Sucrogen, through its joint venture, Sugar Australia, has signed an Agreement with GLG Life Tech Corporation for the distribution and marketing of its stevia extract products as an ingredient to the food and beverage sector.

The distribution agreement covers the food and beverage sectors in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the Pacific Islands.

Sugar Australia is the leading sugar refiner in Australia operating across multiple business channels including, the supply of sugar as an ingredient into the food and beverage sector, retail in which its CSR consumer brand has the leading market share, as well as foodservice and exports. In response to consumer demand Sugar Australia has launched a reduced calorie product called CSR Smart®, which utilises stevia extracts in a unique and proprietary sugar blend to provide a 50% reduction in calories.

Ian Glasson, CEO of Sucrogen, said: “Sugar Australia has chosen to partner with GLG in the food and beverage sector to bring a new and exciting range of stevia ingredients as part of our range of sweetener solutions, as manufacturers seek alternatives in developing healthier products that meet consumers’ changing needs.”

GLG Life Tech Corporation is a global leader in the supply of high purity stevia extracts, an all natural, zero-calorie sweetener used in food and beverages. The Company’s vertically integrated operations cover each step in the stevia supply chain including non-GMO stevia seed breeding, natural propagation, stevia leaf growth and harvest, proprietary extraction and refining, marketing and distribution of finished product.

Dr. Luke Zhang, CEO of GLG stated, “As the global market for stevia continues to grow and food and beverage companies realise the power available through stevia-based sweetening systems to affect change and offer reduced-calorie, better-for-you product choices for the consumer, GLG has chosen to partner with several market leaders such as Sugar Australia with whom we believe we can work to effectively reach consumers and to market what we believe to be the highest quality, best tasting stevia extracts at a great value and competitive price structure.”