Alkem Lab develops low-cost sweetenerKhomba Singh, ET Bureau Sep 1, 2010, 02.43am IST

Tags: sweetener | India | drug | diabetes patients | Alkem Laboratories

NEW DELHI: Mumbai-based drugmaker Alkem Laboratories has developed a low-cost sweetener that can be a game changer in the market which houses the most number of diabetes patients in the world. It plans to commoditise sweeteners that are sold as premium products at present, by pricing it as low as ordinary sugar or 40 times less than market leader Zydus Cadila's Sugar Free.

Alkem plans to launch the product in the next two months and Samprada Singh, chairman of the privately held company, said it can be used as an ingredient for food and deserts and will significantly bring down cost of sweeteners for those suffering from diabetes. Dubbed the diabetes capital of the world, India has an estimated 50 million patients who are suffering from high sugar level in their body.

Alkem, one of the top ten companies in the domestic market by sales, says its 'Nano Sugar' has seven times the sweetness of normal sugar and thereby reduces calorie intake proportionately. It is made from sugarcane like ordinary sugar but the company says it has managed to concentrate the cane juice to increase the sweetness of the product several times.

Besides Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila several other firms sell artificial sweeteners including Delhi-based Mankind and Baroda-based Alembic to help consumer fight lifestyle diseases. Alkem itself has a sugarfree product Blocal One Drop that is priced at a premium (Rs 200 for 20 gram). These are all derived using an artificial product sucralose that costs about Rs 6,000 per kg and pushes up the cost of the final product.

During clinical studies on 40 diabetes patients and 20 healthy individuals in Mumbai, Alkem found that its product did not lead to anyincrease in glucose level.

India consumes as much as 25 million tonne sugar every year. Sugar prices have crashed by a third after hitting a peak in January this year.

"If they can sell at the price of sugar, it will be revolutionary. But I doubt they can do that as it will involve high-end nanotechnology to develop the product," a senior executive of a company that sells artificial sweetener said preferring anonymity.

"We have filed an application to patent the product as well as the process to make it in India two months back and are in the process of filing for patent in other international markets," said Sharad Kasarle, vice president of R&D (Nutraceuticals) at Alkem.

The product will be manufactured from Alkem's facility in Bharuch (Gujarat), with an annual production capacity of 1.2 lakh metric tonne — equivalent to a mid-sized sugar company. Alkem has annual sales of

Rs 1,600 crore and with its existing capacity for the sweetener it can meet almost 0.5% of the country's total sugar consumption.

India consumes as much as 25 million tonne sugar every year. Sugar prices have crashed by a third after hitting a peak in January this year. At present, sugar is sold to consumers at around Rs 30 per kg while a 100 gram pack of Zydus Cadila's Sugar Free costs Rs 125 or Rs 1,250 per kg.

Alkem plans to aggressively promote its low cost sweetener through its 5,000 field force to chemists and health centres and gradually distribute it through organised retail chains besides pushing it through traditional mom and pop stores. It derives maximum chunk of its existing business through sale of drugs such as anti-infectives, diabetes, HIV, cancer and dermatology medicines.

Alkem Lab launches new product 'Jeevanprash'.This is a media release from Alkem Laboratories Ltd.

PRESS RELEASE

New & Improved Jeevanprash

Family Health and Energy for All 4 Seasons 

Sugar free, ghee free & low calorie Jeevanprash has been re launched with better taste and more benefits. This

ayurvedic health supplement from Alkem Health Foods Division is packed with goodness.

It is a real protective power for all ages, all round the year to boost strength, stamina, vitality, energy, rejuvenation,

confidence and total fitness. Jeevanprash has no artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharine and others like

dextrose, which have damaging effects on the metabolic cycles and systems.

Jeevanprash has great taste. FOS is a very strong prebiotic, which helps improve immunity levels in the body &

cardio vascular performance. It is a soluble fibre which tastes like honey and also lowers LDL cholesterol in the blood.

Other ingredients like Amla, rose petals, Aloe Vera and other ayurvedic herbs make Jeevanprash a very rich source

of natural vitamin C, an energizer which improves blood circulation and prevents ageing of the skin. 

“The health benefits in just two spoonfuls a day are unbelievable. I make sure my entire family has Jeevanprash all

365 days” expresses Aarti a regular consumer of Jeevanprash

Jeevanprash is a ‘vardaan’ for children because it is a remedy for coughs, wounds, headaches and immune system

deficiencies. Jeevanprash also contains Brahmi and Ashwagandha (which improves concentration, confidence,

memory and learning abilities and makes them energetic. 

“Being sugar and ghee free it is completely safe for diabetics and a must for the calorie conscious as it contains

Fructo Oligo Saccharide (FOS). Jeevanprash has great taste and is loved by children”, says Dr Sharad Kasarle.

Jeevanprash is available at all leading retail outlets in the following pack sizes:

1 kg – MRP Rs. 200/-

500 gms – MRP Rs. 110/-

200 gms - MRP Rs. 60/- 

Alkem Laboratories is one of India's top 5 pharmaceutical companies. The company’s Health Food Division is soon to

launch a number of 100% vegetarian health foods... cooking oils, bakery products such as biscuits and cookies,

sugarless jellies (with no gelatin), jams and juices. 

Alkem Labs forays into health foods businessThursday, Sep 28, 2006, 22:03 IST www.dnaindia.com

Aliya Rashid  

Alkem Laboratories will launch a low-calorie sweetener � Majesta � and a sugar-free chyavanprash 'Jeevanprash' next month.

MUMBAI: Pharmaceutical company Alkem Laboratories will launch a low-calorie sweetener � Majesta � and a sugar-free chyavanprash 'Jeevanprash' next month.

Majesta, a table-top sweetener, will be introduced in both granular and liquid forms.

The Rs 700 crore pharmaceutical company has also tied up with the Mahableshwar-based Mapro Foods Pvt Ltd to make products containing Majesta � like jams, syrups, jelly, preserves, cakes and beverage concentrates.

It is also in talks with some major biscuit companies to create sugar-free alternatives. Mayur Vora, MD, Mapro Foods, says, "We want to continue catering to senior citizens and diabetics who are reluctant to consume our products because of their sugar content."

Mapro will also focus on providing juvenile diabetics with sugar alternatives.

Sharad Kasarle, V-P, nutraceuticals, Alkem Laboratories, says, "Since we are already a pharmaceutical company and understand diabetic and cardiovascular conditions, the healthcare food segment is an ideal one for us to enter."

With the health food industry seeing a 125-150% year-on-year growth, Alkem Laboratories expects tremendous potential for the Majesta brand.

Alkem will get doctors to endorse its products to convince the consumer of their reliability. The company is already providing Monginis Confectionary with Majesta to make sugar-free cakes and Apsara ice creams have already rolled out sugar-free ice creams under the Majesta brand.