Erythritol and sucralose have become new sugar substitutes.
Aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose and erythritol account for an important part of China's sweetener production and sales. From 2015 to 2019, production and sales of acesulfame potassium, sucralose and erythritol continued to increase. Among them, China's erythritol production increased from 18,000 tons in 2015 to 51,000 tons in 2019, with an average annual compound growth rate of 29.9%, becoming the sweetener with the highest output growth rate, and in 2019, erythritol market share (output) accounted for 24%. In terms of output value, erythritol's share of the total output value of China's sweetener market increased from 4.0% in 2015 to 6.4% in 2019.
The 5-year CAGR of sucralose/acesulfame potassium was 18.9%/9.8%, respectively, and its output accounted for 4% and 8% of China's sweetener market share in 2019, respectively. In terms of output value, the output value of sucralose/acesulfame potassium is about 18.92%/9.82% CAGR in 5 years, and its output value in 2019 reached 1.52/720 million yuan, and sucralose is the highest output value of the four medium-generation sugars. Aspartame's share is gradually decreasing, and its market share (production) decreased from 22% in 2015 to 8.6% in 2019.
Although aspartame is not popular in China, it still occupies an important position in the international sweetener market. Among artificial sweeteners, it accounts for 24%, which is slightly lower than sucralose. As of 2018, sucralose and aspartame have developed into the two largest in the global artificial sweetener market, with an output value of 2.31 billion yuan and 2.292 billion yuan, respectively. In addition, the output value of stevia, acesulfame potassium, cyclamate and saccharin also has an important proportion in the artificial sweetener market.