Coca-Cola Offers $1M Prize for New Sugar AlternativeCoca-Cola Offers $1M Prize for New Sugar Alternative

Facing a long-term slump in sales of sugary drinks, The Coca-Cola Company is offering a $1 million prize to researchers who develop compounds that offer a natural, safe, low-calorie alternative to sugar, the company announced this month.

Dubbed the “Sweetener Challenge,” Coca-Cola seeks natural, safe, and are low- or reduced-calorie sweeteners for use in beverages and food products.

“We’re always searching for newer, better ingredients, and we know that amazing ideas can come from anywhere,” said Robert Long, senior vice president and chief innovation officer at Coca-Cola, in a company blog post.

Coca-Cola acknowledged that much research on this topic has already taken place, but stated that the company believes more progress in sugar alternatives is ahead. The company said the compound must not be made from Monk Fruit (Lo Han Guo) and Stevia, or from protected plant species or substances.

The winner of the $1 million prize will be selected in October 2018.

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