Updated:
2-January-2010
BioVittoria Receives FDA No Objections
Letter for Fruit-Sweetness™ All-Natural,
Zero-Calorie Fruit Concentrate Sweetener
Hamilton, New Zealand -
January 27th 2010 - BioVittoria, the world’s
largest producer and processor of monk fruit
(luo han guo) has received official
notification from the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) that their
Fruit-Sweetness™ branded monk fruit
concentrate is GRAS (Generally Recognized As
Safe) as a sweetener and flavour enhancer.
Fruit-Sweetness™ is the first and to date
only all-natural zero-calorie fruit
concentrate sweetener to be GRAS notified by
FDA.
“Monk fruit has been a traditional food in
South East Asia for hundreds of years, but
the existing technology for cultivating and
processing the fruit could not provide the
volume, product consistency and taste
quality needed in a natural sweetener for
the food and beverage industry.” says
BioVittoria’s CEO David Thorrold.
“BioVittoria has transformed the monk fruit
industry through advances in plant
varieties, seedling cultivation, growing
methods and fruit processing, creating the
world’s only vertically integrated monk
fruit supply chain.” Thorrold says the FDA
no objections letter is the final step in
bringing monk fruit into the main-stream
“this final piece of regulatory compliance
is what the large food and beverage
companies have been waiting for.”
The unique zero-calorie sweetness of monk
fruit concentrate comes from naturally
occurring compounds in the fruit that are up
to 300 times sweeter than sugar. This means
that just ¼ of a gram of Fruit-Sweetness™
can replace 8 teaspoons of sugar. Chicago
based Paul Paslaski, BioVittoria’s Vice
President of Sales & Marketing says that the
fruit source is a unique point of difference
which consumers will value. “Our consumer
research in the US shows moms and their
families are wanting natural, healthy
choices for everyday food and beverage items
like cereals, juice drinks and yoghurts. The
same research shows that Moms trust fruit
for healthy nutrition. Fruit-Sweetness™
delivers a tangible consumer benefit by
maintaining the core brand values of
natural, great-tasting, healthy sweetness
from fruit.”
Thorrold also recognises that consumers
don’t want compromises, and that existing
natural sweeteners are struggling to deliver
the complete package of reduced sugar with
great taste. “We have conducted extensive
sensory profiling which shows
Fruit-Sweetness™ possesses a clean taste
profile without the off notes found in some
natural sweeteners. This testing has also
shown cost and taste benefits for blending
Fruit-Sweetness™ with other natural
sweeteners such as Rebaudioside-A.” Thorrold
says these results have been backed up by
work done with San Francisco based Mattson &
Co. a food & beverage innovation company and
BioVittoria’s product development partner.
“The work at Mattson has delivered great
tasting products across a range of
categories”. Samson Hsia, Executive Vice
President & Chief Technology Officer at
Mattson agrees “We were very impressed with
the clean taste of this product, and the
range of applications it performed in. We
also saw real taste benefits for
Rebaudioside- A when blended with
Fruit-Sweetness™ ”.
About Fruit-Sweetness™
Fruit-Sweetness™ is BioVittoria’s
proprietary monk fruit (luo han guo)
concentrate and is the first and to date
only all-natural, zero-calorie fruit
concentrate sweetener to be GRAS notified by
FDA. For more information visit
www.fruitsweetness.com.
About BioVittoria
BioVittoria is headquartered in Hamilton New
Zealand and is the world’s largest producer
and processor of monk fruit. For more
information visit www.biovittoria.com.
Contact - Paul Paslaski, 847-226-3467,
paul_paslaski@biovittoria.com
Contact Paul Paslaski to arrange an
interview. Additional resources include
product photos and logos.
Updated:
29-September-2009
BIOVITTORIA SET TO SCALE UP PRODUCTION OF
ZERO-CALORIE NATURAL SWEETENER
Hamilton Based natural
sweetener manufacturer BioVittoria Ltd will
go into this year’s harvest of Luo Han fruit
with a new state-of-the-art NZ$7 million
processing facility providing the potential
for significant up-scaling of the company.
BioVittoria completed the processing plant
earlier this year and the coming season's
harvest will see a significant increase in
production, BioVittoria Ltd CEO Mr David
Thorrold announced today.
Commissioning of the plant was completed at
the tail end of the 2008 Luo Han harvest,
but this year the plant will be able to
handle as much fruit as the company’s 5000
growers can produce.
“We anticipate processing over 3000 tonnes
of fruit from this year’s harvest which will
enable us to meet the growing demand for our
product.”
BioVittoria is targeting the North American
food and beverage industry with its PureLo
product, which sells for up to NZ$450 a
kilogram.
BioVittoria was founded in 2003 by former
HortResearch scientist Dr Garth Smith and
American businessman Stephen LeFebvre, who
had close New Zealand connections and
business interests.
