PepsiCo looks for new, no-cal natural sweeteners; tax talk heightens race to find alternatives

PepsiCo looks for new, no-cal, natural sweeteners

NEW YORK — A race to develop natural, zero-calorie sweeteners is bubbling up in the nation’s $100 billion beverage industry.

PepsiCo wants to revive itself in the declining soda industry so it’s spending more on this search.

The company told an investor meeting Tuesday that it’s putting big resources toward reformulating its beverages with natural, no-calorie sweeteners like stevia, an herb grown in South America and Asia. It’s also trying to find new ones.

Soft drink sales are falling because people want to cut calories and stay away from caloric sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup. So new, no-calorie drinks are a way to keep people buying.

The race gets more pressing now that there’s talk of a tax on sugary beverages.