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Jul 17, 2023

Wisdom Natural Brands, Makers of SweetLeaf Stevia, Marks 40 Years in Natural Products Industry

GILBERT, Ariz. (PRWEB)

GILBERT, Ariz. (PRWEB) September 19, 2022

Wisdom Natural Brands, makers of SweetLeaf Stevia, the country's first and most-awarded stevia sweetener brand, is celebrating 40 years of bringing stevia to the United States— and it all started with a little leaf in Paraguay in 1982.

The discovery couldn't have come at a better time. In 1981, the average daily calorie consumption in the United States was 3,200 calories per day, 1,200 calories more than the average recommended calorie intake and too much was coming from sugar. The result was skyrocketing obesity, soaring rates of Type 2 diabetes and a nationwide addiction to the sweet stuff — the effects of which we still see today. Jim May, founder of Wisdom Natural Brands, sought a natural way to improve quality of life.

The First to Bring Stevia to the Masses

May knew there had to be a better way. The stevia plant's natural sweetness had the potential to naturally replace sugar without the calories, glycemic response, and adverse health effects. This year marks 40 years since May brought the plant back to the United States. In the beginning, he imported healthful herbal teas from the Amazon rainforest, including whole leaf stevia (from the stevia plant) and stored them in his garage in Phoenix, Arizona.

May persuaded local health grocers to add SweetLeaf products to his lines of Wisdom of the Ancients teas they were already carrying. After many years of struggle to introduce stevia and get it accepted as a sweetener, May introduced SweetLeaf Stevia to the marketplace — a natural stevia extract that tasted great in coffee, desserts and savory applications.

In the 90s, SweetLeaf landed its first products, SweetLeaf Stevia Powder Sweetener and SweetLeaf SteviaClear liquid stevia, on the shelves of natural and specialty stores. Due to government regulations, stevia was originally sold in the supplement aisle. Today, due to May's intrepid pursuit, stevia can be found alongside sugar and artificial sweeteners as the top all-natural sweetener option.

Some of the country's largest sweetener manufacturers soon followed suit to create a stevia product of their own, but never matched SweetLeaf's reputation. Today, SweetLeaf has 38 awards for taste and innovation, including coveted from Progressive Grocer, Tasteful Awards and Global Stevia Products.

At its core, SweetLeaf is a family business. Upon May's passing in 2017 and wife Carol May's passing in 2021, the stevia legacy has been taken on by the couple's son, Michael May, who has brought the brand into the next generation with new products, brand collaborations and the roar of NASCAR.

The Next Generation

As more information becomes available about the adverse health effects of sugar, Michael May realized the brand's reach had the potential to expand outside of its health food store reputation.

"As we began researching ways to reach a broader audience, it hit me that I watch speeding billboards drive around a racetrack nearly every weekend," said Wisdom Natural Brands President Michael May. "We could reach a previously untapped consumer, demonstrate our product and convert a sugar-loving audience to our product by engaging a talented NASCAR driver."

This year, SweetLeaf partnered with NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the JTG Daugherty Racing team to have SweetLeaf as a marquee logo on Stenhouse's No. 47 Camaro ZL1.

"We want to congratulate Wisdom Natural Brands on 40 years in the business," Stenhouse said. "Their SweetLeaf sweeteners have zero sugars or artificial ingredients and is a healthy alternative for my family and millions of NASCAR fans. I enjoy the natural sugar alternative myself and use it for things like water, yogurt, tea, recipes and more. We look forward to continuing the health-conscious momentum and strengthening our partnership with SweetLeaf Stevia."

The Future Looks Sweet

The future of SweetLeaf is looking sweet. The stevia market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.8% from 2021 to 2028 to reach a $1.11 billion market share by 2028.

SweetLeaf stevia and monk fruit products are available at Kroger Family of Companies, Walmart, Sprouts, Whole Foods, Publix, Amazon, and through sweetleaf.com. To learn more about SweetLeaf and its products, visit sweetleaf.com.

About Wisdom Natural Brands®Wisdom Natural Brands®, based in Gilbert, Arizona, has been the leading stevia expert and industry pioneer with its plant-based SweetLeaf® brand for 40 years. SweetLeaf has won 38 awards for taste and innovation with their variety of stevia and monk fruit products. SweetLeaf sweeteners have zero sugars, no artificial ingredients, non-GMO and gluten free. SweetLeaf products are available in powder, granular, and liquid forms, making them easy to incorporate into any lifestyle so every day is as sweet as the next. To shop SweetLeaf's natural sweeteners, go to http://www.sweetleaf.com, online retailers and select grocery stores.

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