Ingredion partners with Better Juice to accelerate sugar reduction solutions in US market 

USA – Global ingredients supplier Ingredion and Israeli food tech start-up Better Juice have unveiled plans to join forces in a strategic collaboration aimed at addressing the growing demand for sugar reduction in the food and beverage industry.  

The collaboration, set to commence in the second quarter of this year, will leverage Ingredion’s market reach to promote Better Juice’s innovative sugar reduction technology. 

Ingredion Ventures, the venture investment arm of Ingredion, will spearhead a Series A funding round for Better Juice. This funding infusion is expected to propel the rapid integration of Better Juice’s sugar reduction solution into the US juice market.  

Better Juice’s groundbreaking technology focuses on removing simple sugars from juice-based beverages and other natural sugar-containing liquids, offering an enzymatic process that converts sugars into non-digestible compounds such as dietary fibers. 

The process, as explained by Better Juice, ensures a natural profile of essential vitamins, minerals, and organic acids while achieving a significant reduction in sugar content. Better Juice’s non-GMO and clean-label approach enables a substantial sugar reduction ranging from 30-80%.  

Gali Yarom, co-founder and co-CEO of Better Juice, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “This important partnership step is truly exciting… This move will open doors to leading food and beverage companies seeking sugar-reduction solutions for their products.” 

Better Juice, founded in 2018 by a team of biochemists and microbiologists, has already secured US$8 million in seed-round investment. The company, initially supported by The Kitchen Hub, the food-tech incubator of Strauss Group, boasts the capacity to process 250 million liters of sugar-reduced juice annually.  

Eran Blachinsky, co-founder and co-CEO of Better Juice, highlighted the significance of Ingredion’s capital support, stating, “Ingredion’s capital support will allow us to extend the technology to other liquids with natural sources of sugar, such as milk, beer, and wine.” 

The collaboration extends beyond financial backing, as Better Juice has already partnered with the GEA Group for the manufacturing of bioreactors, consolidating its position as a leader in natural sugar reduction.  

Ingredion, a global producer of sweeteners, starches, and specialty ingredients, has been strategically diversifying its portfolio in recent years. Investing US$300 million in sugar reduction and specialty sweeteners over the last seven years, Ingredion aims to meet the evolving needs of consumers by offering innovative solutions in the realm of specialty ingredients. 

In 2023, the World Health Organization called for the increase of taxes on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) aimed at raising the prices of unhealthy products and lessening their demand.  

Earlier this year, a study published in JAMA Health Forum showed that US sugary drink purchases in the US declined by 33 percent following the implementation of the SSB tax indicating effectiveness of the move by WHO. 

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