived, reflecting wider consumer demand for natural, recognisable ingredients as well as improved nutrition. Sophie-Géraldine points to maltitol,
sourced from starch, as one example of an ingredient that delivers both functionality and health benefits. Alongside providing sugar-like sweetness, it offers a lower glycaemic response than sucrose—a characteristic becoming increasingly relevant as consumers pay closer attention to long-term metabolic health and as the use of GLP-1 medications continues to expand. She also believes plant-based ingredients align closely with the growing clean label movement. “Consumers increasingly want to replace sugar and understand what’s replaced it,” she says. That demand is already visible across
product launches, with “sugar-free” and “no added sugar” claims now appearing on around two in five new food and beverage products carrying a sugar-related claim. As a result, manufacturers are placing greater emphasis on ingredients with recognisable origins that support both transparency and nutritional improvement. Sophie-Géraldine expects regulatory
requirements and changing consumer expectations to continue accelerating innovation across the sector. She believes regulators are increasingly encouraging manufacturers to move beyond simple one-to- one sugar substitutions towards reformulating the overall product matrix, creating products that deliver broader nutritional benefits rather than simply containing less sugar.
20 • KENNEDY’S BAKERY PRODUCTION • JUNE/JULY 2026 At the same time, consumers are
becoming more discerning. Lower sugar alone is no longer enough—products must still deliver the taste and indulgence people expect while offering cleaner labels and additional health benefits such as fibre enrichment or a lower glycaemic impact.
scale-up platform, and Tate & Lyle PLC (Tate & Lyle), a global leader in ingredient solutions for healthier food and beverages, today 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 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™
YUME BRINGS TOGETHER NATURE’S
PROMISE AND MANUS’ BIOMANUFACTURING
CAPABILITY TO DELIVER A NEW STANDARD IN
SWEETNESS – AJIKUMAR
“AJI” PARAYIL, FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF MANUS.
“Taste remains non-negotiable,”
Sophie-Géraldine says, “but there’s growing acceptance that sugar reduction should come with functional benefits rather than relying solely on artificial- sounding solutions.” For manufacturers, this represents a
significant shift in mindset. Rather than treating sugar reduction as a technical hurdle, Sophie-Géraldine believes it is becoming an opportunity to redesign
M Stevia is produced at Manus’ BioFacility in Augusta, Georgia, the only large-scale stevia bioconversion site in the U.S. Yume M leverages Manus’ comprehensive all-Americas supply chain, ensuring end-to-end traceability, strengthening supply security for customers, and supporting future stevia innovation. “Yume brings together nature’s promise and Manus’ biomanufacturing capability to deliver a new standard in sweetness,” says Ajikumar “Aji” Parayil, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Manus. “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.” “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,” says Nick Hampton, CEO, Tate & Lyle. 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
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