March 28, 2024
Pyure Brands
"I've always been into health, wellness and fitness." - Ben Fleischer, founder/CEO, Pyure Brands

Photo: Michael Caronchi

Pyure Brands
Pyure Brands also has its own line of stevia sweetener and stevia-sweetened products.

Photo: Michael Caronchi

Pyure Brands
"If you see 'organic stevia' on the back of the package, 80% of the time we're supplying them," Fleischer says.

Photo: Michael Caronchi

Fast-Growing Companies

Organic, non-GMO stevia supplier Pyure Brands has sweet success

Amy Martinez | 1/27/2020

Pyure Brands

Naples

Founder: Ben Fleischer

2018 Revenue: $25.5 million

Growth 2016-18: 70%

Employees: 20

Founded: 2008

If you see a sugar-free energy drink or soda containing organic stevia at the grocery store, there’s a good chance the sweetening agent came from Naples-based Pyure Brands. Pyure supplies organic, non-GMO stevia to some of the largest food, beverage, cosmetics and dietary supplement brands in the U.S., says CEO Ben Fleischer. “We work with companies from Coca-Cola to Burt’s Bees. If you see ‘organic stevia’ on the back of the package, 80% of the time we’re supplying them,” he says.

Fleischer, 40, grew up around the food business, pitching in from an early age at his family’s wholesale bagel company in upstate New York. After graduating from the University of Maryland, he returned home to help run the family business.

He says his “aha!” moment came when he tried a dietary supplement made with another company’s stevia and noticed it had a “horrible” aftertaste. He started experimenting with stevia to create a better-tasting, natural alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners and eventually launched Pyure out of his condo in Naples.

“Sugar-free products have a stigma of being bad-tasting or using chemicals. That’s not our M.O. We’re going to use the best ingredients and actually make it taste good,” he says.

In addition to supplying sweetener ingredients to the food and beverage industry, Pyure has its own line of stevia sweetener and stevia-sweetened products. The company gets its stevia from Asia and uses contract facilities across the U.S. to package its products. “There’s a whole extraction process designed to create the best-tasting stevia in the marketplace. All that extraction is done in Asia,” he says.

In 2010, Whole Foods began selling Pyure stevia sweetener packets nationwide. Three years later, Walmart agreed to carry Pyure sweetener products, and Publix followed suit in 2018. Today, the company’s products also include energy shots, maple syrup, honey, cocoa powder, hazelnut spread and baking mixes. Sales increased 70% from $15 million in 2016 to $25.5 million in 2018.

Fleischer says he continues to develop new sugar-free products and will soon add more R&D space in Naples.

“We started out as a sweetener company, and now we’re becoming more of a lifestyle brand. We’re not just doing sweeteners anymore,” he says. “To create a sugar-free Nutella alternative is a game-changer. We’re pushing into gluten- and dairy-free and vegan. We’re getting into all sorts of products.”

 

Read more in Florida Trend's February issue.

Select from the following options:

EXISTING
DIGITAL
SUBSCRIBERS

Access Article Now!

DIGITAL
SINGLE
ISSUE

Get a single DIGITAL copy of this issue

$4.95

PRINT
SINGLE
ISSUE

Get a single PRINT copy of this issue

$4.95
plus $3 postage & handling

PRINT SUBSCRIPTION

One year in PRINT

$14.98*
plus a FREE gift!

DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION

One year DIGITAL

$14.98*
plus a FREE gift!

ALL ACCESS SUBSCRIPTION

One year Combo
PRINT + DIGITAL

$24.95*
plus a FREE gift!


CURRENT  PRINT  SUBSCRIBERS

If you are already a print subscriber,
ADD DIGITAL EDITION ACCESS
to your existing subscription here!
(or call our office at 727-892-2643)

* offer valid for new subscribers only

Tags: Feature, Millennial Trends, Fast-Growing Companies

Florida Business News

Florida News Releases

Florida Trend Video Pick

Structural technology keeps Skyway Bridge safe from mass destruction
Structural technology keeps Skyway Bridge safe from mass destruction

USF marine scientist Mark Luther, says dozens of concrete barriers protecting the bridge from collision is just the beginning of an ongoing effort to keep it safe.

 

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

Ballot Box

Should Congress ban the popular social media app TikTok in the U.S.?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Need more details
  • What is TikTok?
  • Other (Comment below)

See Results

Florida Trend Media Company
490 1st Ave S
St Petersburg, FL 33701
727.821.5800

© Copyright 2024 Trend Magazines Inc. All rights reserved.