The Role of Sugar and Alternative Low and No Calorie Sweeteners Including New Opportunities
For soft drink consumers, taste is the number one priority but the external landscape on sweetness is far from one-dimensional. For consideration by manufacturers in meeting consumers’ needs are - obesity/health and wellness, naturalness, dental health and safety concerns. So how can these needs be met?
The regulatory environment does not always support flexibility in innovation and the decision on the key messages to communicate to consumers are not always straightforward – both factors to be considered when innovating in this space and will be discussed in the presentation.
The presentation will cover the role of sugar and the alternative low- and no- calorie sweeteners, including newly approved ingredients such as stevia. Consumers choose a particular soft drink for many reasons be it routine refreshment, mental focus, social connections etc., but for most, taste is the biggest factor and sweetness is a big driver of likeability. Understanding the key drivers for consumers and how to communicate effectively is part of a winning strategy in this market.
Presented by
Helen Munday,
Dir Scientific and Regulatory Affairs
Helen Munday is Director Scientific and Regulatory Affairs for Coca-Cola North West Europe and Nordics. She leads a team to ensure the legal compliance of the diverse product portfolio and works with key stakeholders to drive opportunities for future business. Helen works closely with Research and Development, Marketing and others at Coca-Cola to drive business innovations. Before joining Coca-Cola, Helen was Director of Food Safety and Science at the UK’s Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and prior to that worked for Mars for 20 years in the UK and US, as a nutritional researcher and as a product developer. Helen is a registered nutritionist and a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology.