Better Juice Ltd., a startup company which created a proprietary enzymatic process to reduce sugars in juices in 2018 has inked an agreement with an undisclosed major fruit juice manufacturer in the U.S. for a commercial installment of its sugar reduction technology.
 
This is the first commercial venture Better Juice engaged in with its longtime collaborator GEA Group AG, a German process engineering company involved in the food and beverage sector. The two companies joined forces to scale up and promote the sugar-reduction technology throughout the global beverage market.
 
Better Juice has received a patent for its sugar reduction enzymatic process in Europe, and recently completed its self-affirmed GRAS status, two key steps in the commercialization process to market its system to food and beverage manufacturers worldwide. “These achievements, together with GEA’s knowhow and cutting-edge technology, will open doors to work more closely with food and beverage companies,” Eran Blachinsky, PhD, cofounder and co-CEO of Better Juice, said.
 
Better Juice’s enzymatic technology uses all natural ingredients to convert fructose, glucose, and sucrose sugars into prebiotic and other non-digestible fibers. The juice passes through a continuous flow bioreactor housing non-GMO microorganisms, which metabolize sugars into fiber at a rate that can reduce sugar loads by up to 80%. Meanwhile, the process preserves the full profile of vitamins and other nutrients inherent in the fruit. The process moderates the sweetness of the juice while intensifying the fruit flavor, Better Juice reports.
 
Hitting the Shelves in 2022
As per the agreement, GEA will design, manufacture, and install the bioreactor that reduces sugars, and will offer technical support as a follow-up. Better Juice will produce the microorganisms for the enzymatic process. According to the first commercial order, the fruit juice manufacturer will produce natural juices with a minimum sugar reduction of 30%, and it’s anticipated that these juices will arrive in supermarkets by 2022.
 
“This new agreement marks an exciting milestone in our mission to get our sugar reduction technology off the ground, to penetrate the U.S. market, and to expand our global footprint,” Blachinsky said. “We’ve officially launched our drive to help consumers enjoy reduced sugar in their favorite fruit juice.”
 
“Scaling up is always a challenge, but when your partner is GEA, with its vast industrial food processing capabilities and global presence, the acceleration of the Better Juice commercialization is much faster and brings added value to the supply chain,” Gali Yarom, cofounder and co-CEO of Better Juice, said. “Imagine in just a few months affordable, reduced-sugar fruit juice will be a ready option for American consumers.”
 
The equipment, which has been tested at GEA’s quality assurance facility, can be easily integrated into existing juice production lines, providing a product capacity of up to 200 liters per hour, the company said. Total production capacity can also be adjusted to meet the needs of manufacturers.
 
“Better Juice has incredible potential to transform the global juice industry,” Colm O’Gorman, head of sales management for GEA’s Global Technology Center for Non-Alcoholic Beverages, said. “As consumer demand for lowered sugar beverages continues to surge, we are eager to join Better Juice on this momentous journey. We look forward to delivering products that address one of the top consumer needs of reducing their sugar intake, especially in daily beverages.”