PureCircle Plans Sale of New Stevia Products: Protein, Fiber and Antioxidant Ingredients

These, Added to the Company's Sweetener Lineup, Will Make Each Stevia Leaf 'Work Harder'

CHICAGO, Dec. 03, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PureCircle (LSE: PURE), the world's leading producer and innovator of great-tasting stevia sweeteners, announces that, after extensive R&D, it has identified high content of proteins, soluble fibers and antioxidants in the stevia plant and plans to begin the commercial production and sale of these new stevia ingredients in the second half of 2019.  PureCircle has nearly 400 patents and patents pending covering its proprietary stevia technology.

As the world's largest supplier of high-grade stevia sweeteners and flavors to the global beverage and food industries, PureCircle uses significant amounts of stevia in producing those ingredients.  This new development -- the production and sale of protein, fiber and antioxidants from stevia -- will enable PureCircle to utilize much more of each stevia leaf.  As such, the company will be able to make each leaf "work harder."

That will make PureCircle's stevia use even more efficient, as it will spread the cost of stevia raw material across the newly expanded array of ingredients sold and to be sold by the company: sweeteners, flavors, fibers, antioxidants and protein (see accompanying graphic). That ensures PureCircle will continue to provide ingredients to its customers at price points that are cost effective for them.  In addition, as all of these types of  ingredients are in high demand by global food and beverage companies, PureCircle will now be able to offer them a portfolio of ingredients from the stevia plant.

Commenting on the commercialization of protein, fiber and antioxidants from stevia, PureCircle CEO Maga Malsagov said:

"At PureCircle, we go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning thinking about stevia.  All of our products are from the stevia leaf, and we strive to make each leaf work harder by unlocking everything this marvel of nature has to offer." He added: "Protein, fiber and antioxidants are in high demand by beverage and food companies, and these additions to our portfolio will enable us to offer our customers those ingredients from the stevia plant. And it further enhances our efficient use of each leaf, so we can provide the best-tasting stevia leaf sweeteners and flavors cost effectively to our customers."

The technologies to produce the products PureCircle sells are covered by patents, applied for patents and other intellectual property.  PureCircle's broad and strong global array of patents are the result of its advanced innovation, research and development work with stevia and its investment therein.  As the result of that, PureCircle has been granted more than 130 stevia-related patents.  These patents - plus more than 250 patents pending and other valuable intellectual property -- are directed to a wide range of stevia-related products and processes. 

PureCircle's patent coverage and other intellectual property reflect its expertise and innovation with stevia.  That expertise and innovation enables PureCircle to provide unparalleled support to its customers as they develop zero- and low-calorie beverage and food products and other products using stevia.

PureCircle is the leader in a growth business.  Globally, stevia use is growing.  New products launched globally with stevia posted a +27% increase in the first half of 2018 vs the comparable period in 2017, according to Mintel.  Recent PureCircle advances enable us to significantly boost production of high-grade stevia sweeteners - like Reb M and Reb D -- which have the most sugar-like taste and are highly sought after by beverage and food companies.  That means we can supply stevia sweeteners in amounts that customers need as they expand use of stevia ingredients. 

By way of background, the story of stevia is evolving.  Not long ago, it was viewed as a plant-based, zero-calorie, single-ingredient sweetener which worked well in some beverage and food applications. Today we offer a range of stevia leaf sweetener ingredients, including Reb M, with sugar-like taste and zero calories. Food and beverage companies have an increasing need for just such an ingredient, because consumers, health experts and governments have become increasingly concerned about obesity and diabetes, and consumers have become increasingly health and wellness conscious.  And, now, we are expanding our offerings to include, not just sweeteners and flavors, but also protein, fiber and antioxidant ingredients - all from the stevia plant.

Media may direct inquiries to:

Carolyn Clark, Head of Global Marketing
Email:  carolyn.clark@purecircle.com  Phone: 1 (630) 517 0812

Jackson Pillow, Media Relations Manager
Email:  jackson.pillow@purecircle.com  Phone: +1 630 256 8394

About PureCircle

PureCircle is the only company that combines advanced R&D with full vertical integration from farm to high-quality, great-tasting innovative stevia sweeteners.The Company collaborates with farmers who grow the stevia plants and with food and beverage companies which seek to improve their low- and no-calorie formulations using a sweetener from plants.PureCircle will continue to: lead in research, development and innovation; produce a growing supply of multiple varieties of stevia sweeteners with sugar-like taste, using all necessary and appropriate methods of production; and be a resource and innovation partner for food and beverage companies.PureCircle stevia flavor modifiers work in synergy with sweeteners to improve the taste, mouthfeel and calorie profile, and enhance the cost effectiveness, of beverage and food products.Founded in 2002, PureCircle is continually investing in breakthrough research and development and it has been granted over 100 stevia-related patents with more than 250 applied for patents pending.PureCircle has offices around the world with the global headquarters in Chicago, Illinois.To meet growing demand for stevia sweeteners, PureCircle is rapidly ramping up its supply capability. It completed expansion of its Malaysian stevia extract facility in March 2017, increasing its capacity to rapidly supply the newer and great-tasting specialty stevia sweeteners and helping provide ever-increasing value to its customers.PureCircle's shares are listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.For more information, visit: www.purecircle.com 

About stevia

Given the growing global concerns about obesity and diabetes, beverage and food companies are working responsibly to reduce sugar and calories in their products, responding to both consumers and health and wellness advocates. Sweeteners from the stevia plant offer sugar-like taste and are becoming an increasingly important tool for these companies.Like sugar, stevia sweeteners are from plants. But unlike sugar, they enable low-calorie and zero-calorie formulations of beverages and foods.Stevia leaf extract is a natural-based, zero calorie, high-intensity sweetener, used by global food and beverage companies as a great-tasting zero-calorie alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners.Stevia is a naturally sweet plant native to South America; today, it is grown around the world, notably in Kenya, China and the US.The sweet-tasting parts of the stevia leaf are up to 350 times sweeter than sugar: stevia's high-intensity sweetness means it requires far less water and land than sugar.Research has shown that the molecules of the stevia leaf are present and unchanged in the dried stevia leaf, through the commercial extraction and purification process, and in the final stevia leaf extract product. All major global regulatory organisations, across 65 countries, have approved the use of high-purity stevia leaf extracts in food and beverages.For more information on the science of stevia, please visit https://www.purecirclesteviainstitute.com/  

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d8b531ac-4984-4d5b-9780-61aded574efc

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