Starbucks Will Start Offering Stevia Product Along With Other Sweeteners

Starbucks customers will now have another option to add a little something sweet to their beverages, as the chain announced today it’s adding a calorie-free stevia product to its lineup of sweeteners for the first time.

Starting today, Whole Earth Sweetener Company’s Nature Sweet packets will be served at nearly all Starbucks locations in the U.S. and Canada, the company announced.

The company says it tried a few new options for sweeteners, but Nature Sweet won out.

“Our approach to health and wellness includes providing options for customers to make their coffee, tea and handcrafted beverages the way that they like,” said Nick DeJulio, Starbucks brand manager. “Nature Sweet is an exciting new customization option for them to try.”

The plant-based sweetener is made from Stevia plant and monk fruit extracts, which Whole Earth Sweetener Company says allows it to sweeten drinks without leaving behind the funny aftertaste often associated with other zero calorie offerings.

“Through third-party taste testing, we found that it met consumer expectations for a great-tasting Stevia-based sweetener particularly in coffee and iced tea,” said Russ Moroz, the Vice President of Research & Development and Quality at Whole Earth Sweetener Company.

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