This unit is rolling out a line of botanical extracts including polyphenol-rich extracts, citrus bioflavonoids, natural sweeteners and other natural extracts to support key areas of animal nutrition, including palatability, natural antioxidation, gut health and AGP replacement.

The TruGro AOX range works to replace synthetic antioxidants with better performance at the same dosage, and has applications in fat & oils, animal feed, premixes and pet foods. The TruGro AOX platform allows for an increase in the shelf life of animal feed and pet foods, delaying the oxidation process through synergic anti-oxidation mechanisms.

Layn Corp., a global producer of premium-quality animal nutrition ingredients, plant-based sweeteners, functional botanical extracts and CBD, has introduced its TruGro® AOX Natural Antioxidant Platform for animal nutrition.

The new TruGro® AOX range works to replace synthetic antioxidants with better performance at the same dosage, and has applications in fat & oils, animal feed, premixes and pet foods.

TruGro® AOX is developed with botanical extracts, and research has demonstrated that it provides improved anti-oxidation efficacy in a variety of fat and oil substrates commonly used in animal feed and pet foods in comparison with the most used synthetic antioxidants. The TruGro® AOX platform allows for an increase in the shelf life of animal feed and pet foods, delaying the oxidation process through synergic anti-oxidation mechanisms.

Layn continues to invest in research and innovation for its TruGro® animal nutrition line in order to provide clean label alternatives to artificial ingredients in the diets of livestock and pets.

For more information about TruGro® AOX, visit layncorp.com/trugro.

The new TruGro AOX range works to replace synthetic antioxidants with better performance at the same dosage, and has applications in the fat and oils, animal feed, premixes and pet foods sectors, according to the announcement.

Layn noted that it continues to invest in research and innovation for its TruGro animal nutrition line in order to provide clean label alternatives to artificial ingredients in the diets of livestock and pets.

Layn is a global leader in the vertically integrated production of premium-quality, plant-based sweeteners, flavors and natural extracts. Founded in 1995, Layn pioneered the natural high-intensity sweetener industry and has been advancing its ingredients for over two decades.

According to the company, Layn’s TruGro AOX line is made with botanical extracts that have been tested and verified for antioxidation efficacy compared to other synthetic antioxidants. The ingredients increase shelf life and delay the oxidation process naturally for a clean label alternative.

Layn entered the premium pet food ingredient market in April 2019 with the launch of TruGro™ byLayn® portfolio of extracts to enhance palatability.

The company operates a Global Innovation Center in China, where scientists and experts in the animal nutrition industry have researched specific ingredients to deliver improved performance and taste profiles for pet nutrition.

17 Jul 2019 —  The use of sweeteners is barreling towards the mainstream. Major industry players are gravitating toward sweetener reformulations and inspiring innovation to respond to the growing need for sugar reduction. From tapping into the plant-based trend to sugar reduction and its linked health benefits, sweeteners are a promising space with the potential to revolutionize the industry status quo. However, industry experts highlight the difficulties in replacing the functional aspect of sugar in products, but a host of attempts to do so have come to the fore.

An Innova Consumer Lifestyle and Attitudes Survey (2018), found that nearly seven out of ten consumers across the countries surveyed (US, UK, France, Germany, China and Brazil) have reduced their sugar intake. This is particularly so among the over 55 age group, with consumers in France and Brazil the most likely to be reducing sugar in their diet. Consumers are also cutting back on sweet snacks more than savory.

“Food and beverage manufacturers are looking for much more than a traditional well-rounded source of sweetness. Sweeteners are now expected to allow brands to make other label claims around calorie and sugar reduction and demonstrate a commitment to a more ‘natural’ or ‘healthy’ product offering,” Shaun Richmond, Global Vice President of Sweeteners at Layn, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

In this space, Layn recently launched Lovia, a platform which combines monk fruit mogrosides with specific steviol glycosides to enable more profound sugar reduction with a sugar-like taste. The plant-based and “free-from” movements are “picking up steam across global food and beverage markets” and monk fruit is becoming a front-running sweetener solution that meets consumer demands, Richmond says. 

“Consumers want natural, low sugar and clean label products,” says Primož Artač, CEO of Tosla.“Consumers are seeking better-for-you products. They want natural, low sugar and clean label products. They don’t like to consume ingredients which they are not familiar with and, therefore, have a tendency to reject non-sugar sweeteners,” Primož Artač, CEO of Tosla, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

An array of national policies are also encouraging the use of sweeteners, as obesity and diabetes rates increase globally and are linked to sugar consumption. Public Health England (PHE), for example, has launched two separate reformulation programs to tackle the obesity epidemic – the sugar reduction program and calorie reduction program. The use of alternative sweeteners such as allulose, stevia and sucralose have come to the fore as a solution which allow for calorie reduction and sugar reduction, while still maintaining sweetness. Other alternatives with potential include nitamycin, organic blue agave amber nectar, ultragrain pasta, pectin, isolated soy protein and green mandarin essential oil. 

Changing consumer demands
Sugar reduction is becoming a major dietary target for consumers and this is manifesting itself most clearly in the Baby Boomer demographic (born 1946-1964). Innova Market Insights research shows that one in two US Boomers have been reducing their sugar intake or buying more reduced-sugar products, while two in five are cutting back on their consumption of sweet snacks. 

This trend is supported by research into the typical shopping basket. “Boomers are below-average purchasers of certain sweet products such as chocolate, desserts and ice cream, and snack bars,” says Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights. 

Katharina Pueller, Director, Natural Sweetener Business at Sweegen, tells FoodIngredientsFirst that manufacturers will increasingly adapt to the evolving consumer demand for healthier sweeteners in their formulations. Moreover, consumers will look closely at ingredient labels and consciously pick products sweetened with healthy, non-GMO, plant-based sweeteners, she notes. The company’s latest innovation is stevia sweetener Bestevia e+, a blend of novel steviol glycosides containing Reb E, that has a sugar-like taste at a price equivalent to sugar.

