Britvic has, together with PepsiCo UK, become the first to market a soft drink containing purified stevia extract.
The reformulation of SoBe V Water will offer health-conscious consumers a vitamin water with zero-sugar, and meet growing demand for low-calorie refreshment, according to the firms.
From the end of this month, all six SoBe V Water variants will include purified stevia extract, bringing the sugar content of the range from 20g to zero, and the calorie count from 85 to 10 or less per bottle.
“SoBe V Water with purified stevia extract has been a great hit in the US and we’re excited to launch a version for the UK market,” says Amanda Thomson, marketing director of PepsiCo UK. “Our research found that purchase, taste and overall appeal of the drink are just as high with stevia extract included instead of sugar. The stevia innovation drove volume by 73 per cent when it was launched in the US and we look forward to seeing it on the shelves here in the UK.”
Jon Evans, head of seed brands of Britvic Soft Drinks, adds: “The introduction of purified stevia extract demonstrates our ongoing commitment to giving health-conscious consumers more choice. We have accelerated the development of our stevia product in order to be first to market in the UK because this is a major innovation for soft drinks, and allows us to offer consumers great taste with no sugar.”