The Real Stevia Company was founded 2003 in Sweden by the entrepreneur Carl Horn af Rantzien. But the story started even earlier, in Paraguay in the 1840´s, when John Wilhelm Smitt, the great grandfather of Carl Horn, was the first person to export yerba maté and yerba dulce (stevia) from Paraguay to Argentina.
The will to do good is one of the strongest characteristics of Carl Horn af Rantzien. As sugar was becoming a major global threat to our health, Carl observed a need for a nutritional change in the society and that stevia could be an important part of a solution. With the historical connections to Paraguay, the idea of growing stevia in the original country wasn’t far away. And as it was important to give something back to the land of stevia, a foundation to support the farmers with education on how to cultivate stevia in the most sustainable way was set up.
At the same time the world has been challenged with an international obesity and diabetes crises and stevia has become an important tool to improve consumer’s nutritional behavior, and to reduce sugar and artificial sweeteners in our food and drinks. With partners in Paraguay and China, we deliver sustainable produced and fully traceable stevia leaves, extract and blends to the food and beverage industry.
One of our key missions today is to help develop the stevia industry in a sound manner. As one of the founding partners of the organisation International Stevia Council (ISC), we were instrumental in getting the European stevia approval in place 2011.
- Carl Horn af Rantzien