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Stevia procurement
Stevia Extract Supplier Comparison Guide
Buying bulk stevia extract? Request a free 10 g sample from Hengliyuan and test it in your own food or drink. You pay the shipping cost.
Tell us the grade or taste you want, what you make and where you plan to sell it. We confirm the available grade, its documents and the order terms for your request.
Start by matching the ingredient before comparing prices. Bulk stevia listings can mean whole leaves, a high-purity glycoside extract or a finished blend. For an extract, check the ingredient identity, total glycosides, named glycoside composition and any other ingredients. Use the examples and the free comparison sheet below to compare batch documents, taste and cost at the dose you actually use.
Use the specification example, published sensory data and cost calculation below to build a shortlist, then record your requirements and two actual offers in the free comparison sheet. These examples explain the buying checks; they are not Hengliyuan test results or a promise that every listed grade is available.
Choose which stevia sample to request
If you already have a grade, send the product code or specification. For a Reb A or Reb M offer, check the named glycoside content, total glycosides and the basis for each result. Ask for the COA for the sample lot so you can see whether the lot meets the specification you intend to buy. If you are trying to reduce a bitter or lingering finish, send the current sweetener and describe when the taste problem appears. Test each candidate in the same food or drink. Match the sweetness at serving strength before comparing bitterness and aftertaste. Record the actual dose so you can compare cost later. Ask for Reb M by its grade and verify the production route. If you want glucosyl steviol glycosides (GSG), ask for GSG by name and check its own assay and reporting basis. These are separate purchasing items.
Identify the material before comparing offers
'Stevia extract' can be used loosely in supplier listings. First confirm whether the offer is a steviol glycoside preparation or a formulated sweetener blend. For a glycoside preparation, compare its production route, total content and named glycoside composition, including Reb A or Reb M where relevant. Ask for the full ingredient declaration, physical form and any carrier. If two sellers quote different materials, they are not competing offers for the same purchasing item.
What bulk stevia listings actually offer
A search result can match the words you typed while offering the wrong purchasing item. Compare the ingredient declaration and technical documents, not the bag size or the word “pure” alone. The public examples below illustrate different listing types; they do not rank suppliers or confirm current stock.
- Monterey Bay Herb Co: cut-and-sifted leaf listing
- Icon Foods: grade comparison table
- HOWTIAN: extracts and co-processed mixes
| Listing type and public example | What to establish before comparing |
|---|---|
| Whole leaf: Monterey Bay Herb Co cut-and-sifted stevia leaf | This is a botanical leaf product, not a purified steviol glycoside preparation. Do not place its kilogram price in an extract comparison. |
| Named glycoside grades: Icon Foods stevia portfolio | The portfolio separates total glycosides from Reb A content and lists distinct Reb D and Reb M grades. Ask for the exact grade code and its current specification. |
| Co-processed mix: HOWTIAN stevia portfolio | The portfolio separately lists stevia-and-erythritol and stevia-and-monk-fruit mixes. Obtain the full composition; a finished mix is not the same purchasing item as a single glycoside extract. |
Read the same measure on both specifications
Total steviol glycosides and the percentage of one named glycoside answer different questions. Compare the analyte, method, reporting basis and acceptance range before using a headline purity number. Request a current specification and a COA for the sample's batch; a sample COA does not establish the result for a later production batch. The original 2021 EU regulation linked below is a historical example of route-specific steviol glycoside specifications. It does not verify any supplier's batch or provide a complete current market approval check.
A real specification example: read the assay basis
Pyure’s publicly linked Organic Reb A 98% specification, Revision 5 dated June 15, 2023, lists Rebaudioside A at ≥98.0% wt/wt on a dry basis, total steviol glycosides at ≥95.0% wt/wt, and moisture at ≤6.0%. The total-glycoside row does not repeat the dry-basis wording. Preserve the document’s wording and ask for clarification before treating the two reporting bases as identical. This is a useful example of why a product headline is insufficient. The named-glycoside requirement, total-content requirement and moisture limit are separate fields. A moisture limit is not the measured moisture of your sample. The PDF also describes its figures as typical analyses rather than guaranteed batch results: it is a historical specification example, not a COA for the lot you will receive. Request the current specification, assay method, reporting basis and actual sample-batch COA together.
Check how the offered grade is made
Some steviol glycoside preparations are extracted and purified from stevia leaves; other preparations involve an enzymatic step. The original 2021 EU regulation describes a specific enzymatically produced Reb M ingredient. That example does not identify the route of every material sold as Reb M. Ask each supplier to state the route and provide the documents for the exact grade. If the enquiry is for enzyme-modified stevia, distinguish glucosyl steviol glycosides (GSG) from a named glycoside obtained through enzymatic conversion. Write the requested product identity and assay basis in the brief; do not treat GSG90, SG90 and Reb M as interchangeable offers. Have the buyer's regulatory team review the actual preparation and intended market before label or launch decisions.
