New York, NY - Point Roberts, WA - April 28, 2014 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com staff: Investorideas.com, global news source covering leading sectors including food and beverage and LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) issues an exclusive Q&A with the President and CFO of GLG Life Tech Corporation (TSX: GLG),(OTC:GLGLF). Mr. Brian Meadows discusses the global trends and opportunities in the natural sweetener market and how his company is posturing to gain market share.

Q: Investorideas.com

Brian, from your company’s last financial report, it shows a clear direction and shift to focusing on global sales. Where do you see your biggest short term and long term opportunities?

A: President and CFO Brian Meadows

For the short term, we’re focusing on core high purity RebA product sales in the America’s. Applications are currently concentrated on beverage and tabletop applications, however we are seeing significant growth in supplements and food products. We’re also seeing heightened interest in our Naturals+ line of alternate sweetener which are also used by the same customer base that we are selling into. By the fourth quarter, we will also be shipping Luo Han Guo (Monk Fruit) to our customers.

For the longer term, while RebA and Luo Han Guo will likely be the dominant natural sweeteners, we have built the capacity to supply a wide range of products - stevia and luo han guo blends, RebC, RebD, RebX, and so on, that meets customer specific application requirements. As expertise in using the natural zero calorie sweeteners expands, we think that there will not be a single solution to lower calories, but rather a range of solutions.

Q: Investorideas.com

The soda industry is one segment within the sweetener market that is seeing a very definite shift from sugary soda to a healthier alternative as soda sales decline annually. What other segments of the food and beverage industry are realizing the same dramatic shifts? And are you seeing any surprises within the industry?

A: President and CFO Brian Meadows

The biggest shift we see is that while the first applications for stevia products was to replace artificial HIS, now many applications are for use of sugar/stevia blends to reduce calories.

Segments shifting toward lower calorie products include yogurt and dairy, nutritional bars, supplements, etc. We’re fielding inquiries from virtually every product category. This clearlt demonstrates how stevia has moved from the fringe to a mainstream product, as the F&B industry is looking for ways to reduce calories throughout their product lines.

Q: Investorideas.com

Why do you think consumers are more educated now than ever on the health dangers associated with artificial sweeteners versus healthy alternatives like Stevia? What do you think has caused this consumer awareness to really take place?

A: President and CFO Brian Meadows

Todays’ consumers have access to a lot more information about the foods they consume, and perhaps due to the impact of social media, they are asking the tough questions about the ingredients. The increase in diseases such as obesity and diabetes has also lead to increased knowledge about managing these conditions and preventing them. And consumers are voting with their wallets. Another area of consumer interest is in the supply chains, demanding transparency on sustainability. Companies that can show that they care about their farmers are thriving. Part of our initiatives over the past couple of years has been to increase our farmer’s incomes through higher yielding patented seeds.

Q: Investorideas.com

Looking at one of your top competitors, PureCircle Limited (LSE: PURE.L), how would you compare your company’s product and global strategy?

A: President and CFO Brian Meadows

For product strategy, we can supply the entire range of natural sourced zero calorie products, and not just stevia. While stevia will remain the dominant product line, our customers also are currently sourcing complementary natural ingredient products and we have the opportunity to supply a larger range of products they need.

We also focus a lot more on the agriculture part of the supply chain and we have several key patents awarded that demonstrate our advantage. Our agricultural strategy is focused only on China where over 80% of the world’s stevia is grown and allows us to focus on our strength’s in China, which has recently been augmented with our relationship with COFCO, China’s largest food company. Agriculture is the key to a sustainable stevia product where the farmer’s income is high and our cost is low - a real win:win for the farmer and GLG and a sustainable business model.

Q: Investorideas.com

In terms of untapped markets, we saw recent news that Israel just had its first stevia sweetened soda enter the market with 'Green Cola’, by G Willi-Food International. Where do you see new potential markets for stevia and your company?

A: President and CFO Brian Meadows

This new product rollout is indicative of what we are seeing worldwide. The key trends that are driving the markets for natural zero calorie sweeteners are rise in health related issues with the consumption of too much sugar (Obesity and Diabetes), the consumer’s desire for more natural products in their diet and F&B companies response through new products that have lower calories and more natural ingredients. We are seeing this really as a global development in consumer F&B products which makes our industry a very exciting place to be.

GLG Life Tech Corporation (TSX: GLG), ( www.glglifetech.com)

GLG Life Tech Corporation is a global leader in the supply of high purity stevia extracts, an all-natural zero-calorie sweetener used in food and beverages. The Company's vertically integrated operations cover each step in the stevia supply chain including non-GMO stevia seed breeding, natural propagation, stevia leaf growth and harvest, proprietary extraction and refining, marketing and distribution of finished product.

About InvestorIdeas.com:

InvestorIdeas.com is a global news source for investors following leading business sectors including biotech, tech, mining, mobile, energy, water, defense and security, renewable energy, food and beverage stocks and Latin American stocks.

Follow Investorideas.com on Twitter   http://twitter.com/#!/Investorideas

Follow Investorideas.com on Facebook   http://www.facebook.com/Investorideas

Follow Investorideas.com News on Linkedin.com/today at http://www.linkedin.com/today/investorideas.com

Sign up for our free news alerts

http://www.investorideas.com/Resources/Newsletter.asp

Become an Investorideas.com Member and use our online stock directories to research stocks - waters stocks, renewable energy, tech, mobile, mining stocks and more…http://www.investorideas.com/membership/

Disclaimer/ Disclosure: The Investorideas.com newswire is a third party publisher of news and research as well as creates original content as a news source. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Investorideas is a news source on Google news and Linkedintoday plus hundreds of syndication partners. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investment involves risk and possible loss of investment. This site is currently compensated by featured companies, news submissions, content marketing and online advertising. Contact each company directly for press release questions. Disclosure is posted on each release if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and is published for the sole interest of our readers. Disclosure: Investorideas.com is compensated by GLG Life Tech; two thousand five hundred per month for two months for news and content publication more disclaimer info: http://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp

BC Residents and Investor Disclaimer : Effective September 15 2008 - all BC investors should review all OTC and Pink sheet listed companies for adherence in new disclosure filings and filing appropriate documents with Sedar. Read for more info: http://www.bcsc.bc.ca/release.aspx?id=6894. Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country.

800-665-0411 - Source - www.Investorideas.com