Company: SweeGen

Website: www.sweegen.com

Ingredient Snapshot: SweeGen is making possible a healthier, more guilt-free, and sweeter world with the commercialization of Bestevia Rebaudioside N (Reb N), a special zero-calorie, highly sought-after natural stevia sweetener. 

Reb N is a naturally occurring sweetener found in stevia leaves. The unique sensory profile of Bestevia Reb N makes it especially attractive for beverage applications, which is an application space that has already been exclusively licensed out. With its unique functionality, Reb N also works very well in a variety of foods. 

Following SweeGen’s commercial announcements of Bestevia Rebs B and I this year, and with the addition of Reb N, the company’s portfolio of sugar reduction solutions is the broadest available in the industry for tackling sugar reduction challenges. 

“Bestevia Reb N has a unique sweet profile that helps us create solutions that have a taste profile closer to both full-calorie and high intensity sweeteners,” said Shari Mahon, SVP of global application technology. “Our solutions are one of the most unique and tailored in the industry because of our access to the widest range of Rebs for sugar reduction.”

SweeGen’s entire proprietary portfolio of natural stevia sweeteners are classified as next generation non-GMO, high-purity, and clean tasting. The Bestevia portfolio includes Rebs B, D, E, I, M, and now Reb N. These Rebs translate to highly-relevant, clean-label, sustainable, natural sweeteners that consumers are seeking in finished products. 

Much like Bestevia Rebs M, E and I, Reb N is found in trace quantities in the stevia leaf, which historically made it difficult and expensive to isolate. SweeGen’s Bestevia Reb N is now accessible because it is produced by a patented bioconversion technology, which starts with sustainably-sourced stevia leaf, and results in great tasting, pure molecules that are found in nature. This process was developed by Conagen, a biotech innovator of sustainable ingredients. 

“The introduction of Reb N is another great example of how Conagen’s deep expertise in bioconversion technology enables the creation of unique stevia sweeteners,” said Conagen’s VP of Innovation, Dr. Casey Lippmeier. “With such a wide range of next generation stevia offerings now available, we will see a new level of innovation in better-for-you products that was previously considered impossible.”