Robert Long, SVP and chief innovation officer at <nobr>Coca-Cola</nobr>, said the company is pleased with the range of low- and no-calorie sweeteners it uses in its beverages around the world, including stevia. The HeroX campaigns, he continued, support the company’s commitment to constantly innovate and refresh its drinks portfolio and keep looking for new beverage ingredients to meet consumers’ evolving tastes and lifestyles.
The “sweet story challenge” invites people around the world to submit written anecdotes and videos about their favorite, tried-and-true methods of naturally sweetening foods or beverages in their cultures, communities or families. Up to five individual or team winners will vie for $100,000 in total prize money, with winners announced in December.
A second challenge is a call to action for researchers and scientists to find a naturally sourced, safe, low- or no-calorie compound that creates the taste sensation of sugar when used in beverages and foods. One grand prize winner will be awarded $1 million in October 2018.
“We’re always searching for newer, better ingredients, and we know that amazing ideas can come from anywhere,” Long said. “These two challenges are very much rooted in our desire to make the drinks our consumers want to drink, and in our willingness to look beyond the walls of our company for breakthrough sugar alternatives that help us deliver the great taste people love but with less sugar and fewer calories.”
The project is being led by <nobr>Coca-Cola</nobr>’s External Technology Acquisition Team (ETA), which explores and invests in emerging ingredients, packaging materials, beverage production technologies and more.
