Tate & Lyle expands BioHarvest partnership to develop plant-based sweeteners

Tate & Lyle has expanded its collaboration with BioHarvest Sciences to accelerate the development of next-generation plant-based sweeteners, broadening a joint program first launched in 2024 to include multiple sweetener molecules.

• Tate & Lyle has expanded its BioHarvest collaboration to develop multiple plant-based sweetener molecules.
• The program uses BioHarvest’s Botanical Synthesis platform to support non-GMO ingredient development.
• Tate & Lyle said the work strengthened its pipeline for sugar and calorie reduction solutions.

The expanded sweetener molecule development program was designed to give food and beverage manufacturers a wider set of tools for sugar and calorie reduction, with solutions tailored to different product categories, taste profiles, cost requirements, and labeling needs.

Tate & Lyle, a London-based ingredient solutions company, reported that the decision reflected strong technical progress since the original agreement with BioHarvest Sciences, as well as growing demand from customers for more flexible sweetening systems.

The company noted that no single sweetener could meet every formulation challenge across food and beverage categories. Instead, Tate & Lyle has focused on developing complementary options that can be used either independently or in combination, allowing manufacturers to optimize products according to specific sensory, economic, and label requirements.

The collaboration draws on BioHarvest’s Botanical Synthesis platform, which supports the development of plant-based, non-GMO ingredients while reducing reliance on traditional agricultural extraction for rare or difficult-to-source botanicals.

Tate & Lyle reported that this approach aligned with its broader focus on ingredient innovation that balances performance, scalability, and responsible sourcing. The company has built a long track record in sweetener development, including the discovery of sucralose in 1976, the commercialization of allulose at scale in 2015, and high-purity bioconverted stevia Reb M in 2018.

Its current development pipeline has focused on sweetening solutions that deliver improved taste while helping customers reduce sugar and calories. Tate & Lyle also reported that some sweet ingredients under development could support wider health and wellbeing needs.

A proprietary Tate & Lyle survey conducted in 2025 across seven global markets found that more than half of respondents planned to reduce their sugar consumption over the following 12 months. The company reported that intent to reduce sugar was higher than intent to reduce calories or fat, showing sugar reduction remained a major consumer priority.

The survey also found strong interest in great-tasting sweeteners derived from fruits and plants. Tate & Lyle said its innovation approach has been informed by more than a decade of global research into consumer perceptions of ingredients, with sensory performance, value creation, and label acceptance considered from the start of ingredient development.

“Expanding the scope of our collaboration with BioHarvest to include multiple plant-based sweetener molecules reflects the technical progress achieved to date and the aim to further expand our broad toolbox of sweetening solutions,” said Victoria Spadaro-Grant, Chief Science and Innovation Officer at Tate & Lyle.

“As we define what customers ultimately look for in next-generation sweeteners - sugar-like taste, solutions anchored in nature, reduced calories and responsible use of resources - it is clear that several unmet needs in the market today are unlikely to be addressed with a single sweetener.

“The flexibility from the expanded collaboration with BioHarvest is critical as customers seek food and beverage category-specific solutions that balance taste, cost and labelling requirements, while supporting sugar and calorie reduction.

“This programme strengthens our innovation pipeline in a disciplined and efficient way and reinforces our commitment to advancing the future of sweetness through differentiated, science-led solutions.”

Zaki Rakib, CEO of BioHarvest Sciences, said the expanded program reflected growing confidence in the company’s technology platform and the progress made through the partnership. “Broadening the development programme demonstrates confidence in the versatility of our Botanical Synthesis platform and in the progress delivered through our collaboration with Tate & Lyle,” Rakib said. “Together, we are enabling access to differentiated, plant-based sweetening solutions designed to support a range of sensory, application and economic requirements.”

The companies have not disclosed specific sweetener molecules under development or timelines for commercialization.