“Stevia has gained very favorable awareness among consumers in many regions. It is calorie-free and generates zero glycemic effect, tapping into the trend of reducing sugar with a plant-sourced solution. It is ideal to be used in most food and beverages applications that Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/ World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has approved,”  Dr. Mel Jackson, CSO of Sweet Green Fields, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

“Globally, the use of stevia leaf sweetener in food and beverage products grew at an accelerated pace in 2018,”  Maga Malsagov, PureCircle’s CEO, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. PureCircle offers a range of stevia leaf sweeteners, including Reb M. “These sweeteners help beverage and food companies increase their offerings of zero- and low-calorie products without sacrificing taste,” he adds.

Challenging aspects in formulation
Sugar plays a multi-dimensional role in formulations, not only as a sweetener but also as a bulking agent, preservative, flavor enhancer, coloring agent, viscosity modifier and anticoagulant, according to Artač. Tosla’s CEO also notes that the industry is struggling to replace sugar as various other additives are needed to cover all the functional roles sugar plays in a food system.

According to Richmond, replicating the rounded sweetness of sugar with plant-based high-intensity sweeteners requires expertise in formulation and an understanding of the synergies these sweeteners have with other ingredients and limitations within certain formulations. 

Sugar plays a multi-dimensional role in formulations, not only as a sweetener but also as a bulking agent and preservative.For instance, baking can be a challenge as stevia and monk fruit don’t bulk and brown as sugar does but, with the right technical expertise, companies have been successful in launching baked goods on the market that carry label claims that consumers desire, while also delivering an enjoyable taste profile.

Bakery is a challenge for stevia sweeteners,” Pueller notes. “Sugar has many functions in bakeries, it not only provides sweetness but also provides a majority of the bulk and helps with browning. Fillers can be used to compensate for that bulk.” 

“Sugar reduction doesn’t mean that sugar can be simply replaced by a zero or low-calorie sweetener. The functions of sugar need to be taken care of by applying polyols and fibers that provide the bulk, gelatin that builds back mouthfeel and other ingredients,” Jackson highlights. 

Recently, Sweet Green Fields and Tate & Lyle jointly launched their newest product innovation – ZOLESSE Natural Flavor. ZOLESSE is a glycosylated steviol glycoside that enables manufacturers to maintain a short ingredients list, Jackson says. “When it is used in combination with stevia sweeteners it modifies the overall taste and sweetness giving a more rounded profile with reduced bitterness and less lingering aftertaste, helping formulators to achieve the taste they want.”

Optimal applications for sweeteners
Stevia and monk fruit are well suited to many applications but beverage, dairy, tabletop and sports nutrition applications are seeing the majority of growth, Richmond notes. “Trends such as low- and mid-calorie, zero or reduced sugar, as well as the rapidly growing ketogenic and plant-based trends,  are all popular reasons for increased use of sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit,” he says.

From an NPD point of view, beverages are easiest to work with, says Artač. As sugar is mostly added to beverages only to sweeten them; it makes it easy to replace it with a non-sugar sweetener.

Malsagov says that PureCircle’s stevia leaf ingredients can be used in a variety of food and beverage categories including carbonated soft drinks, flavored milk, yogurt, iced tea, juice, confectionery, sports drinks and tabletop sweeteners, to name a few. There is also significantly increasing potential in ice cream and baked goods, he notes.

What’s next
Artač believes that the industry will continue to see new and exciting sweeteners on the market, but sugar will forever remain the “gold standard.” “I think the idea for innovators is to imitate sugars’ functional properties as much as possible, while satisfying market needs, such as naturalness, affordability and low metabolic response,” he says.

High-intensity sweeteners are seeing significant growth in the food and beverage industry. Key suppliers are making significant investments in understanding and developing different minor glycosides and mogrosides that deliver an improved taste profile over previous stevia and monk fruit products available. “Sweetener platforms that use these new solutions in proprietary blends and with other natural flavors will continue to deliver improvements and stretch the capabilities of plant-based high-intensity sweeteners across many different applications,” Richmond notes.

“We anticipate food and beverage companies will continue to increase their use of stevia as their go-to, non-GMO, sweetening solution, as well as using stevia as a functional ingredient. This will provide consumers a great-tasting, plant-based ingredient they desire,” says Malsagov.

Hurdles in formulation exist, despite sweeteners’ already wide use but the industry is expected to respond with more innovation. The market is ripe for sugar replacements and the potential for growth seems more significant than ever before.

Layn unveiled the launch of a U.S.-based CBD manufacturing facility, set to be completed in fall of 2020.
 
Layn USA President Elaine Yu outlined the company’s decision to work within the U.S. on this new venture, and how hemp production in the U.S. and China differ. 
 
Looking ahead, the company’s new CBD line will include full spectrum oil, distillates, and isolates. 

The company supplies C.B.D. oil, C.B.D. distillate and crystallized isolate, which offers the purest C.B.D. People who stopped by Layn’s booth at IFT19 worked in various food and beverage categories, including baked foods, chocolate and gummies, said Elaine Yu, president of Layn USA, Newport Beach, Calif.

The company has an advantage over other C.B.D. suppliers in that Layn USA already has experience in the food industry, she said. The company for more than 20 years has taken extractions from stevia and monk fruit to use as sweeteners.

Layn USA is part of China-based Guilin Layn Natural Ingredients Corp. As part of a $60 million investment, Layn will build a U.S. manufacturing facility that should be completed in the fall of 2020. It will be capable of processing a minimum of 5,000 tons of hemp biomass per year, which will yield 160 tons of C.B.D. and 290 tons of oil. Layn is in the final stages of selecting a location for the facility, which probably will be in the Midwest, Ms. Yu said.

Ms. Yu said she recognized the regulatory situation of C.B.D needs to become clearer.

