Stevia takes off as alternative to sugar but taste still an issue

London

OVER the past decade, a little-known herb 200 times sweeter than sugar has become a US$4 billion global industry, showing up in everything from Coca Cola sodas to Heinz ketchup. Not a bad start for a product that many people still think has a bitter aftertaste.

The stevia plant, which can be processed into a zero-calorie sweetener, has taken off as a sugar alternative. Consumption tripled from 2011 through 2016, according to data from researcher Euromonitor International. While it's still a small part of sweetener sales, companies such as Cargill Inc and ED&F Man Holdings Ltd are investing more - including to improve the taste.

"This is a market that has huge growth potential," said Jonathan Hugh, head of the agri-industrial division at commodity trader ED&F Man, which has a stake in the stevia-based U…