The global sweetener market is undergoing major changes. The market size has now exceeded $100 billion and is growing at an annual rate of 2.1%. China's market is expanding even faster, projected to surpass 150 billion RMB by 2025.
Recent market prices have shown significant fluctuations. Sucralose prices increased twice in half a month, rising from 175,000 to 185,000 RMB per ton. Meanwhile, once-popular erythritol continues to face low prices, struggling with both overcapacity and anti-dumping tariffs overseas.
Among new products, allulose has become a market favorite. It tastes similar to sugar and can undergo the Maillard reaction. Though priced three times higher than erythritol, its market prospects look promising.
More notably, a new generation natural sweetener Reb M2 is about to gain domestic approval. This sweetener is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar, has zero calories, and offers a clean taste without the bitter aftertaste of traditional stevia products. It has already received US FDA certification, with domestic approval in its final stages.
Market growth is primarily driven by rising health awareness. Nearly 40% of American consumers now choose low-calorie sweeteners to reduce calorie intake. China's health policies also explicitly call for sugar reduction, aiming to achieve over 50% sugar reduction coverage by 2030.
Sweeteners are also finding wider applications. Beyond food and beverages, they're expanding into medical, agricultural, and even environmental protection fields. For example, some sweeteners can be used in special foods for diabetics and serve as precursors for biodegradable materials.
Looking ahead, sweeteners will develop in three main directions: first, greater emphasis on natural sources, with plant-based sweeteners becoming more popular; second, blending technologies becoming mainstream, mixing different sweeteners to achieve the best taste; third, personalized solutions using artificial intelligence to customize sweetener formulas for different foods and consumers.
Technological innovation is reshaping the market landscape. Synthetic biology and other technologies now enable industrial production of previously rare sweeteners. New products like Reb M2 have solved taste issues through technical breakthroughs, blurring the line between natural and artificial sweeteners.
In the coming years, as more new products hit the market and applications expand, the "sweetness" we taste will become more diverse, healthier, and sustainable.
More information can be found at CCM Sugar&Sweeteners China Monthly Report.
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