“There is a long path to go,” she said.

Layn has launched into the pet nutrition space, targeting specific pet health needs, and pleasing pets and their owners with its high-quality, natural, plant-based ingredients. Its new pet food additive platforms can improve palatability, and address three important areas of pet health – gut health, cell oxidation and weight control.

Gut Health

A healthy gut is the foundation of health for pets. As the largest immune organ, more than 80% of the immune system resides in the gut. Proper gut health helps to ensure that pets are able to digest and absorb valuable nutrients from the food and supplements they eat. The TruGro GH pet food additive platform that includes natural solutions based in botanical extracts that help maintain intestinal barrier function and health for improving animal welfare. The platform is based in botanical extracts that help strengthen the gut microbiome to provide a myriad of life-supporting functions that can help pets live their healthiest days.

Cell Oxidation

Oxidation can damage mitochondria, cell membranes and other mechanisms and structures essential to the cell. This kind of damage underlies many diseases. The TruGro AOX platform is based in botanical extracts with antioxidant capabilities, targeted at reducing cell oxidation.

Palatability

Obesity is a significant risk factor for many life-threatening diseases that affect pets. Body weight is a balancing act of “energy in” (food) versus “energy out” (activity). To achieve weight loss, food consumption needs to be decreased and/or the amount of activity must be increased. But, it’s best to prevent weight gain in the first place since weight loss can be more difficult to achieve. The TruGro SW pet food additive platform includes plant-based sweeteners and flavors, adding palatability to the food and helping to control eater activity.

The new pet nutrition ingredients are available as part of Layn’s animal nutrition brand, TruGro™ by Layn^®. The new product line includes polyphenol & flavonoid rich extracts, palatability ingredients and other specialty extracts from botanicals including grape seed, green tea, rosemary and others.

For more information, visit https://layncorp.com/trugro/

11 Jun 2019 — A new line of cannabidiol (CBD) ingredients by Guilin Layn Natural Ingredients Corp. (“Layn”), a global producer best known for its plant-based sweeteners, debuted at last week’s IFT19 Food Expo in New Orleans, US (June 3 to 5). The company has invested an estimated US $60 million in a new US-based CBD manufacturing facility, expected to be completed in autumn of 2020. The facility is expected to have the capacity to process a minimum benchmark of 5,000 tons of hemp biomass per year, which will yield 160 tons of high purity CBD and 290 tons of full spectrum oil annually. Layn is currently in the process of completing the filing procedures to receive approval for this project.

The industry has been keeping a close eye on the regulatory developments around the compound that shows no sign of slowing down. Most recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a public hearing on May 31 on products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds, in an attempt to create “legal pathways” for the compounds use in food and beverage applications. However, the hearing left a lot of unanswered questions and industry is still pushing for legal clarity. Despite the legal gray area, the entrance of an ingredient supplier such as Layn into the arena suggests a true mainstreaming. 

“We chose to invest in the CBD industry because it is a trending hot topic,” Elaine Yu, CEO of Layn, tells FoodIngredientsFirst on the floor of IFT19 (in photo). “Even though this market seems crowded, not very many of these players come from this industry – many are ‘outsiders’ like farmers or extraction equipment manufacturers. From Layn’s perspective as an ingredients manufacturer, we are utilizing our 20+ years of experience and expertise in extraction, agriculture management, sustainable supply chains and understanding food safety requirements.” 

Layn will make its CBD ingredients available in a number of forms, including full-spectrum oil, broad spectrum oil, CBD distillate and crystallized isolate, offering the purest CBD.

Yu highlights the emergent potential of CBD in food and beverage formats, where historically, companies have been more inclined towards pills, tinctures or topical delivery formats. At IFT19, Layn showcased two beverage concepts: a cucumber-flavored anti-inflammation drink infused with CBD (roughly 21mg per 200mg serving) and Gotu kola, using stevia and monk fruit as zero-calorie sweeteners; and a fruit-flavored anxiety-relief drink infused with CBD and Rhodiola extract.

“In the nutraceuticals segment, CBD is commonly used in tinctures, oils and creams – it has been more about topical use and not too much about taste. We want to demonstrate that CBD can be used in a wider range of applications. What were are showcasing here is CBD as the main ingredient – integrating it with our other portfolio, which encompasses plant-based sweeteners and natural ingredients for different functions. We are currently working on solutions regarding the water solubility of our oil products, as well as taste challenges,” says Yu.

As an increasing number of consumers incorporate CBD into their daily wellness regimes, an analysis of buyers’ preferences by cannabis industry specialist High Yield Insights reveals that in addition to vapes, oils and topics, the most common delivery methods of CBD are “edibles” such as baked goods and gummies.

Layn has partnered with farmers that have been growing hemp since the US Congress legalized low-THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis) hemp, under the Farm Bill, which was passed in December 2018. Once hemp was legalized, many small industry players jumped at the chance to use CBD derived from hemp in value-added wellness products and industry saw the launch of an array of CBD-infused offerings, such as wines, waters, edibles and topicals.

“Our world-class R&D team has developed advanced botanical extraction technology that we are now applying to hemp farming and CBD extraction,” says Frank Xie, Board Director of Layn. “We have also taken great care in building a sustainable supply chain for the ingredients we offer and are committed to carrying this expertise into our CBD line.”

But even with consumer interest in CBD booming, and the loosening of corresponding regulatory restrictions, certain challenges in the nascent market have been made apparent in recent months. According to a recent Rabobank report, imbalances in the supply chain of hemp in the US could potentially lead to a future market “crash,” and the existing legal ambiguities are a significant hurdle to the proliferation of related products. Moreover, the emergence of synthetic CBD – marketed as a “safer, low-cost and non-toxic” alternative to naturally sourced CBD – may itself challenge the integrity of the extract.