Dr Smith first went to Southern China to
research Kiwifruit growing in the plant’s
homeland. In the process he met another
scientist, Lan Fusheng who is China’s
leading expert on Luo Han fruit. They now
work together developing new varieties and
improved cultivation techniques for the
BioVittoria grower network.
Luo Han fruit is unique in that it contains
a completely natural zero-calorie sweetener
and as such holds huge potential to replace
sugar and artificial sweeteners as an
increasingly health conscious world moves
towards more natural ingredients.
BioVittoria’s business model comprises a
vertically integrated value chain from the
seedling through to the final ingredient.
The company has established a global
operation with a team of directors and
executives in China, New Zealand and the
United States
BioVittoria completed an NZ$11 million
capital raising in 2008 to fund the factory
and includes amongst its investors Endeavour
Capital, the New Zealand Venture Investment
Fund, ACC and Sir Stephen Tindall’s K1W1
fund.
PureLo was the first natural sweetener of
its type to achieve United States Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory
compliance through its Generally Recognised
As Safe (GRAS) status, opening up the US
market for this product.
Updated:
26-November-2007
BioVittoria Receives "Dragon Head" Status
from Chinese Authorities
BioVittoria reports that its Chinese
subsidiary Guilin BioGFS, has been awarded
the coveted Dragon Head Company designation,
issued by the government of Guilin City.
The Dragon Head designation is also known as
the “Flagship Company of the Industry”. This
title recognises BioGFS’s excellence and
vision as the leader in the Luo Han fruit
Industry.
The government policy for the Dragon Head
award states that "Successful economic
development depends upon effective leading
businesses that not only communicate but
implement ideas". The criteria from which a
company is nominated to the Dragon Head
status includes the following:
- Demonstrate leadership, excellence, and commitment to innovation in its
industry.
- Support local, regional, and national government initiatives.
- Conduct business with a high level of integrity.
- Produce a value-added product or service, be highly profitable and have
strong financial and R&D capability.
- Demonstrate a competitive advantage, have independent control of its
products, and specialise in one or a few
certain areas.
- Demonstrate the capability and commitment to advance, grow, and lead
their industry forward.
Mr. Lan
Fusheng, CEO of BioGFS said: "I am delighted
that our continuing development and
leadership of the Luo Han fruit industry in
Guilin has been recognised with this award.”
Updated:
10-Apr-2007
New Zealand Senior Officials visited BioVittoria's
Production Base in Guilin, China
From left to
right: Fusheng Lan, Dr. Garth Smith,
Warden Yang (of Yanshan district), Minister
Cunliffe, Warden Li, Ambassador Browne,
Browne's assistant
On 14th
March, New
Zealand
Minister
of Immigration Hon. David Cunliffe and
New
Zealand's
Ambassador Tony Browne, toured Biovittoria's
Production Base in Guilin, China. Cunliffe
and Browne met with Dr. Garth Smith,
a director and one of the co-founders
of Biovittoria, and Lan Fusheng, Board
Chairman and CEO of BioGFS (BioGFS is
Biovittoria's 100% subsidiary company in
China).
New
Zealand's
Trade Commissioner Alan Young and Vice Mayor
of Guilin Liu Tingyu joined Dr. Smith and
Dr. Lan in hosting the
Minister
and the Ambassador's visit.
Mr. Cunliffe spoke highly of
Biovittoria's effort to build a Luo Han
fruit
Industry. He sees that Biovittoria sets an
excellent example to other
New
Zealand
firms that are willing to do businesses in
China. "Biovittoria is a great path-finder."
the Minister
said.
"We're happy that the
Minister
and the Ambassador took the time to visit
our factory. We'll continue our efforts and
I would like to highlight the support we
received from both
New
Zealand
and Chinese Governments", says Dr. Garth
Smith.
Lan Fusheng also
emphasized the benefits Biovittoria can
bring to both China and
New
Zealand.
The plant employs 28
workers at the moment. About
US$3,500,000 was invested in its
establishment in 2004. The company has also
acquired a total of 7.29 hectares land this
year to build more factories and coolstores
in Guilin City.
Updated:
10-Mar-2007
BioVittoria Tastes Sweet Success at
China Trade Awards
(From left to
right: Hon Phil Goff the Minister of Trade,
Stephen LeFebvre the VP Sales and Marketing
Asia-Pacific and
co-founder of Biovittoria, David Thorrold
the CEO of Biovittoria)
BioVittoria - a New Zealand company
commercialising PureLo®, a 100% natural,
zero-calorie sweetener made from the Luo Han
fruit grown only in Southern China - has
been awarded the top prize at this year’s
New Zealand China Trade Association Awards.
BioVittoria has won both the Entrepreneur
and Innovation Award and the Supreme Trade
Award at the bi-annual New Zealand China
Trade Association Awards, beating out some
of the country’s best known exporters
including Fonterra, New Zealand Steel and
Ngai Tahu Seafood.
The award was accepted by Biovittoria’s CEO
David Thorrold and its co-founder, Stephen
LeFebvre. Mr. Thorrold stated the Company’s
success has come from implementing a
business model that benefits everyone
involved from the farmers who grow the fruit
to consumers who can enjoy their favourite
treats without adding calories or artificial
sweeteners.
