Ingredion Partners with Better Juice to Offer Sugar Reduction Solutions

Rhea-AI Summary

Ingredion's venture investment arm, Ingredion Ventures, will lead the Series A funding round for Better Juice, a FoodTech start-up that developed an enzymatic technology to convert sugars into non-digestible compounds, fast-tracking its penetration into the US juice market. The technology removes simple sugars in juice-based beverages, concentrates, and other natural sugar-containing liquids, enabling sugar reduction by 30 to 80 percent. Better Juice has successfully advanced to commercial scale in the U.S., with a capacity to process 250 million liters of sugar reduced juice per year.

Insights

Market Research Analyst

The strategic investment by Ingredion into Better Juice represents a significant development within the FoodTech and ingredient innovation sector. The focus on sugar reduction aligns with current consumer health trends, particularly the demand for products with lower sugar content without sacrificing taste or nutritional value. The partnership's potential to disrupt the US juice market is substantial, considering the market's size and the growing preference for healthier beverage options.

From a market perspective, the collaboration could enhance Ingredion's competitive edge by diversifying its portfolio with a technology that caters to a niche yet rapidly expanding consumer segment. This move is likely to be well-received by health-conscious consumers and could position Ingredion as a leader in the clean-label space, which has been gaining traction. The financial implications for both Better Juice and Ingredion could be significant, as successful commercialization of this technology could lead to increased market share and revenue growth in a market increasingly driven by health considerations.

Nutrition Expert

The enzymatic technology developed by Better Juice addresses a critical public health concern regarding high sugar intake. By converting simple sugars into non-digestible fibers and other compounds, the technology not only reduces caloric intake but potentially adds a prebiotic benefit to juice products. This could have a positive impact on gut health, which is a growing area of interest among consumers and health professionals alike.

Given that dietary fibers are generally under-consumed in the typical Western diet, the introduction of more fiber-rich products could be beneficial from a nutritional standpoint. However, it will be important to monitor consumer acceptance of the taste and texture of these modified juice products, as these factors are crucial for market success. Moreover, the long-term health implications of consuming enzymatically altered sugars should be researched to ensure safety and health benefits.

Financial Analyst

The Series A funding round led by Ingredion Ventures signifies investor confidence in Better Juice's technology and its market potential. The capital infusion is expected to accelerate the commercialization process, which is crucial for start-ups seeking to gain a foothold in competitive markets. The ability of Better Juice to process a significant volume of sugar-reduced juice per year indicates scalability, which is a key factor in attracting further investments and partnerships.

For Ingredion, the investment in Better Juice could be seen as a strategic move to stay ahead of industry trends and to capitalize on the growing 'better-for-you' product segment. The success of this venture could have a positive impact on Ingredion's stock performance, as investors typically reward innovation that taps into consumer trends. However, it is essential to consider the execution risks associated with scaling up new technologies and the potential for regulatory challenges in different markets.

Ingredion leads investment round to accelerate start-up's advanced technology for naturally reducing sugar

REHOVOT, Israel, Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FoodTech start-up Better Juice, Ltd., today announced its collaboration with Ingredion, Inc. (NYSE: INGR), a leading global provider of specialty ingredients to the food and beverage industry. Ingredion Ventures, Ingredion's venture investment arm, will lead the Series A funding round for Better Juice which will fast-track penetration of its breakthrough sugar reduction solution into the US juice market.

Better Juice's innovative sugar reduction technology removes simple sugars in juice-based beverages, concentrates and other natural sugar-containing liquids. The Company developed an enzymatic technology, which converts sugars into non-digestible compounds, such as dietary fibers and non-digestible sugars, while maintaining the natural profile of vitamins, minerals and organic acids in the final product.

"This important partnership step is truly exciting," enthuses Gali Yarom, co-founder and co-CEO of Better Juice. "It dovetails perfectly with the Better Juice strategy to penetrate the North American market. Ingredion was impressed by our non-GMO technology, and its uses in a wide variety of applications. This move will open doors to leading food and beverage companies seeking sugar-reduction solutions for their products."