Synthetic CBD also received a boost in its medical standing. A study published earlier last month, conducted by chemists at the University of California, Davis, US, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Reading, UK, found that a synthetic, non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD) alternative, 8,9-Dihydrocannabidiol(H2CBD) was found to be as effective in treating the frequency and severity of seizures in rats, pointing towards a potential therapeutic application for humans.

According to their report, the synthetic CBD alternative is easier to purify than a plant extract, eliminating the need to use agricultural land for hemp cultivation (making it cheaper), and can avoid legal implications surrounding cannabis-related products. Their work was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.

With these existing challenges to the CBD industry, whether the cannabis extract has proven its worth as a consumer staple has yet to be seen. Layn has partnered with specialists in the food and beverage, health and nutrition, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, personal care and animal nutrition companies in over 60 global territories. The company announces that it will be continuing to work with many of these manufacturers to develop new applications for industrial hemp and the development of new hemp-based businesses.

NEW ORLEANS — At first glance, the idea of Layn Corp — best known for its plant-based high-intensity sweeteners — entering the CBD market is somewhat baffling. 

But to Elaine Yu, the China-based company’s U.S. president, the move makes perfect sense. The company’s expertise is in culturing tissues for plants such as stevia and monkfruit, contracting with farmers to grow the plants, then processing the finished products into extracts for use in food, drinks, cosmetics and supplements.

“If you see what we have been doing, hemp fits in our core competency very well,” Yu told Food Dive at the Institute of Food Technologists conference this week where the company announced its next ingredient line. “This is our expertise for 20-plus years. Now we just need to apply that experience and expertise into hemp production, which we see is greatly needed in this industry.”

Layn is making a major commitment to CBD with a $60 million investment into the market. The company will be building a processing factory for the ingredient — the company’s fourth factory overall, and its first in the United States.

The company is in the final stages of negotiating a site for the factory, which Yu said will likely be in the midwestern United States. Layn will be able to process at least 5,000 tons of hemp biomass in a year, which the company says will produce 160 tons of high-purity CBD and 290 tons of full-spectrum oil a year. Layn already has contracts with two hemp growers for an initial supply, Yu said. The factory should be in operation next fall.

While the CBD industry is still new — and largely unregulated — the players getting into the market have varied experience. Many are farmers with expertise limited to growing.

Layn is unique in that it can take the product from seed to shelf, Yu said. It also knows the process to extract a botanical substance to get its maximum potency, and how to work with food and beverage applications. Yu said they have worked to get around the challenges plants such as stevia present. This knowhow can help with turning CBD into extracts that can be successful in food and drink.

Although CBD is on the radar of many companies in the food and beverage industry, Yu noted the IFT show floor — where companies showcase their newest ingredients, processing technology, packaging and traceability solutions — had relatively few companies dealing with cannabis.

“We come from the food industry,” Yu said. “You know there are so many players, but you don’t see them so much at IFT because we are coming from the food area. We understand … what is the food safety requirement. How to deal with a customer audit, an FDA audit, in terms of your quality and manufacturing standard to the market it demands. … We have the expertise and the knowledge, and we can provide the customer with a high-quality sustainable food ingredient.” 

Yu said interest in the company’s new line of business at IFT was overwhelming. They had brought a substantial amount of literature on hemp and CBD that was all given out on the first day of the three-day show. At Layn’s booth, they gave out samples of a sweet CBD beverage made from many of their ingredients to demonstrate what they could do. The shotglass-sized samples were quickly snatched up by attendees, barely spending any time on the counter of the booth.

Although CBD is currently in the beginning stages of FDA regulation, Yu said there is already a market for the ingredient, and Layn wants to be involved as a supplier. However, given the need for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine regulations — coupled with the time it will take to build the CBD factory and get it operational — Yu said now is a good moment to enter the market in preparation for the future.

“In this 18 months right now, we are doing more research,” she said. “Working with customers, help them to get ready for when that final approval is happening. Then, they have a product to launch, ready to go.”

Layn’s CBD manufacturing facility is expected to be completed in Fall 2020. The facility will have the capability of processing a minimum of 5,000 tons of hemp biomass per year, which will yield 160 tons of high purity CBD and 290 tons of full spectrum oil annually. The project’s total investment will be an estimated $60 million, most of which will go into construction of the new U.S. based facility. Layn is currently in the process of completing the filing procedures to receive approval for this project.

“Layn has over 20 years of experience in biomass farming management and our world-class R&D team has developed advanced botanical extraction technology that we are now applying to hemp farming and CBD extraction,” said Frank Xie,

EVP, Board Director of Guilin Layn Natural Ingredients Corp. “We have also taken great care in building a sustainable supply chain for the ingredients we offer and are committed to carrying this expertise into our CBD line.”

Layn has partnered with farmers that have been growing hemp since the Farm Bill passed in 2014. With this partnership, in Fall 2019, Layn will offer CBD products from large scale farming operations with the ability to utilize cutting edge cultivation techniques within both organic and conventional certified hemp.

Layn will make its CBD ingredients available in a number of forms, including:

• Full Spectrum Oil
• Broad Spectrum Oil
• CBD Distillate
• Crystallized Isolate offering the purest CBD

Layn has been cultivating in the plant extraction industry for nearly 20 years.  It has partnered and carried out business with hundreds of food & beverage, health & nutrition, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, personal care and animal nutrition companies in more than 60 countries and regions around the world. Layn is working with many of these manufacturers to meet the demands for applications of industrial hemp, and the development of new hemp-based businesses.

For more information, visit Layn in booth #601 at IFT.

 About Layn Corp:

Layn Corp. is a global leader in the vertically integrated production of premium-quality, plant-based sweeteners, flavors and botanicals. Founded in 1995, Layn pioneered the natural high-intensity sweetener industry, and has been advancing its innovative ingredients for over two decades. Layn’s ingredients are uniquely designed to meet the needs of global food, beverage and nutraceutical manufacturers. Its portfolio of monk fruit, stevia extracts and other functional botanicals, delivers superior taste profiles, a focus on sustainability, and proprietary formulations to satisfy a broad range of specific applications. Visit www.layncorp.com.