“By supporting large-scale growing of Luo
Han fruit we are contributing to an increased
standard of living in the rural areas of
Southern China where our growers are based.
At the same time we have brought a unique
sweetener to market which gives food and
beverage companies and their consumers
access to a 100% natural, zero-calorie
alternative to sugar and artificial
sweeteners,”.
When asked what special qualities the judges
had seen in BioVittoria Mr. LeFebvre had
this to say:
“The breadth of our operation is what, I
believe, made us stand out from other award
finalists.
“BioVittoria is heavily involved in all
aspects of the business - from development
of improved plant varieties, right through
to marketing to our customers, who include
some of the world’s largest food and
beverage companies.
(From
left to right: Stuart Ferguson, Chairman of
the NZTCA, David Thorrold the CEO of
Biovittoria, Stephen LeFebvre
the VP Sales
and Marketing Asia-Pacific and co-founder of Biovittoria and
David Figgins, Cathay Pacific Country
Manager, New Zealand and Pacific Islands)
Mr. Thorrold also stated BioVittoria’s
business was a great example of how New
Zealand companies can work with Chinese
partners to create innovative products.
“BioVittoria has utilised New Zealand
expertise in plant science, agronomics, food
processing and marketing to develop a unique
agricultural product from a traditional
Chinese crop. This is the sort of win-win
collaboration which the New Zealand-China
Free Trade Agreement will hopefully help to
foster,” explained Mr Thorrold.
Mr. Thorrold also noted the importance of
Government support in helping new companies
like BioVittoria grow.
“The support we have had in the form of New
Zealand Trade and Enterprise funding and
direct investment from the NZ Venture
Investment Fund through venture capital
firm, Endeavour ICap, has been significant
in getting our business to this stage,” he
explained.
BioVittoria is a product development and
marketing company that identifies,
cultivates, refines, and markets proprietary
biomaterials and scientifically proven,
bioactive compounds. BioVittoria’s
corporate headquarters are at the Waikato
Innovation Park in Hamilton. It also has
offices in China and the USA.
Based within the Chamber of Commerce in
Auckland, New Zealand, the New Zealand-China
Trade Association is managed by a
professional secretariat responsible to an
Executive Council of Association members.
There are 100 New Zealand members.
The New Zealand China Trade Association
Awards were held in Auckland on 23 February
and were sponsored by NZ China Trade
Association, Cathay Pacific, HSBC, DHL,
Cosco, and Richina Pacific.
Updated:
10-Feb-2007
Biovittoria Invited to Premier's
Spring Festival Banquet.
On 9th
February 2007, Director of
BioVittoria Dr. Garth Smith was
invited by the Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao to attend the Spring Festival
Banquet held in The People's Great
Hall, Beijing.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao,
Personnel Minister He Guoqiang, Dr.
Smith and 30 other foreign experts
and entrepreneurs celebrated the
Chinese Spring Festival (also known
as the Chinese New Year) together in
this State event.
BioVittoria received special
attention at the banquet for its
remarkable achievement in expanding
employment and improving the living
standard in rural areas. Premier Wen
also highly praised BioVittoria and
Dr. Smith's pioneering work in the
area of plant science and
contributing to the success of the
Luo Han fruit industry. The Premier
acknowledged the company's
development of sustainable
agricultural programs that support
his rural initiatives assisting the
indigenous communities and helping
them to remain in their homeland
areas. "Thank you for supporting
our indigenous people all these
years", Premier Wen said to Smith,
"It is my pleasure to work with a
friend like you to move this country
forward".
Dr. Smith has built extensive
relationship with the Chinese
Government and the local community
since 1980's. "Premier Wen Jiabao
came to me and proposed a toast"
Smith said, "I am happy to know that
the Premier and the Government
recognise BioVittoria as a
trustworthy company leading the Luo
Han industry."
Updated:
8-Jan-2007
Biovittoria Limited announces the
formation of the PureLo® Foundation
Stephen
LeFebvre and Dr. Garth Smith, the
co-founders and directors of
Biovittoria Limited announced today the
formation of the PureLo® Foundation, a
non-profit organization established to
support health,
education, and community projects in its Luo
Han fruit growing communities in the southern
provinces of China. BioVittoria Ltd and its
subsidiary, Guilin BioGFS Ltd of Guilin,
have committed to donate a percentage
of fruit purchases each year to the
Foundation. In addition BioVittoria will
invite their partners and customers to
contribute to the Foundation.
The Foundation
will work closely with local and regional
officials and communities, to identify and
implement appropriate
projects. "BioVittoria
is delighted to be making a positive
contribution to the local indigenous
communities.", LeFebvre said, "Our
philosophy is to build a sustainable
business based around high standards of
ethical behaviour towards all our
stakeholders, while at the same time making
a positive contribution to the economic and
physical well being of the our farming
communities."
