PepsiCo looks for new, no-cal, natural sweeteners

A race to develop natural, zero-calorie sweeteners is bubbling up in the nation’s $100 billion beverage industry, reports the Associated Press.

PepsiCo, looking to revive itself in the declining soda industry, is boosting its development spending for this search and to mix up new drinks.

PepsiCo Inc. said Tuesday at an investor meeting that it is putting “unprecedented resources” toward reformulating its beverages with natural, no-calorie sweeteners such as stevia, an herb grown in South America and Asia, and to find new ones.

Soft drink sales are falling as people look to cut calories and worry over other sweeteners such as high fructose corn syurp. Shopper thriftiness in the recession is also hurting sales. So coming out with new, no-calorie drinks is a way to keep people buying.

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