SweeGen, a Californian sweetener producer, is expanding its manufacturing base to Europe for its non-GMP Bestevia sweeteners.

The new facility represents a $100 million investment and will enable the company to produce around 3,000 tonnes of next-gen stevia sweeteners annually.

Luca Giannone, SweeGen’s VP of sales and marketing, said:  “European Food and Beverage companies are already working on reformulating their products to reduce sugar and artificial sweeteners.

“Their commitment to provide healthier, naturally sweetened products to their customers is generating an enormous need for our plant based, non-GMO stevia sweeteners.”

SweeGen successfully commercialised its non-GMO Reb M and Reb D in 2016 and 2017 respectively and just announced the approval of its latest developed steviol glycoside, Reb E, a major component in the company’s Bestevia e+ product.

The company is now preparing for the approval of its stevia sweeteners by the European regulatory agency EFSA in the coming months.