NEW ORLEANS — At first glance, the idea of Layn Corp — best known for its plant-based high-intensity sweeteners — entering the CBD market is somewhat baffling. 

But to Elaine Yu, the China-based company’s U.S. president, the move makes perfect sense. The company’s expertise is in culturing tissues for plants such as stevia and monkfruit, contracting with farmers to grow the plants, then processing the finished products into extracts for use in food, drinks, cosmetics and supplements.

“If you see what we have been doing, hemp fits in our core competency very well,” Yu told Food Dive at the Institute of Food Technologists conference this week where the company announced its next ingredient line. “This is our expertise for 20-plus years. Now we just need to apply that experience and expertise into hemp production, which we see is greatly needed in this industry.”

Layn is making a major commitment to CBD with a $60 million investment into the market. The company will be building a processing factory for the ingredient — the company’s fourth factory overall, and its first in the United States.

The company is in the final stages of negotiating a site for the factory, which Yu said will likely be in the midwestern United States. Layn will be able to process at least 5,000 tons of hemp biomass in a year, which the company says will produce 160 tons of high-purity CBD and 290 tons of full-spectrum oil a year. Layn already has contracts with two hemp growers for an initial supply, Yu said. The factory should be in operation next fall.

While the CBD industry is still new — and largely unregulated — the players getting into the market have varied experience. Many are farmers with expertise limited to growing.

Layn is unique in that it can take the product from seed to shelf, Yu said. It also knows the process to extract a botanical substance to get its maximum potency, and how to work with food and beverage applications. Yu said they have worked to get around the challenges plants such as stevia present. This knowhow can help with turning CBD into extracts that can be successful in food and drink.

Although CBD is on the radar of many companies in the food and beverage industry, Yu noted the IFT show floor — where companies showcase their newest ingredients, processing technology, packaging and traceability solutions — had relatively few companies dealing with cannabis.

“We come from the food industry,” Yu said. “You know there are so many players, but you don’t see them so much at IFT because we are coming from the food area. We understand … what is the food safety requirement. How to deal with a customer audit, an FDA audit, in terms of your quality and manufacturing standard to the market it demands. … We have the expertise and the knowledge, and we can provide the customer with a high-quality sustainable food ingredient.” 

Yu said interest in the company’s new line of business at IFT was overwhelming. They had brought a substantial amount of literature on hemp and CBD that was all given out on the first day of the three-day show. At Layn’s booth, they gave out samples of a sweet CBD beverage made from many of their ingredients to demonstrate what they could do. The shotglass-sized samples were quickly snatched up by attendees, barely spending any time on the counter of the booth.

“Nos complace dar la bienvenida a la Sra. Fernández para liderar el empeño de ventas en Latinoamérica a la vez que continuamos creciendo el equipo en esa región y afianzamos nuestra presencia global”, dijo Frank Yongfu Xie, vicepresidente ejecutivo de Layn Corp. ” La Sra. Fernández tiene una gran experiencia en la industria y el conocimiento necesario para expandir el reconocimiento y las ventas de nuestros ingredientes, particularmente en América Latina y otras regiones donde estamos experimentando un rápido crecimiento.”

Según Mintel, en el 2017 América Latina representó el 17 por ciento de los lanzamientos de productos de alimentos y bebidas a nivel mundial con stevia. Se espera que la región continúe su rápido crecimiento, en parte debido a las estrictas políticas impositivas en ciertos países y al aumento de la demanda de alternativas al azúcar.

El equipo de Layn Latinoamérica está compuesto por expertos líderes en la industria que poseen un gran conocimiento y comprensión del mercado local. El personal experto, junto con la nueva base de cultivo de stevia de Layn en Guatemala, reafirma el continuo compromiso de Layn en proporcionar a sus clientes las soluciones solicitadas, basadas en extractos de plantas. Su expansión en Latinoamérica permite a Layn tener cosechas múltiples de stevia cada año e mantener un nuevo abastecimiento estratégico de stevia.

“Estoy entusiasmada de unirme a Layn en este momento crucial en el negocio de los edulcorantes”, dijo la Sra. Fernández. “La reducción del azúcar y las alternativas naturales están promoviendo una gran demanda, y me complace trabajar con el equipo para dar a conocer al mercado Layn como uno de los principales líderes mundiales en la tecnología de los edulcorantes y las soluciones adaptadas al gusto del cliente”.

Para conectar y colaborar con los clientes, Layn participará en dos eventos en el mercado de América Latina: Food Ingredients South America en Sao Paulo, Brasil del 21 al 23 de agosto, stand #13-32, y Food Technology Summit en Miguel Hidalgo, México, el 26 y 27 de septiembre, stand #14-33.

Acerca de Layn Corp:
Layn Corp., líder mundial en la producción vertical e integrada de edulcorantes, sabores y productos botánicos de calidad premium. Fundada en 1995, Layn fue pionera en la industria natural de edulcorantes de alta potencia y ha estado innovando con sus ingredientes innovadores durante más de dos décadas. Los ingredientes de Layn están diseñados exclusivamente para satisfacer las necesidades de los fabricantes mundiales de alimentos, bebidas y nutracéuticos. Su portafolio de productos: fruto del monje, extractos de stevia y otros botánicos funcionales, ofrecen perfiles de sabor excelentes, focalizados en sostenibilidad además de formulaciones patentadas para satisfacer una amplia gama de aplicaciones específicas. Visita a www.layncorp.com.

# # #

Contact:

Heidi Rosenberg

Senior Public Relations Counsel

48 Market St., Suite 300

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Direct: 385-222-7043

Cell: 435-841-2171

[email protected]

“We are pleased to welcome Ms. Fernandez to help lead sales efforts as we continue to grow our team in Latin America and build our global presence,” said Frank Yongfu Xie, executive VP of Layn Corp. “She has deep industry experience, and the knowledge and expertise needed to expand awareness and sales of our ingredients, particularly in Latin America and other regions where we are seeing explosive growth.”

