PureCircle Joins Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation

OAK BROOK, Ill., April 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PureCircle (The International Stock Exchange, London: PURE), the world's leading producer of naturally zero-calorie sweeteners , including stevia-derived Reb A, today announced that it will formally launch its effort to help reduce obesity in the United States by joining the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF).

A first-of-its-kind endeavor, the HWCF involves the collaboration of more than 40 members of the food and beverage industry, retailers and diverse non-governmental organizations. The group aims to provide and promote solutions that will help people achieve a healthy weight by balancing the calories they consume with the calories they burn. The HWCF's efforts will help provide people with the tools to achieve energy balance. These efforts will focus on three key areas: the marketplace, the workplace and schools.

"Now more than ever, businesses, schools and communities are demanding convenient, more appealing ways to manage calories," said Magomet Malsagov, CEO and Managing Director of PureCircle. "As the global market leader in stevia production for the last decade, PureCircle is uniquely positioned to help these groups cut calories in the products they manufacture, serve and buy. Our company is proud to be the first of its kind to join the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, and we look forward to working to reduce obesity by 2015."

Stevia was first included in tabletop sweeteners and beverages, and has quickly made its way into other categories because of its ability to naturally reduce calories.  Thirty-five countries across six continents have now launched a stevia-sweetened product. According to Mintel, in 2010, 102 new products sweetened with stevia have been launched, with 37 new products launched in March alone.

"We are pleased that PureCircle has joined the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation," said Lisa Gable, Executive Director of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. "We look forward to working with them as they help consumers achieve lifelong healthy habits through balancing calories in and calories out."

About PureCircle

PureCircle is a pioneer in the extraction of natural goodness from plants and a leading global producer of natural high-intensity sweeteners, including high-purity Rebaudioside A (Reb A). The company has a vertically integrated supply chain operating in three continents. Activities range from breeding of proprietary stevia varieties, sourcing of dry stevia leaves and extraction, and purification of extracts into sweetening ingredients to the marketing of these ingredients to food and beverage manufacturers worldwide. PureCircle is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market with the ticker symbol: LSE.PURE. For more information, visit www.purecircle.com.

About the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation

The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation is a unique partnership between retailers, non-profit organizations, food and beverage manufacturers and trade associations aimed at helping to reduce obesity. For more information, go to www.healthyweightcommit.org.

SOURCE PureCircle