Agave: Sweetness Consumers Appreciate

Spotlight on Agave​

Agave, a genus of the Asparagaceae family, is a succulent plant native to several areas of the Americas, including Mexico and the Caribbean. Along with its flowers and leaves, the sweetness derived from the sap of the agave plant has many uses. 

Consumers consider naturally sourced sweeteners to be ‘better’ overall—for their well-being and the environment, with better taste—and free from artificial ingredients. Known for being grown in arid areas where water is limited and without pesticides or chemicals—agave aligns with responsible agriculture practices and has built-in clean label appeal.

Agave’s Rich Heritage​

The name agave comes from the Greek word ​agavos, which means ​notable or ​admirable. For thousands of years, agave has been vital to the Mesoamerican people, as both a practical tool and food source, and has long symbolized health and abundance in Mexican culture.

Agave’s story answers the demands of today’s consumer and aligns with the trends shaping future growth opportunities.¹​

Agave offers actual health and well-being benefits, along with its positive consumer appeal. It offers the perfect sweetness solution to today’s interest in balanced wellness, as well as proactive personalization through lifestyle diets.¹​

With less required to achieve the same sweetness level—it has 25-30% higher sweetening potency than sucrose—agave can aid in sugar and calorie reduction. It also offers a low glycemic index, and is gluten free and vegan friendly, with a host of clean label certifications.

Benefits for the Earth​

Naturally sourced agave lends itself completely to consumer demands for earth-friendly production and responsible social impact¹​ when it is grown with responsible agriculture practices.

Agave is known for its ability to be grown in arid areas, since it requires little water consumption. Responsible farming along with the stewardship of natural systems and resources serve to elevate agave’s inherent credibility. Fair Trade and social responsibility certifications, which measure putting people and planet first, add to ADM SweetRight® agave’s respected reputation.

Benefits for Each Other​

Quality and safety are of the utmost importance to food and beverage manufacturers, as well as consumers. Strict identity standards and third-party certifications serve to support authentic agave’s quality and safety.

Additional quality assurance and quality control practices ensure product quality and identity of authentic agave syrup. ADM has robust controls in place to confirm that their agave product meets strict standards of identity and quality parameters.

Food security is also top of mind for today’s consumers, who are looking for practices that provide quality nutrition for everyone.¹​ Quality agave with a transparent and reliable supply chain ties in perfectly with the trend toward trust and traceability in an uncertain world environment.

ADM, a global leader in food ingredients, has developed a long-term strategic partnership with a leader in agave-based ingredients. With 3x the production capacity of other agave manufacturers, this partnership utilizes global reach, scale and scope to ensure a reliable supply of certified agave.

Consumers Love Agave Sweetness​

Agave provides your brand clean label sweetness with a name consumers recognize and desire, along with the front of pack claims:

• Certified organic
• Non-GMO
• Grown without pesticides or chemicals
• Certified kosher
• Certified halal

Agave is naturally sourced with a sweetening potency 25-30% higher than sucrose. Sweet, naturally sourced and organic: agave coincides perfectly with modern eating approaches, to give today’s consumers the kind of sweetness they can really love.

Agave is known as a sought-after ingredient with a premium association in product recipes, liquor and as a stand-alone ingredient on the shelf.

Functional Benefits in Formulations​

Sweetening with agave can also be a formulator’s friend, due to its neutral sensory profile and ease of use. It is available in syrup or powder forms and provides good solubility, as well as binding power. Unlike some other sweetness solutions, it offers browning effects, moisture retention and humectancy, for visual and sensory appeal in baked goods and other applications.

Versatility in an Array of Applications​

SweetRight® agave is a versatile ingredient that provides clean label sweetness and great functional benefits in a variety of applications, from ready-to-drink cocktails to snacks to prepared meals, and everything in between.

Authentic SweetRight® Agave—Sweetness, Certified.​

ADM is committed to offering the highest quality ingredients derived from agave. We use advanced analytical techniques and third-party certifications to validate the authenticity of our products and guarantee they meet strict identity standards.

What makes SweetRight® agave different?

ADM SweetRight® agave is certified organic, non-GMO and has a low glycemic index (GI), all sourced with a transparent supply you can trust. With its clean, sustainably sourced sweetness, SweetRight® agave can help enhance your brand’s story.

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¹​​ADM Global Consumer Trends 2023 Report​