According to Mintel, in 2017 Latin America accounted for 17 percent of global food and beverage product launches featuring stevia. The region is expected to continue its rapid growth in part due to stringent taxation policies in certain countries, and increased demand for sugar alternatives. Layn’s globally staffed Latin America team is comprised of industry-leading experts that have a vast amount of regional knowledge and understanding of the market. The experienced staff, coupled with Layn’s new stevia cultivation base in Guatemala, demonstrates its continued commitment to provide its customers in the region with the specific plant-based solutions they require. Its expansion in Latin America allows Layn to have multiple stevia harvests each year, and maintain a fresh supply of the natural sweetener.

“I am excited to join Layn at this pivotal time in the sweetener space,” said Ms. Fernandez. “Sugar reduction and natural alternatives are driving significant demand, and I am pleased to work with the team to expand awareness of Layn’s position as one of the world’s leading suppliers of advanced sweetener technology and custom solutions.”

To engage and meet customers, Layn will participate in two shows in the Latin America market – Food Ingredients South America in Sao Paulo, Brazil Aug. 21-23, booth #13-32, and the Food Technology Summit in Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico Sept. 26-27, booth #14-33.

About Layn Corp:
Layn Corp. is a global leader in the vertically integrated production of premium-quality, plant-based sweeteners, flavors and botanicals. Founded in 1995, Layn pioneered the natural high-potency sweetener industry, and has been advancing its innovative ingredients for over two decades. Layn’s ingredients are uniquely designed to meet the needs of global food, beverage and nutraceutical manufacturers. Its portfolio of monk fruit, stevia extracts and other functional botanicals, delivers superior taste profiles, a focus on sustainability, and proprietary formulations to satisfy a broad range of specific applications. Visit www.layncorp.com.

# # #

PR Contact:

Heidi Rosenberg

Senior Public Relations Counsel

48 Market St., Suite 300

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Direct: 385-222-7043

Cell: 435-841-2171

[email protected]

The partnership with Jia enables Layn to extend its leadership in stevia production to Guatemala and further expand into greater Latin America. Layn and Jia share a commitment to social responsibility, transparency and ensuring a sustainable supply of stevia. With plantations on both sides of the world, Layn will have multiple seasons of harvest throughout the year, thereby improving supply yield and decreasing stevia leaf production costs.

“Layn and Jia’s combined R&D strengths and expertise in farming and manufacturing, along with Jia’s presence and reputation in Latin America, will allow us to better serve the region, and jointly deliver more advanced sweetener solutions,” said Elaine Yu, president of Layn USA. “Jia’s rapid prototype development capabilities will further our ability to develop ingredients and proprietary blends tailored perfectly for specific customer needs and applications.”

To learn more about Layn’s expansion in LATAM, and its portfolio of high-intensity and proprietary natural sweeteners, find them at the Food & Technology Summit and Expo 2017, booth #1436 or at SupplySide West, booth #CC142-C.

About Layn Corp:
Layn Corp. is a global leader in the vertically integrated production of premium-quality, natural sweeteners, flavors and botanicals. Founded in 1995, Layn pioneered the natural high-intensity sweetener industry, and has been advancing its innovative ingredients for over two decades. Layn’s ingredients are uniquely designed to meet the needs of global food, beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Its portfolio of monk fruit, stevia extracts and other functional botanicals, delivers superior taste profiles, a focus on sustainability, and proprietary formulations to satisfy a broad range of specific applications. Visit www.layncorp.com.

About Jia
Jia is a company that specializes in applications of high intensity sweeteners through its proprietary sweetener solutions system. Jia has developed advanced agronomic capabilities with stevia – one of the key ingredients of its sweetener solutions. Its range of products is primarily targeted to direct consumers, the food industry and the restaurant and hospitality markets. Jia has a strong philosophy that drives its work: “inspiring small changes that inspire global wellbeing”. Jia is transforming global wellness by collaborating with its clients to sweeten products responsibly.

# # #

Contact:

Heidi Rosenberg

Senior Public Relations Counsel

48 Market St., Suite 300

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Direct: 385-222-7043

Cell: 435-841-2171

[email protected]

The Global Innovation Center brings together leading industry scientists and experts to support Layn’s ongoing commitment to the discovery of new innovations in sweetener and flavor systems, technologies and formulations. The Center conducts ongoing research and provides formulation and lab support to food, beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturers around the world.

Layn’s new production facility nearly quadruples its current production capacity, further improves product quality, and decreases production costs. The facility is located in Guangxi, China – the agricultural center of monk fruit and sweet blackberry leaf crops. Layn is uniquely positioned as a global leader in the high-intensity sweetener market, and the new facility enables it to better manage the supply chain, and meet increased demand for quality ingredients.

“As a leading pioneer in the high-intensity, natural sweetener industry for over two decades, we’ve seen a significant increase in demand from our international customer base,” said Elaine Yu, President of Layn USA. “In today’s environment of strict government regulation and consumer expectations regarding quality, transparency and sustainability, it is paramount that we continue to provide the best sweetener solutions today, and constantly drive innovation for tomorrow.“

With a focus on proprietary blends, the production facility uses state-of-the-art technology and equipment to offer improved quality, yield, waste reduction and sustainability. Combined with an increase in research and innovation, Layn is able to more consistently deliver industry-leading, quality ingredients at a competitive price.

About Layn Corp:
Layn Corp. is a global leader in the vertically integrated production of premium-quality, natural sweeteners, flavors and botanicals. Founded in 1995, Layn pioneered the natural high-intensity sweetener industry, and has been advancing its innovative ingredients for over two decades. Layn’s ingredients are uniquely designed to meet the needs of global food, beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Its portfolio of monk fruit, stevia extracts and other functional botanicals, delivers superior taste profiles, a focus on sustainability, and proprietary formulations to satisfy a broad range of specific applications. Visit www.layncorp.com.

