Truvia® Brand Delivers Innovation Behind the Bar With the Launch of a New Product for the Food and Beverage Service Industry

WAYZATA, Minn., April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Truvia® brand announced today the nationwide launch of the Truvia® 'Behind the Bar' product, specially designed for use at bars, restaurants and other foodservice establishments.  Now available through local foodservice distributors, the latest Truvia® brand innovation provides a solution to creating natural, great-tasting, zero-calorie simple syrups for cocktails.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120419/NY89913)

As consumers pay greater attention to the sugar content of beverages[1], bars and restaurants are looking to provide lighter alternatives to the classic, sugar-based cocktail while maintaining great taste.  Research shows that "skinny" menu item claims have grown significantly over the past year.[2]  The Truvia® Behind the Bar product will help the food and beverage service industry meet this growing trend naturally and create great-tasting, reduced-calorie cocktails, teas, and lemonades.

Truvia® Simple Syrup is created by adding one package of Truvia® Behind the Bar product to 1/2 gallon of water and mixing until it dissolves.  This Truvia® Simple Syrup contains zero calories, compared to an equivalent amount of sugar-sweetened simple syrup with about 6400 calories.   

"As the #1 natural sugar substitute in the United States, Truvia® natural sweetener has become a pantry staple for U.S. households," said Mark Brooks, Truvia® global consumer products director.  "With its ability to deliver new revenue to the food and beverage industry, the Truvia® Behind the Bar product is a foodservice essential, as consumers expect a greater variety of reduced-calorie beverage options."

Truvia® natural sweetener is a great-tasting, natural, zero-calorie sweetener born from the leaves of the stevia plant.  When used in cocktails, Truvia® natural sweetener enhances the intensity of fruit flavors such as citrus and berry, and smoothes out the overall taste while maintaining its flavor. 

"This new product is a perfect tool for bars and restaurants to expand their menu offerings and give customers more of what they want – natural, great-tasting drinks at a fraction of the calories," said Anthony Caporale, mixologist, host and producer of Art of the Drink.  "The Truvia® Behind the Bar product is the first natural, high-quality product with nationwide availability that is tailor-made for the food and beverage industry to deliver reduced-calorie cocktails." 

Discover reduced-calorie cocktails using Truvia® Simple Syrups and related product tips at www.truviacocktails.com.  To learn more about ordering the new Truvia® Behind the Bar product, contact your local foodservice distributor or call 866-853-6077.

About the Truvia® Brand
Truvia® natural sweetener is a great tasting, zero-calorie sweetener made with the best tasting part of the stevia leaf. Truvia® natural sweetener is the #2 sugar substitute in the U.S and is also available to consumers in Europe and Mexico. Truvia® stevia leaf extract is also a versatile sweetening ingredient used to enable reduced calories or sugars in foods and beverages. Truvia® LLC uniquely manages its stevia supply chain from field to table having established a global agricultural standard for stevia. For more information, visit www.truvia.com

About Cargill
Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 142,000 people in 66 countries. Cargill helps customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and is committed to applying its global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever it does business. For more information, visit Cargill.com and its news center.

[1] Mintel, May 2011, Healthy Dining Trends
[2] Mintel, May 2011, Menu Insights

SOURCE Truvia Brand