Developed by MartinBauer together with HIFOOD, a Nexture company, Sweetec combines advanced fiber technology with botanical sweetness to reduce sugar while preserving the body and mouthfeel consumers expect from their favorite drinks.
As consumers increasingly look for beverages that combine indulgence with more balanced nutritional profiles, the global food ingredients manufacturer Nexture and the global leader in botanical solutions MartinBauer have joined forces to develop Sweetec, an innovative system designed to enable significant sugar reduction in beverage applications without compromising taste, body or mouthfeel.
Sweetec is an effective solution to answer the most significant trends in the beverage industry, namely sugar reduction and alcohol reduction. Indeed, increasingly health-conscious consumers are paying closer attention to sugar and calorie intake, with 76% of consumers monitoring their sugar consumption and 64% actively seeking to reduce it[1]. At the same time, regulatory pressure continues to intensify. More than 100 countries have already introduced taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, while new requirements such as the mandatory declaration of calories on wine and alcoholic beverage labels under EU Regulation 2021/2117 are placing additional focus on nutritional transparency and healthier product choices. Furthermore, moderation is reshaping drinking habits, fueling demand for beverages with lower or no alcohol content and creating an additional challenge for manufacturers: delivering the full and satisfying drinking experience consumers expect while reducing ingredients, including alcohol and sugar, that traditionally contribute to sweetness, body and sensory complexity.
Together, these consumer and regulatory developments are accelerating the need for effective solutions that help manufacturers reduce sugar while maintaining taste, texture and overall drinking experience.
This is where Sweetec comes into play, as explained by Dr. Heiko Spitzbarth, Head of Product Development at MartinBauer: “Sweetec brings together the best of nature and food technology. By combining botanical sweetness with advanced fiber functionality, we enable sugar reduction without compromising on taste or mouthfeel.”.
Sweetec combines two complementary areas of expertise. HIFOOD – part of Nexture group – contributes Meltec®, its patented vegetable fiber system derived from legumes and cereals, which adds fiber, reduces sugar and replicates the body, texture and mouthfeel that sugar and syrups traditionally provide. Through Sweetcode, MartinBauer applies its unique botanical expertise to deliver natural sweetness, flavor balance and a satisfying sensory experience in reduced-sugar beverage formulations. Together, these technologies make Sweetec, an innovative viscous system capable of replacing up to 50% of sugar, while preserving the sensory experience consumers expect.
“Sweetec is a clear example of what can be achieved when companies work together in an open innovation model,” commented Emanuele Pizzigalli, Chief Innovation Officer at Nexture. “At Nexture, we firmly believe that combining internal capabilities with external know-how is a game changer for transformative action, and this collaboration shows it in practice: by blending our expertise with MartinBauer’s unique know-how in botanicals, we create a unique solution able to deliver great drinking experiences for consumers while also contributing to enhancing their wellbeing.”
A NEW APPROACH TO SUGAR REDUCTION IN SPIRITS AND BEYOND
Spirits and aperitifs represent a key application area for Sweetec, as these categories can combine the caloric contribution of alcohol with significant amounts of added sugar. Reducing sugar therefore offers manufacturers an opportunity to respond to changing consumer expectations while still delivering a great overall drinking experience.
Sweetec’s potential, however, extends beyond conventional spirits. As the beverage market increasingly explores lower-alcohol and alcohol-free formulations, maintaining body and mouthfeel becomes even more critical, since reducing alcohol can remove another important contributor to the overall sensory experience.
The technology also offers potential across a broader range of beverage applications, including vermouth, bitters, sparkling, wine-based drinks, cider, sake, whisky and seltzers, highlighting the versatility of the system across different formulations and consumption occasions.
[1] Source: Innova Trends Survey 2026
Innovations in Food (& Beverage) Technology is a quarterly magazine distributed globally in Digital format. www.innovationsfood.com. X: @Innovfoodtech. Instagram: @innovationsinfoodtechnology. Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/terry-prior52