# # #

Contact:

Heidi Rosenberg

Senior Public Relations Counsel

48 Market St., Suite 300

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Direct: 385-222-7043

Cell: 435-841-2171

[email protected]

“Our new European office and logistics center places us in a strategic location as we expand globally, and continue to drive sweetener innovation and uphold our commitments to sustainability in monk fruit and stevia production,” said Luca Pennestri, president of Layn Europe. “We are also proud to have a strong presence here, as we work with industry and governments to help in Europe’s sugar reduction efforts and fight against obesity and sugar-related health problems.“

Layn was the first supplier of monk fruit in Europe, and the first to apply for EFSA certification of the ingredient. As it works to build a solid network of EU distributors and customers, Layn’s presence there will enable it to more easily align with some of the biggest players in the food & beverage industry with facilities in Europe. The new office will also allow more streamlined collaboration with EU-based global procurement.

“Together with Layn headquarters in Asia, and Layn USA overseeing the Americas, the opening of Layn Europe truly makes us a global company,” said Frank Yongfu, executive VP of Layn Corp. “This, coupled with our commitment to R&D efforts, as seen with our newly developed Global Innovation Center in Shanghai, China, affords us the unique capability and deep experience to meet the varying needs of our worldwide accounts. We are investing in the future of sugar reduction and our lab is committed to developing innovative ways to reduce sugar with all products in our portfolio.”

To learn more about Layn’s efforts in Europe, and its portfolio of high-intensity and proprietary natural sweeteners, visit them at stand #82 at Food Matters Live in London November 21-23, and #H30 at Food Ingredients Europe in Frankfurt November 28-30.

About Layn Corp:
Layn Corp. is a global leader in the vertically integrated production of premium-quality, natural sweeteners, flavors and botanicals. Founded in 1995, Layn pioneered the natural high-intensity sweetener industry, and has been advancing its innovative ingredients for over two decades. Layn’s ingredients are uniquely designed to meet the needs of global food, beverage and nutraceutical manufacturers. Its portfolio of monk fruit, stevia extracts and other functional botanicals, delivers superior taste profiles, a focus on sustainability, and proprietary formulations to satisfy a broad range of specific applications. Visit www.layncorp.com.

# # #

Contact:

Heidi Rosenberg

Senior Public Relations Counsel

48 Market St., Suite 300

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Direct: 385-222-7043

Cell: 435-841-2171

[email protected]

The company will have Alex Woo, Technical Director at Layn USA and industry expert, leading the conversation. Mr. Woo will host four sessions on the top sugar reduction tools and techniques, and provide insights into the future of sweetener innovation. The sessions will be held in the Layn Booth (#3528) at the following times:

Friday, March 9th
11:00am
1:00pm

Saturday, March 10th
11:00am
1:00pm

For over 25 years, Layn has advanced its R&D, and developed agriculture and production methods to improve the quality, harvest yield and taste profiles of stevia and monk fruit.

Visit Layn at booth #3528 to learn more about the extensive plant-based product offering and see how it meets varying application needs.

An industry pioneer, Layn continues to introduce new tools and technologies for sweetener customization. The company will launch its new branding, and will be sampling two different sweet solutions each day of the expo.

Attendees are encouraged to vist Layn at Engredea to find out more about what sets Layn apart as a leader in plant-based sweeteners, and its commitment to creating a healthier future.

Visit Layn at booth #3528 at Engredea, or see www.layncorp.com.

# # #
About Layn Corp:
Layn Corp. is a global leader in the vertically integrated production of premium-quality, plant-based sweeteners, flavors and botanicals. Founded in 1995, Layn pioneered the plant-based, high-potency sweetener industry, and has been advancing its innovative ingredients for over two decades. Layn’s ingredients are uniquely designed to meet the needs of global food, beverage and nutraceutical manufacturers. Its portfolio of monk fruit, stevia extracts and other functional botanicals, delivers superior taste profiles, a focus on sustainability, and proprietary formulations to satisfy a broad range of specific applications. Visit www.layncorp.com.

# # #

Contact:

Heidi Rosenberg

Senior Public Relations Counsel

48 Market St., Suite 300

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Direct: 385-222-7043

Cell: 435-841-2171

[email protected]

Cutting-Edge Research and Development

Layn has a dedicated team, including three PhDs and eight professional agronomists that oversee its agriculture program. It commits 2 percent of its annual revenue to go directly back into the agriculture program on a long-term basis. Specific research programs take place in a 2,000 sq. meter greenhouse ensuring that they can conduct the agriculture research year-round. Monk fruit research includes investigating ways to increase both overall yield, and increase MogV levels. Additional research projects are underway to help lead improved taste profiles and other product innovations. Layn partners and customers are invited to tour its 4,000 sq. meter small-scale demonstration farm to get in-person experience with the program. Layn works directly with East China University of Science and Technology for research and to help to validate its cutting-edge science and viability of its agricultural practices.

Extending Annual Harvests

Layn begins with optimization of quality seedlings. It goes beyond simply acquiring seedlings from growers, and instead is deeply involved in seedling-improvement research and education. Layn’s Second Harvest initiative has enabled the company to increase crops from one to two harvests per year, and is moving into commercialization, which will further increase and stabilize the fruit supply. Previously, Layn was able to plant only in March, and harvest in October. Now, planting takes place in March and October, yielding harvests in both Autumn and Summer. This initiative doubles yield and helps to ensure a continuous supply.

Expanding Cultivation Regions

Previously, there were industry concerns about monk fruit supply chain because it grows only in one region of China (Guilin) and produced only one harvest per year. Layn is expanding cultivation to neighboring provinces that are identified as having similar environment and climate to Guilin. Pilot programs have been conducted, and validated that the fruit quality and yield in these other regions are similar to that in Guilin.

