Merisant Poised to Launch its Natural Origin Sweetener Canderel Green and to Promote the Work of the Global Stevia Institute on Stevia History & Benefits

PARIS, September 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Ahead of the introduction of its stevia-based sweetener Canderel Green in Europe, Merisant today unveils an education initiative with the Global Stevia Institute (GSI) to increase awareness and understanding of the origin and benefits of the stevia plant in the European marketplace among health professionals and consumers.

Merisant is a global leader in tabletop sweeteners with a strong position in Europe. Canderel Green was developed following numerous years of research and development for the European market and has been designed to specifically match European tastes. To create Canderel Green, high purity stevia extracts, are blended with other ingredients of natural origin to deliver a superior taste profile and experience. Its natural origin, taste and zero-calorie content mean that it is a great addition for the European consumers.

Relaying on its high expertise and knowledge of sweeteners, Merisant has decided to use the resources of the GSI established by PureCircle, the global leader and supplier of the high purity stevia extract (Reb A) used in Canderel Green. Indeed it is critical that Merisant promotes accurate and science-based information about stevia. By tapping the expertise of the GSI and its board of scientific advisors comprising of nutritionists, medical doctors, and health educators, Merisant is helping to build broader awareness within the context of natural health and wellness trends that continue to be a focal point for consumers in Europe.

Hugues Pitre, Merisant Vice-President & Managing Director EAME, explains "Merisant has really pioneered the application of the stevia plant in table-top sweeteners and created very early on the Whole Earth Sweetener Company (WesCo) in order to dedicate specific resource to the development of all-natural products. We launched our stevia-based sweetener PureVia in France last year and the brand has been extremely successful, achieving tremendous growth and the No1 position on the market. With this strong track record and its intimate knowledge of the category across Europe, Merisant is now particularly well positioned to introduce successfully Canderel Green on the European market."

About Merisant

Merisant was formed in 2000 to manufacture and market the world's most popular tabletop sweeteners, Equal and Canderel, and over a dozen other available formats. Today, the Group owns 19 brands in over 90 countries. With over 500 employees positioned globally - diverse, inspired and dedicated to continuing to expand the incredible successes of these well-established and premium brands. From the start, Merisant has aimed to raise the bar through continued global expansion, by broadening its audience through new products, and improving productivity through technological advances. The Group strives to develop products which answer consumers' specific needs to help improve their lifestyle on a daily basis.

About the Global Stevia Institute (GSI)

The GSIis an educational resource for the industry and public focused on educating health professionals, food and beverage manufacturers, public affairs leaders, and consumers about the benefits of incorporating a plant-based sweetener stevia into the diet. Its mission is to provide accurate and consistent, science-based information about stevia as more and more people are looking for natural options to control sugar and calorie levels without sacrificing taste. The GSI is governed by an international advisory board of leading health professionals including MDs, PhDs, university professors, nutritionists, and award-winning authors specializing in obesity, nutrition, endocrinology, biochemistry and food regulations.

For further information please contact:
Kristina Duff: +33-1-56-69-75-29 / kristina.duff@edelman.com