Market Trends of Africa Stevia Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Africa Stevia Market according to our research experts:
Growing Utilization of Powdered Stevia
Powdered stevia is produced in bulk or in packets, and blended with a filler, usually fructooligosaccharides, or FOS, which is a plant-based fiber. It is the most processed form of stevia. The quality, flavor, and sweetness of stevia vary from product to product. The white stevia powder sold more commercially is a more refined product and is much sweeter. Moreover, the purified and concentrated white powder has been recorded to be 200 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar. In the food and beverage industry, powder form stevia is incorporated for several applications, such as beverage mixes, candies, jams and jellies, coffee and tea, dairy products, processed fruits and vegetables, table-top sweeteners, chewing gum, frozen desserts, salad dressings, etc.
Increased Application in Beverages
Stevia is a natural choice for sweetening a wide variety of beverages, such as teas, coffees, soft drinks, flavored waters, juices, and alcoholic beverages. Stevia solutions formulated for specific beverage applications can provide a superior, clean, sugar-like taste with reduced linger. Stevia's rapid growth in the beverage market is a testament to its many benefits, including zero calories, 100% natural origin, and being non-caloric, tooth-friendly, non-fermenting, highly soluble, and pH, heat, photo (light), and shelf-stable. It is an excellent sweetener choice for CSDs (carbonated soft drinks), which typically have a low pH, especially considering the wide range of temperatures CSDs experience during their shelf life in some markets.
