SUGAR ALTERNATIVES AND REDUCTIONS


categories. The result is sweetness without compromise – exceptional taste, consistent performance, and the confidence to scale.


Delivering less sugar without less indulgence As sugar reduction becomes a permanent feature


of bakery innovation rather Klaudia Volmer


customers expanded access to innovative, cost-competitive sugar-reduction solutions.”


Designed for taste, built for scale Yume introduces a premium brand expression for next-generation sweetness – bold on taste, grounded in science, and created to feel approachable, not technical. “With Yume™, we set out to create


a new kind of sweetener brand for the category – one that feels optimistic, modern, and grounded in science,” says Frederik Bjoerndal, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Marketing at Manus. “Yume reflects a deep respect for nature, enabled by advanced biotechnology and uniquely managed supply chains. It’s designed for the people who create products for a living – giving them confidence in taste, performance, and reliability, while pointing to a more hopeful, better-for-you future.” “Yume will help brands reduce sugar while


elevating flavor – today and into the future. Yume™ M Stevia unlocks the sweetest parts of stevia leaves through science and innovation. The brand is a celebration of taste, optimism, and progress – translating advanced science into products that are effortlessly enjoyable, joyful, and ready for real-world scale,” says Abigail Storms, Vice President Global Platform, Sweeteners and Fibers at Tate & Lyle. At launch, the companies sa Yume™


M Stevia Sweetener delivers a premium Reb M experience designed to meet rising demand for better-for-you products without sacrificing taste. Crafted for sugar-like sweetness and reliable performance, Yume™ M Stevia gives brands a scalable, dependable solution as stevia adoption continues to accelerate across food and beverage


than a passing trend, manufacturers are increasingly looking beyond sweetness alone. Today’s consumers still expect the familiar taste, texture and indulgence of cakes, biscuits and pastries, while also demanding cleaner labels, added nutritional benefits and products that support healthier lifestyles. According to Rudy Wouters Head of the BENEO-Technology Centre, successful reformulation depends on understanding the many roles sugar plays within a bakery recipe—and replacing them with carefully selected functional ingredients. Rudy explains that reducing sugar is


far more complex than simply matching sweetness. “Sugar reduction in bakery products is not a straightforward process,” he says. “It is not only about replicating sweetness and taste but also texture and colour.”


THE CATEGORY IS MOVING TOWARDS A ‘LESS SUGAR,


SAME PLEASURE’ MINDSET, WHERE MAINTAINING


INDULGENCE, TEXTURE AND FAMILIARITY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS IMPROVING NUTRITION CREDENTIALS. – RUDY WOUTERS, HEAD OF THE BENEO- TECHNOLOGY CENTER


Every ingredient replacing sugar


must either provide the same functional characteristics or work alongside complementary ingredients that recreate sugar’s behaviour throughout production and during the product’s shelf life. One ingredient playing an increasingly


important role is Isomalt, which Rudy describes as the only sugar replacer derived


from sugar beet. Offering a mild sweetness profile similar to sucrose but with around half the calories, it can provide the bulk and texturising properties required across a broad range of bakery applications, including cakes, muffins, biscuits, puff pastry and bakery fillings. It also enables manufacturers to make an EFSA-approved blood sugar management health claim when it replaces at least 30% of the sugar in a formulation. However, today’s ingredient solutions


are evolving beyond simple sugar replacement as wider consumer trends reshape product development. Growing interest in weight management—


driven in part by the rapid uptake of GLP-1 therapies—has coincided with increasing consumer awareness of digestive health and fibre intake. Social media trends such as “fibremaxxing” have further accelerated demand for products that deliver functional nutrition alongside indulgence. As a result, Rudy says ingredient suppliers


are increasingly combining sugar reduction with fibre enrichment. “We’re seeing functional ingredients evolve to cater for consumers


22 • KENNEDY’S BAKERY PRODUCTION • JUNE/JULY 2026


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