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Will Sweet Proteins Replace Sugar?

Mar 26, 2025 | Food

OUR TAKE

Most of Oobli’s focus has been on creating its own products, but partnering with Ingredion will allow the company to become part of a systematic approach for improving consumer health. Its sweet proteins, derived from fruits, are 2,000 to 5,000 times sweeter than sugar, have zero or neutral impact on blood sugar and insulin levels, are created using precision fermentation, and thus are eco-friendly. This partnership is indicative of a coming wave of more concentrated and cost-effective sweeteners.

The demand for reduced sugar foods and beverages is at an all-time high. As 2 in 5 Americans struggle with obesity and 140+ million with type-2 diabetes, healthier avenues have become an essential diet need. Stevia remains the most popular, with a market valued at $539.68 million in 2021 and expected to grow to $965.82 million by 2028, a CAGR of 8.7%. As the largest manufacturer of stevia, Ingredion offers Oobli a chance to commercialize at a scale far beyond what it could do on its own.

Source Summary

Oobli, a food-tech company specializing in sweet proteins, has partnered with stevia-producer Ingredion, a global ingredient solutions company, to market better-for-you sweeteners blending together sweet proteins and stevia. The created a sugar reduction solution last fall that will be sampled for the first time this week, at Future Food-Tech in SF. Oobli also secured $18 million in funding, including from Ingredion Ventures, to further commercialize its sweet protein products.

READ MORE: Sweet protein co. joins forces with Ingredion & raises $18m to develop sugar reduction techniques

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