Success in Soft Drink
Reformulation
to Reduce Sugar
Fiona Angus
Coca-Cola Great Britain
Our key considerations when reducing sugar in drinks
• What sugar levels are we trying to achieve ?
• The commitments we have made
• What will be the taste impact ?
• What regulatory restrictions are there ?
• Which sweeteners to use ?
• What is the likely consumer acceptance ?
Sugar reduction is not just compensating sweetness
Ori
gin
al fo
rmu
lati
on
(1
0 b
rix)
Re
form
ula
tio
n (
< 7
bri
x)
Sweetness
which drives flavour and balances sourness
Texture
which enhances product palatability
Taste
vehicled by sugar
Turbidity
by maintaining small particles in suspension
Colour
As sugar provides a light amber colour
Sugar reduction affects
Sweeteners and
sweetness enhancers
Acids
Texturants
(Pectin, CMC…)
flavouring dosage
Maskers and enhancers
Process and formulation
Cloudiness, juice%
Colour Rework ?
to be compensated with:
Key challenge when using sweeteners is finding the right profile and intensity
Sweetener Sweetness vs sucrose
Acesulfame K 200
Advantame 20000-37000
Aspartame 160-200
Cyclamate 30-40
Sucralose 600
Saccharin salt of Na, K, Ca 500
Neohesperidine DC 400-600
Thaumatin 2000-3000
Neotame 7000-13000
Steviol glycosides 250-450
Sweetening power
Taste profile Time profile
Coca-Cola Life journey
• R&D with suppliers develop purified stevia extract
• High purity stevia leaf extract GRAS status by FDA
• Steviol glycosides (reb A) approved in Europe 2011
• Experience of reformulating Sprite (sugar with stevia leaf extract)
• Extensive sensory testing
Coca-Cola Life Journey
2014
6.4g sugars/100ml
33% less sugar than regular
colas
2016
5.7g sugar/100ml
45% less sugars than regular
colas
Marketing spend can shape choice
£15m promotional spend on Coca-Cola Zero
• 5% shift from classic to
zero sales in 4 months
since we launched
• Coke sales of regular to
zero sugar now 51%:49%
• Ambition is 40%:60% by
April 2018
• Continued innovation to reduce sugar
• Increasing marketing spend on zero
variants
• Great tasting lower sugar products with
sugar and sweetener blends
• Broad range of sweeteners used
• Stevia with erythritol and new generation
leaf based stevia extracts
• Flavourings –maskers and enhancers