For US food use, check the preparation and intended use
FDA distinguishes certain high-purity steviol glycosides from whole stevia leaves and crude extracts. Its sweetener guidance describes high-purity glycosides as at least 95% pure and explains that FDA has not questioned the notifiers’ GRAS conclusions for certain preparations under their intended conditions of use. Whole leaves and crude extracts are not permitted as sweeteners in the United States. A “95%” label does not by itself establish the status of every composition or production route. Ask which exact preparation and intended food use the supporting documents cover. An organic certificate, a supplement listing or a supplier’s “FDA approved” wording cannot replace that check. Keep the US decision separate from requirements in another sales market.
Put comparable grade identities side by side
Our first purchasing check is whether the two offers answer the same specification. Use the same fields for every candidate, and keep a missing answer as an open question rather than a zero or a pass.
| Comparison field | Record for each offer | Resolve before treating offers as equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Material and grade | Supplier product code, glycoside preparation or finished blend, and full ingredient declaration | A stevia name does not identify every component in a supplied blend. |
| Assay and reporting basis | Total glycosides and named glycosides separately, method, basis and specification limits | A total-content result is not the percentage of Reb A or Reb M; a limit is not a measured batch result. |
| Route and exact identity | The offered grade's declared production route and corresponding documents; GSG identity and assay where relevant | The Reb M name alone does not identify its route. GSG90, SG90 and Reb M are not interchangeable grade descriptions. |
| Supplied form and other ingredients | Physical form, carrier or other components, and the actual material used in the trial | A different form or composition changes what one kilogram represents and can require a different comparison. |
Use one real product to screen samples
Keep the base formula, process and agreed comparison question with each coded sample. A fixed-addition comparison and a matched-sweetness comparison are different: retain the actual commercial material amount, unit and finished-product basis for each candidate, including any other formula changes. Assess sweetness onset, peak, lingering notes, bitterness and aroma interaction at the intended serving temperature. A water tasting can reveal an early difference, but the final decision belongs in the actual product; for a complete beverage powder, its prescribed preparation in water is the relevant product. If a candidate is a blend, record its other ingredients rather than attributing the result to stevia alone.
Published sensory case: three 95% grades tasted different
Tao and Cho’s 2020 study tested 126 consumers using commercial Reb A, Reb D and Reb M preparations, each stated as 95% purity and each added at 0.10% w/v in deionized water. The sucrose reference was 14% w/v. On the 15-cm intensity scale, in-mouth bitterness averaged 3.5 for Reb A, 1.1 for Reb D and 1.0 for Reb M, versus 0.8 for sucrose. These are study means, not specifications for current commercial grades. Lower bitterness did not mean identical aftertaste: one minute after expectoration, lingering sweetness averaged 5.3 for Reb M and 3.6 for sucrose. All three glycoside preparations were tested at the same concentration; the samples were not all matched for perceived sweetness. This consumer water study does not establish which grade will win in your beverage, dairy product or baked food. Use the finding to design the trial: record bitterness separately from lingering sweetness, code the actual samples, and repeat the comparison in your product at its intended serving conditions. For a matched-sweetness trial, adjust and record each material’s addition rather than assuming that equal purity means equal dose.
Compare cost on the same application and trade basis
Price per kilogram is useful only after the purchasing item and quotation basis match. Record currency, price unit, pack, order quantity and delivery terms, with freight, tax or other inclusions and exclusions stated separately. Missing costs stay unresolved; do not silently enter zero. For an application comparison, retain the actual material amount needed for the agreed sweetness target in the same finished-product quantity, together with any compensating formula changes. A lower kilogram price can still mean a higher ingredient cost at the tested addition. A matched-sweetness result remains specific to that product and test; it does not establish a universal dose, total production cost or guaranteed saving.
Worked cost example: price per kilogram can reverse the result
The following numbers are hypothetical arithmetic, not supplier quotations, recommended doses or measured sensory results. Suppose two materials have already reached your agreed sweetness target in the same finished product: Offer A has a unit-cost index of 100 and its recorded addition is 0.20 g per kg of finished product. Offer B has a unit-cost index of 150 and its recorded addition is 0.10 g/kg.
| Illustrative input or result | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient cost index per kg | 100 (index) | 150 (index) |
| Tested addition, assumed for this example | 0.20 g/kg finished product | 0.10 g/kg finished product |
| Material needed per 1,000 kg finished product | 0.20 kg | 0.10 kg |
| Sweetener ingredient cost per 1,000 kg | 100 (index) | 75 (index) |
Calculation: price per kilogram × addition in g/kg × finished-product mass in kg ÷ 1,000. In this example the higher-priced material has the lower sweetener ingredient cost. The result excludes freight, tax, other formula changes, yield and process costs. Replace every assumed input with comparable quotations and your actual application results; do not present the calculation as a complete production-cost saving.
Match the sample, documents and quotation
Start with the sample code and specification version you accepted. Ask the supplier to quote that grade and identify the product code, form, pack and quantity. Check MOQ, lead time, shipping and which documents come with the offered material. If a supplier offers a different glycoside profile, carrier or pack, record the difference before comparing costs.
