Nambawan Spain, a green-tech food innovator creating protein sweeteners through plant molecular farming, announced the commercial launch of Thaûma, a plant-derived thaumatin II sweetener and flavor modifier designed to help candy manufacturers overcome longstanding challenges associated with sugar reduction. The company will showcase Thaûma and offer product samples at IFT FIRST, July 12–15, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Startup Pavilion, booth 67.

As food and beverage manufacturers race to meet growing consumer demand for healthier, lower-sugar products, they continue to face difficult tradeoffs between taste, cost, ingredient availability, and formulation complexity, Nambawan Spain says. According to Grand View Research, the global sugar substitutes market is projected to grow from approximately $8 billion in 2024 to more than $15 billion by 2033, driven by increasing demand for healthier, lower-calorie alternatives to sugar. At the same time, GLP-1 adoption is accelerating demand for better-tasting, nutrient-conscious food and beverage products.

Thaûma is a non-caloric, non-glycemic, protein-based sweetener and flavor modifier suitable for nutrition products, dairy, confectionery, and other reduced-sugar applications. Supported by five FDA and FEMA GRAS approvals and Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) safety certification, Thaûma aims to provide manufacturers with the regulatory confidence needed to accelerate product development and commercialization.

Thaûma strives to deliver sweetness intensity up to 13,600 times greater than sugar, at 5 SEV (Sucrose Equivalent Value). At extremely low use levels of just 1–5 parts per million—75 to 230 times lower than stevia or monk fruit—Thaûma functions as a highly effective co-sweetener that enhances the performance of natural sweeteners while significantly reducing formulation costs, Nambawan Spain says.

In addition to sweetness, Thaûma can act as a powerful flavor modifier, helping mask bitter, astringent, licorice, fruity, and fermented off-notes while enhancing sweetness perception and improving overall taste and mouthfeel, the company continues.

Unlike many natural sweeteners that face agricultural limitations and supply volatility, Thaûma is produced using sustainable plant molecular farming technology. This innovative production platform provides a transparent, reliable, and scalable supply chain capable of supporting growing global demand, Nambawan Spain adds.

"For decades, formulators have been forced to compromise between taste, cost, supply reliability, and sustainability when developing products with natural sweeteners," says Dr. Yuri Gleba, CEO of Nambawan Spain. "Thaûma combines exceptional sweetness intensity, flavor enhancement, regulatory acceptance, and scalable production in a single ingredient platform, helping brands create healthier products without the tradeoffs that have historically limited natural sweetener adoption."

By combining sweetening and flavor-modifying functionality, Thaûma aims to enable manufacturers to reduce sugar, improve taste, lower formulation costs, and accelerate innovation across multiple product categories.

Food and beverage manufacturers, flavor houses, ingredient suppliers, and members of the media are invited to visit Nambawan Spain at IFT FIRST 2026, Startup Pavilion booth 67, to sample Thaûma, meet the development team, discuss formulation opportunities, and explore commercial partnerships.

To schedule a meeting or request samples, contact info@namba-wan.com.

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