Press Release

Ads for New All Natural, Zero Calorie Sweetener Made from the Stevia Plant to Appear in August Magazines

CHICAGO, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Excited to put a face on its great tasting, all natural, zero calorie sweetener PureVia(TM), Whole Earth Sweetener Company today announced health icon and beach volleyball champion Gabrielle (Gabby) Reece will be featured au naturel in bold print advertisements for the all natural product.

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(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090623/NY36618 )

"PureVia(TM) is the perfect addition to my diet and healthy lifestyle. It adds just the right touch of guilt-free sweetness to my morning tea," said Gabrielle Reece, the former American professional beach volleyball player, sports commentator, and model. "I've used stevia for years, and I'm excited to introduce PureVia(TM) because it makes stevia accessible to the growing number of people seeking more natural options. PureVia(TM) is an easy way to enjoy natural sweetness without all the calories - it makes me feel good to stand behind it."

"Gabrielle proves in this campaign that natural is beautiful," said JJ Betts, PureVia brand director for Whole Earth Sweetener Company. "Gabrielle's dedication to healthy living and fitness is an inspiration. She has become a symbol of natural health and beauty, which makes her the ideal face of PureVia(TM)."

PureVia(TM) advertisements showing Reece painted in stevia leaves will appear in prominent women's lifestyle magazines beginning in August, including SELF, Allure, Lucky, Gourmet, Bon Appetit and Cookie. Leading make-up artist and body painter Joanne Gair, whose realistic, eye-catching work has become an annual sensation in the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated for the past ten years, is the illusionist behind Reece's stevia-adorned design. TracyLocke created the concept for the campaign. Fashion photographer Phillip Dixon, who has been photographing Reece since she was 18 and whose photos have appeared on the covers of French Elle and Harper's Bazaar, captured the images.

"We wanted to create a memorable campaign that communicates the all natural goodness of PureVia(TM) in a way that is bold and stylish," said Sandy Stein, executive creative director for TracyLocke. "By painting Gabrielle's actual body with leaves and vines, we were able to intertwine the natural benefits of PureVia(TM) with Gabrielle's natural beauty and beliefs."

PureVia(TM) hit store shelves in late 2008 and is now available in the sweetener aisles of grocery and mass merchandise stores across the U.S. It is specially blended to complement the distinctive flavor of coffee made from the Arabica bean, the new standard for premium coffee. In addition to coffee, PureVia(TM) can be used to sweeten other hot or cold drinks or sprinkled on cereal, fruit or yogurt.

Suitable for diabetics and individuals with gluten allergies, PureVia(TM) is offered in 40-, 80- and 300-stick cartons for a suggested retail price of $3.99, $6.99 and $15.99, respectively. You can also look for it in the sweetener caddy at coffee shops and restaurants. For more information about PureVia(TM) visit www.purevia.com. Find PureVia(TM) on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. For more information about Gabrielle Reece, go to www.thehoneyline.com.

About Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC

Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC is committed to providing natural alternatives to sugar and to helping people eat better and live healthier, more fulfilling lives. Formed in 2006, Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC launched its first sweetener brand, Sweet Simplicity(R), in 2007, and the company continues to develop a vertically integrated business that will bring products that are perfectly natural and naturally pure from the farm to consumers. Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Merisant Company, the maker of Equal(R) and Canderel(R) and a global leader in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of tabletop sweeteners, with sales in over 100 countries. For more information, visit www.wholeearthsweetener.com.

Note to editors: PureVia(TM) is a trademark of Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC and PepsiCo, Inc. Sweet Simplicity(R) is a registered trademark of Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC. Equal(R) and Canderel(R) are registered trademarks of Merisant Company and Merisant Company 2 Sarl.

    Press Contact:
    Katie Wood
    312-240-2827
    katie.wood@edelman.com

SOURCE Whole Earth Sweetener Company