Sweet Revelations
Jun 27, 2025
By MTN OPS TEAM
By Vince Kreipke
At MTN OPS, we know that you have demanding goals, and we have made it our mission to support those aspirations to the fullest extent. To do so, we have made you and the rest of the MTN OPS community a vital part of the product development process. When you speak, we listen.
And just like you, we love a challenge. So when one is put down, we have to answer the call.
Recently, we were challenged with bolstering our most popular products with some options that consisted of more natural flavoring systems, sweeteners in particular.
So, we got to work.
And that work revealed some sweet revelations.
Sweet Applications of Reb M and Monk Fruit
After continued work in the product development lab, two ingredients answered the bell: Reb M and Monk Fruit.
Reb M is a highly purified steviol glycoside, one of the sweetest and cleanest-tasting molecules found in the stevia plant. It can also be made from the fermentation of sugarcane, which creates a chemically identical molecule. Regardless of the source, Reb M delivers a clean, sugar-like taste without the bitterness that earlier versions often carried.
A 2023 scientific opinion by the European Food Safety Authority Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings concluded that there were no safety concerns for steviol glycosides, specifically Reb M. This opinion was supported by a review on steviol glycosides the same year.
Monk fruit, a plant native to China, rounds out the sweetness profile. It offers a natural, subtly fruity flavor without the glycemic spike associated with sugar.
A 2025 systematic review of randomized controlled trials not only did not report any adverse events with monk fruit consumption, but also suggested that monk fruit may have further functional properties that require further investigation.
Monk fruit and Reb M are non-caloric, tooth-friendly, and do not impact blood sugar levels. Combined, these ingredients create a smoother, more enjoyable taste experience, making them the perfect foundation for any flavoring system.
We love our customers, and we love a challenge. When one benefits the other, everyone wins.
These natural options can be found in Ignite and Hydrate in our newest flavors, Citrus Italian Ice and Peach Lemonade.
