Market Trends of India Food Sweetener Industry
Surge in Diabetic Population Drives Natural and Zero Calorie Sweeteners such as Stevia.
- The growing preference for low-sugar or no-calorie diets due to the increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes drives the demand for natural sweeteners globally. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas, 10th Edition, in India, approximately 74.194 million individuals aged between 20 and 79 had diabetes in 2021; diabetes also caused 0.647 million deaths that year. The total number of people with diabetes is projected to rise to 92.973 million by 2030 and 124.874 million by 2045.
- According to the IDF, the nations having the highest population of adults with diabetic patients aged between 20 to 79 include China which is followed then by India (second highest ranking) in 2021.
- The diabetic population statistics are expected to positively affect the food sweetener market in India during the forecast period. As the occurrence of diabetes and obesity is increasing, consumers are taking appropriate measures to maintain a healthy lifestyle and, thus, are looking for zero-calorie natural sweeteners to maintain their blood sugar levels. As a result, the demand for stevia is estimated to increase as it is aligned with the requirements of the consumers. Therefore, the demand for low-calorie sweeteners in food and beverages has increased over the last few years.
- As a result, organic stevia extracts are being demanded greatly in the market since they are plant-based and contain zero sugar, carb, calorie, glycemic index, etc. For instance, Arboreal Stevia, an Indian company under the brand ArboPURE, offers a range of natural stevia extracts that are extracted directly from stevia leaf using an organic process. The different grades of stevia extracts are available in Reb A and Reb M series, suitable for multiple applications as sweeteners and flavors.
- Considering these factors, such as demand for clean-label ingredients and low-calorie food sweeteners are driving the natural and zero-calorie sweeteners market in this country due to the rising health consciousness.
Understand The Key Trends Shaping This Market
Download Sample
Fastest Growing Sweetener Segment: Stevia
- Stevia is a 100% natural and zero-calorie sweetener. The growing awareness about the health benefits of stevia over sugar has increased its demand. Other factors influencing the stevia market are lifestyle changes, government initiatives to reduce sugar intake, and the need to combat health problems like obesity and diabetes.
- With the growing presence of various stevia-infused products on retail shelves in India, many players are entering the country. For instance, PureCircle, a stevia supplier, invested INR 1,200 crore ( approx. USD 145 million) in the country over five years. The company is now working with Dabur, Frooti, and Haldiram to help them create stevia-based variants of their popular food and beverage products. The company also supplies stevia used in the production of Zydus's stevia-based sweetener, Sugar-Free Green.
- Stevia is used in convenience foods, baked foods, sugar confectionery, and beverages. Beverages account for the majority share of the market. Thus, stevia is estimated to be the fastest-growing sweetener segment over the forecast period. Furthermore, Indian farmers opt out of growing stevia plants due to higher input costs and the absence of standard crop cultivation practices.
- Additionally, there needs to be traditional know-how for stevia plantations in the country. To help these farmers, the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) announced a 30% subsidy on the cost of production as of 2021. This initiative is expected to increase the amount of stevia available for use, thereby driving the growth of the Indian stevia market in the coming years. Therefore, these factors significantly drive the market for Stevia in the food sweetener industry in the country, as Stevia serves as a viable substitute for sugar.
