Benefits of Maintaining Sugar Flavor with Natural Sugar

Zero Carbonated Beverage Sales Increase Fivefold in Four Years

Samyang Corporation-Daesang to Expand Production Facilities

Aiming for Export Based on Stable Production Base

“It’s at a level where you can think of it as not being able to sell because it’s not there.” This is what Jung Woo-kyung, head of Samyang Food Research Institute, said about allulose, a popular alternative sweetener. As the popularity of zero- and low-sugar foods increases, the number of places looking for allulose is rapidly increasing, but production volume is not keeping up with market demand.

Competition in the food industry to capture the allulose market is also intensifying, with Samyang and Daesang, which produce allulose domestically, recently expanding their own production facilities at one-year intervals to prepare for market expansion.

What is Allulose?

Allulose, found in figs and raisins, has a sweetness of about 70%, but has only one-tenth of the calories, making it a popular substitute sugar. It has low calories enough that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has excluded allulose from the total sugar and additive labeling of processed foods. Another advantage is that it can maintain much of the flavor that sugar provided.

An official from Daesang, an allulose manufacturer, said, “If allulose is used in carbonated beverages or sports drinks, it can maintain the original rich refreshing feeling,” and “It also has the effect of lowering the sugar content while maintaining the original texture and flavor of jam, ice cream, and bread.”

Advantages of Allulose in the Domestic Market

The biggest advantage of allulose in the domestic market is its wide range of applications in other foods. Unlike most alternative sweeteners classified as food additives, it is registered as a food ingredient and can be used freely in various food fields. A food industry insider said, “If it is classified as a food additive, there are usage restrictions set by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety during the manufacturing process, but (as a food ingredient) allulose has a wide range of applications.”

Growth of the Alternative Sugar Market

The expansion of the allulose market is in line with the growth of the alternative sugar market due to the low-calorie food trend. According to market research firm Euromonitor, domestic zero carbonated beverage sales increased 5.63 times from KRW 192.5 billion in 2019 to KRW 1.2775 trillion last year. According to the Korea Customs Service, imports of erythritol, an alternative sweetener, increased 20.8% last year compared to the previous year, while imports of cane sugar, a raw sugar, decreased 13.9% during the same period.

Competition in the Allulose Market

The allulose market is a new food market that is considered to be in its infancy worldwide. In Korea, since CJ CheilJedang succeeded in mass production in 2015, Samyang Corporation and Daesang have succeeded in mass production, and currently, the two companies, Samyang Corporation and Daesang, are competing.

Expansion of Production Facilities

Samyang Corporation and Daesang Corporation have recently expanded their allulose production facilities and are consolidating their production base. Daesang Corporation established an allulose production facility at its Jeonbundang Plant in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do, last year. Samyang Corporation completed construction of the largest allulose plant in Korea (total floor area of approximately 6,700 pyeong) in Ulsan on the 4th of this month. A Samyang Corporation official said, “With the completion of the plant, annual production will increase to 13,000 tons, which is four times the previous amount.”

Advantages of Domestic Allulose Technology

Experts explained that domestic allulose technology has advantages in terms of applicability and stability. Director Jeong said, “In the case of Samyang Corporation, we have our own enzyme technology that is the raw material for allulose, so it can be applied to various products,” and “Stability, which determines the expiration date, is also competitive.”

Aiming for Export

Domestic companies are also aiming to export allulose based on a stable production base. Samyang Corporation obtained the FDA’s ‘Certification of Safe Ingredients (GRAS)’ for its own allulose in March 2020, laying the foundation for overseas expansion. Daesang entered the domestic and international markets by launching the integrated alternative sugar brand ‘Swivero’ in January. A food industry insider said, “In the future, we will focus on developing allulose-applied products along with various types of allulose.”