"The Better Juice technology adds a completely new dimension to our portfolio of sugar reduction solutions for food and beverage brands on a mission to meet increased consumer demand for less sugar," says Nate Yates, Sugar Reduction Business Leader at Ingredion. "This technology also provides manufacturers with more options to successfully reduce sugar without compromising on great taste or nutrition."

Clean-label conversion

The environmentally friendly clean-label conversion process applies proprietary beads composed of non-GMO microorganisms which produce enzymes. These enzymes convert the juice's composition of fruit sugars including sucrose, glucose, and fructose into better-for-you prebiotic fibers and other non-digestible molecules. This enables sugar reduction by 30 to 80 percent.

"This alliance will accelerate our go-to-market journey," explains Eran Blachinsky, PhD, co-founder and co-CEO of Better Juice. "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."

This achievement follows Better Juice's well-established partnership with GEA Group, one of the largest suppliers of food processing technology.

Better Juice primed for commercialization

Better Juice's solution has successfully advanced to commercial scale in the U.S. In recent years, it demonstrated its full proof of concept in collaboration with juice manufacturers in the U.S and Asia. These companies are now poised to progress to the next stage of commercialization.  Better Juice is now fully prepped for market entry, with a capacity to process 250 million liters of sugar reduced juice per year.

Since 2022, the groundbreaking GEA Better Juice Sugar Converter Skid is included in GEA's test center in Ahaus, Germany. Better Juice collaborates with GEA for manufacturing the bioreactor, and together they install the technology in customers' facilities.

"Better Juice has achieved important milestones in the past two years and has positioned itself as the leading company for reducing simple sugars from natural sources," notes Amir Zaidman, VP of The Kitchen Hub. "The timing is perfect for serving the rapidly expanding trend of consumers striving to cut down on simple sugars in their diet."

About Better Juice

Better Juice, Ltd., was founded in 2018 by a team of biochemists and microbiologists from industry and from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem with the aim of helping beverage manufacturers produce better-for-you, lower-sugar fruit juice., Their technology has accrued  several patents, The company was initially funded and supported by The Kitchen Hub, Strauss Group's food-tech incubator, and has raised US$8M in seed-round investments. Better Juice now has an advanced plant set up to fully serve its clients.

Better Juice partners include: The Kitchen Hub, part of Strauss Group, iAngels, Maverick Ventures Israel, NEOME–Women's Investing Club, Semillero Partners LLC, theFoodTechLab (TFTL) and S. Schestowitz.

Most of the investors who participated in the seed round will also join Round A. These include Emil Capital Partners from Connecticut.

About Ingredion

Ingredion, Inc. (NYSE: INGR), headquartered in the suburbs of Chicago, is a leading global ingredient solutions provider serving customers in more than 120 countries. With 2022 annual net sales of nearly $8 billion, the company turns grains, fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based materials into value-added ingredient solutions for the food, beverage, animal nutrition, brewing, and industrial markets. With Ingredion Idea Labs® innovation centers located around the world, and approximately 12,000 employees, Ingredion co-creates with customers to fulfill its mission of bringing the potential of people, nature, and technology together to make life better. Visit www.ingredion.com for more information and the latest company news.

Company contact	Press contact
Better Juice Eran Blachinsky Ph.D, MBA Gali Yarom Eng. Co-founders E-mail: eran@better-juice.com E-mail: gali@better-juice.com Web: www.better-juice.com	NutriPR Liat Simha Tel: +972-9-9742893 E-mail: liat@nutripr.com Twitter: @LiatSimha Web: www.nutripr.com

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SOURCE Better Juice

FAQ

What is the name of the FoodTech start-up involved in the investment round?

The FoodTech start-up involved in the investment round is Better Juice, Ltd.

What is the ticker symbol for Ingredion, Inc.?

The ticker symbol for Ingredion, Inc. is INGR.

What technology did Better Juice develop for sugar reduction?

Better Juice developed an enzymatic technology to convert sugars into non-digestible compounds, such as dietary fibers and non-digestible sugars.

What percentage of sugar reduction is enabled by Better Juice's technology?

Better Juice's technology enables sugar reduction by 30 to 80 percent.

What is the capacity of Better Juice's sugar reduced juice processing in the U.S.?

Better Juice's capacity to process sugar reduced juice in the U.S. is 250 million liters per year.