New calorie-free drinks in the pipeline

From Manufacturing Business Technology magazine, via the Cox News Service:

Some experts call it the Holy Grail of the beverage industry -- an all-natural drink that has the sweetness of sugar but none of the calories.

Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo could be a step closer to reaching that milestone as they separately pursue new sweeteners based on the South American stevia plant. Pending Food and Drug Administration clearance, these stevia-based sweeteners could unleash the next generation of low- and no-calorie beverages, industry experts say.

Coke and Pepsi are keeping quiet about what drinks could get the new sweeteners. Coke would not comment about product plans, but the Atlanta-based beverage giant could have a soft drink with its stevia-based sweetener on the market by the end of the year, a person with knowledge of the situation said.

Pepsi, based in Purchase, NY, also declined to talk about U.S. product plans. It is launching this month in Peru a version of So Be Life, a flavored water, that uses its stevia-based sweetener.

(Get the full story here.)

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