Your name:  Andress Blackwell

Year the company was started:  2001

Company brand tagline: The Ultimate Sugar Replacement

Where are the products made: New Orleans, Louisiana

What is the ‘key ingredient’ that makes your product line special? 

Erythritol (made via fermentation of glucose), prebiotic oligosaccharides from starchy root vegetables and natural flavors sourced from citrus.

What motivated you to start your company and create the products that we see today? 

Helping people understand blood sugar control and how balancing blood sugar can positively impact energy, weight management and so many other aspects of health. Swerve gives us the ability to indulge in sweet treats yet still maintain stabilized blood sugar. Bottom line – the motivation was helping people feel their absolute best while still enjoying their favorite desserts.

What are your company’s core values?

We have 5 key values that guide and direct everything we do:

 
Honor the maker inside everyone - We're curious, we’re creative, and we're completely smitten with makers—people who love on their loved ones with meals and baked goods. They’ll whip up a pasta sauce to heal a friend's heart. They'll bust out some brownies because, well, who doesn't love chocolate? When it comes to our customers, it's never about us: It's about supporting any excuse they need to light up their stoves and heat up their ovens. We believe that a Swerve maker is someone who prepares and shares food with the ones they love. That potential lies inside everyone, and it is with this value that we can ignite passion within bakers and soon-to-be-bakers alike.  

Live life, fully. Lowering sugar is a means to an end – a life better lived! Which means our story is about living life with vitality, not just lowering sugar! We're here to celebrate our contribution to better, delicious habits that help customers find the energy, courage, and determination to live a vibrant life. We're here to help nurture their healthy relationship with food so they can feel comfortable eating a variety of baked goods without feeling guilt. We're here to remind customers and their loved ones to live life to its fullest, without giving up on life's little treats. It is with this value that we will inspire others and ourselves to approach life with vitality. 

Be the champion of change, always - Swerve is about changing direction. No matter where our makers are on their change journey, or even why they're making that change, we will be right there and in service of their healthy cooking and baking needs. And that service extends beyond the kitchen. We believe that any change that brings families together and friends closer, while making communities healthier and stronger, is a change we can get behind. With this value, we can ensure that our customers never feel alone in their success or struggles—either at home or in the world.

Create and celebrate traditions, often - At Swerve, we understand that not everyone has a grandma that baked or a mom that cooked, which is why we believe in making new food memories with customers today that they can share tomorrow. Mothers and sons, uncles and nieces, best friends forever - no matter what the relationship or connection, we enjoy transforming baking moments into experiences that better customers' lives. With this value, we can be that not-so-secret ingredient that nurtures traditions and sweetens memories.  

Be kind and generous, regularly -  We believe that offering food to somebody else is an act of kindness that is as much of a comfort to the person receiving, as it is to the person who is serving and offering. Saying "please" and "thank you" are table stakes. Sharing what we have and giving what we create is baked into our DNA. Whether it's lending an ear, giving space for others to shine, or collaborating on a recipe, we believe that every customer touchpoint puts customers’ needs first and foremost. It is with this value, that we can show our care and compassion, every day.  

If you could tell a retailer three things about what makes your brand different, what would they be?

a. Swerve tastes like sugar! There is no bitter aftertaste associated with other sweeteners like low-grade stevia or monkfruit. Plus, Swerve measures like sugar so it’s super easy to use in place of sugar. If a recipe calls for a cup of sugar, you can simply replace with a cup of Swerve. 

 
b. There are no artificial ingredients, preservatives, flavours, or colours – Swerve is naturally sourced from plant-based ingredients. 

 
c. Swerve is perfect for those wanting to be carb-conscious which makes it the tastiest choice for those on going keto, paleo or any other way of eating centered around stabilizing blood sugar. 

What are some of the challenges that you've overcome to bring your business to its current state?

Almost two decades ago, when we first started talking about sugar reduction, everybody else was still thinking that low/no fat was the way to go. So imagine when we created a product that focused on sugar reduction. And yet all these years later, one of the hardest things we continue to work to overcome is education around what erythritol is. When we first began producing Swerve, no one knew what it was. Fortunately over the last couple of years, consumers have gained a greater awareness of erythritol and why it is unique in the sugar alcohol world.

Also, growing a sustainable business that is built on a solid foundation is not for the faint of heart… it takes a lot of patience and perseverance. Our goal is to always ensure we can keep our promises and one of the most important promises we make, everyday, is having quality products available for consumers. Just like our physical health, we work to keep the company healthy with discipline, patience and focus on constant improvement. 

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

As crazy as it may seem – with all the travel I do for Swerve, one of the things I love the most is visiting great cities across North America while discovering new restaurants and amazing food. Living in downtown New Orleans though also gives me access to some of the most incredible food and beverage experiences you’ll find anywhere on the globe. And when I’m not sitting at someone else’s table you’ll find me experimenting in my own kitchen and keeping my fingers crossed that it’s a recipe keeper! Laissez le bon temps rouler!