Supporting Local Farmers

Layn works to support 4,000 farming families for monk fruit, and over 2,500 families for stevia leaf. It provides extensive training programs for local farmers, and has developed standardized cultivation process procedure guides. It has programs in place to assist low-income farm families.

Improving Preservation Techniques

Layn has also introduced improved freezing capabilities and increased storage capacity enabling it to store more fruit longer, and preserve a full year supply. This additional step further ensures more stability in the monk fruit supply chain. Improving its storage and preservation capabilities supports scaled up cultivation and additional yields.

About Layn Corp:

Layn Corp. is a global leader in the vertically integrated production of premium-quality, natural sweeteners, flavors and botanicals. Founded in 1995, Layn pioneered the natural high-intensity sweetener industry, and has been advancing its innovative ingredients for over two decades. Layn’s ingredients are uniquely designed to meet the needs of global food, beverage and nutraceutical manufacturers. Its portfolio of monk fruit, stevia extracts and other functional botanicals, delivers superior taste profiles, a focus on sustainability, and proprietary formulations to satisfy a broad range of specific applications. Visit www.layncorp.com.

# # #

Contact:

Heidi Rosenberg

Senior Public Relations Counsel

48 Market St., Suite 300

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Direct: 385-222-7043

Cell: 435-841-2171

[email protected]

“Our new European office and logistics center places us in a strategic location as we expand globally, and continue to drive sweetener innovation and uphold our commitments to sustainability in monk fruit and stevia production,” said Luca Pennestri, president of Layn Europe. “We are also proud to have a strong presence here, as we work with industry and governments to help in Europe’s sugar reduction efforts and fight against obesity and sugar-related health problems.“

Layn was the first supplier of monk fruit in Europe, and the first to apply for EFSA certification of the ingredient. As it works to build a solid network of EU distributors and customers, Layn’s presence there will enable it to more easily align with some of the biggest players in the food & beverage industry with facilities in Europe. The new office will also allow more streamlined collaboration with EU-based global procurement.

“Together with Layn headquarters in Asia, and Layn USA overseeing the Americas, the opening of Layn Europe truly makes us a global company,” said Frank Yongfu, executive VP of Layn Corp. “This, coupled with our commitment to R&D efforts, as seen with our newly developed Global Innovation Center in Shanghai, China, affords us the unique capability and deep experience to meet the varying needs of our worldwide accounts. We are investing in the future of sugar reduction and our lab is committed to developing innovative ways to reduce sugar with all products in our portfolio.”

To learn more about Layn’s efforts in Europe, and its portfolio of high-intensity and proprietary natural sweeteners, visit them at stand #82 at Food Matters Live in London November 21-23, and #H30 at Food Ingredients Europe in Frankfurt November 28-30.

About Layn Corp:

Layn Corp. is a global leader in the vertically integrated production of premium-quality, natural sweeteners, flavors and botanicals. Founded in 1995, Layn pioneered the natural high-intensity sweetener industry, and has been advancing its innovative ingredients for over two decades. Layn’s ingredients are uniquely designed to meet the needs of global food, beverage and nutraceutical manufacturers. Its portfolio of monk fruit, stevia extracts and other functional botanicals, delivers superior taste profiles, a focus on sustainability, and proprietary formulations to satisfy a broad range of specific applications. Visit www.layncorp.com.

# # #

Contact:
Heidi Rosenberg
Senior Public Relations Counsel
48 Market St., Suite 300
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Direct: 385-222-7043
Cell: 435-841-2171
[email protected]

“We are pleased to welcome Ms. Fernandez to help lead sales efforts as we continue to grow our team in Latin America and build our global presence,” said Frank Yongfu Xie, executive VP of Layn Corp. “She has deep industry experience, and the knowledge and expertise needed to expand awareness and sales of our ingredients, particularly in Latin America and other regions where we are seeing explosive growth.”

According to Mintel, in 2017 Latin America accounted for 17 percent of global food and beverage product launches featuring stevia. The region is expected to continue its rapid growth in part due to stringent taxation policies in certain countries, and increased demand for sugar alternatives. Layn’s globally staffed Latin America team is comprised of industry-leading experts that have a vast amount of regional knowledge and understanding of the market. The experienced staff, coupled with Layn’s new stevia cultivation base in Guatemala, demonstrates its continued commitment to provide its customers in the region with the specific plant-based solutions they require. Its expansion in Latin America allows Layn to have multiple stevia harvests each year, and maintain a fresh supply of the natural sweetener.

“I am excited to join Layn at this pivotal time in the sweetener space,” said Ms. Fernandez. “Sugar reduction and natural alternatives are driving significant demand, and I am pleased to work with the team to expand awareness of Layn’s position as one of the world’s leading suppliers of advanced sweetener technology and custom solutions.”

To engage and meet customers, Layn will participate in two shows in the Latin America market – Food Ingredients South America in Sao Paulo, Brazil Aug. 21-23, booth #13-32, and the Food Technology Summit in Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico Sept. 26-27, booth #14-33.

About Layn Corp:

Layn Corp. is a global leader in the vertically integrated production of premium-quality, plant-based sweeteners, flavors and botanicals. Founded in 1995, Layn pioneered the natural high-potency sweetener industry, and has been advancing its innovative ingredients for over two decades. Layn’s ingredients are uniquely designed to meet the needs of global food, beverage and nutraceutical manufacturers. Its portfolio of monk fruit, stevia extracts and other functional botanicals, delivers superior taste profiles, a focus on sustainability, and proprietary formulations to satisfy a broad range of specific applications. Visit www.layncorp.com.

PR Contact:
Heidi Rosenberg
Public Relations Counsel
48 Market St., Suite 300
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
direct: 385-222-7043
cell: 435-841-2171
[email protected]

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