Keep the sample-to-delivery record connected
On delivery, match the product and lot to the agreed specification and check that lot’s own COA. Confirm who makes the selected grade, who supplies it and who issues its documents. Record all four stages side by side so the next buyer can see exactly what was tested and what was delivered.
| Stage | Keep together | Before moving forward |
|---|---|---|
| Requested specification | Material identity, agreed specification version, intended application and market | List unresolved identity, document or market questions separately from the taste result. |
| Tested sample | Sample code, actual grade and lot, its batch COA, preparation and observations | Check that the documents describe that sample; retain the actual addition and serving conditions. |
| Commercial quotation | The corresponding product code and specification, form, pack, quantity, price basis and terms | Ask for a stated relationship to the evaluated sample; clarify any changed composition, specification or pack. |
| Delivery batch | Delivered identity and lot, its own applicable batch documents and the agreed specification | A previous sample COA does not supply the new batch result. Resolve any difference before treating it as the accepted item. |
Hengliyuan's available grade, supply arrangement, documents and commercial terms are confirmed for the selected request. A range listing or a supplier document does not mean that every grade is in stock or that every offered material is manufactured by Hengliyuan. If organic status is required, ask for the certificate holder, certifier, relevant operation and product scope, then check how the offered item and supply documents connect to that scope. Record unresolved checks before using an organic claim. A supplier’s certificate does not establish that Hengliyuan itself is certified or that every offered grade, blend or delivery batch qualifies.
Download the free supplier comparison sheet
Use the existing supplier comparison workbook to put your requirements and two actual offers beside one another. Its 22 fields provide 66 blank input cells for identity, specification, application, documents, samples and quotation terms. Add grade-specific assay details or unresolved questions in the relevant fields. The sheet has no prefilled supplier, price, formula, total score or automatic ranking. It downloads directly without an email address or account. Completing it is optional before contacting us; the file is a purchasing record, not a grade recommendation or a market approval.
Start with the grade, application and market you know
Send the stevia or GSG grade you are considering, the food or drink you are making and the intended sales market. If the grade is undecided, share the taste or formulation problem and any current sample or specification. You can contact us before the worksheet, document set or commercial brief is complete. Use the stevia sample link for the ingredient request. As the material becomes clearer, confirm the offered specification, sample reference, packaging, estimated quantity and required documents. A finished sweetener blend is a separate composition discussion; its quotation should identify all supplied ingredients.
Common questions
Can stevia supplier quotations be compared by price per kilogram alone?
Match the actual material, specification, supplied form, pack, quantity, currency and delivery basis first. For application cost, retain the actual tested addition into the same finished-product quantity and any other formula changes.
Request a stevia or GSG ingredient sampleShould I compare total steviol glycosides or Reb A percentage?
Read both where relevant, as separate measures. Keep the analyte, method, reporting basis and specification limit with each value; a total-content result cannot be renamed as Reb A or Reb M content.
Request a stevia or GSG ingredient sampleDoes Reb M identify the manufacturing route?
No. Ask for the exact material identity, route declaration and corresponding specification and market documents. The historical EU example describes a specified route, not every material sold under the Reb M name.
Request a stevia or GSG ingredient sampleAre GSG90, SG90 and Reb M equivalent offers?
No. Identify whether the requested material is glucosyl steviol glycosides, another steviol glycoside preparation or a named glycoside grade. Confirm each product code, assay definition and reporting basis before comparing samples or quotations.
Request a stevia or GSG ingredient sampleDoes a sample COA establish the bulk delivery result?
It reports the identified sample batch. Match the commercial offer to the evaluated material and check the delivery batch's own documents against the agreed specification.
Request a stevia or GSG ingredient sampleDoes a better water tasting establish the best application cost?
No. Compare the actual intended product, agreed sweetness target, actual addition and preparation. For a complete beverage powder, preparation in water may be the intended product; an ingredient-only water screening does not supply every finished-food result.
Request a stevia or GSG ingredient sampleDoes the Excel sheet score suppliers or recommend a grade?
No. It provides 22 fields for your requirements and two real offers, with 66 blank input cells. It has no formulas, prefilled prices or automatic ranking; missing answers remain questions to resolve.
Request a stevia or GSG ingredient sampleMust I finish the worksheet before requesting a stevia sample?
No. Start with the grade or formulation problem, intended product and market you know. Use the stevia or GSG ingredient sample link; specification, pack, quantity, documents and sample arrangements can be clarified afterward.
Request a stevia or GSG ingredient sampleIs 98% Reb A automatically better than another stevia grade?
No. The percentage identifies an assay requirement, not a universal sensory ranking. Compare the exact composition, reporting basis and actual product trial. Published water research found different bitterness and lingering sweetness among three preparations all stated as 95% pure.
Request a stevia or GSG ingredient sampleDoes a 95% purity statement mean FDA has approved the ingredient?
No. FDA describes certain high-purity steviol glycosides and has not questioned certain notifiers’ GRAS conclusions under intended conditions of use. Check the exact preparation and intended food use; whole leaves and crude extracts are not permitted as US sweeteners.
Request a stevia or GSG ingredient sample
