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Key people at Wisdom Natural Brands.
Wisdom Natural Brands develops and markets natural, zero-calorie sweeteners and herbal supplements, primarily SweetLeaf Stevia Sweetener and Wisdom of the Ancients. The company employs a proprietary water-based extraction process for its stevia, ensuring a pure, clean-tasting ingredient free from artificial additives. This method delivers versatile, healthier sweetening options for diverse food and beverage applications.
Founded in 1982 by James May and his wife, Carol, the company began from their Scottsdale, Arizona garage. Their foundational insight was to offer natural, health-conscious alternatives to sugar, focusing on stevia. This pioneering commitment established their early leadership in natural sweeteners, driven by a dedication to consumer well-being.
Wisdom Natural Brands serves consumers seeking plant-based sweetening solutions and manufacturers needing quality stevia ingredients. The company's vision combines traditional wisdom with modern science to deliver beneficial wellness products. They aim to expand their natural portfolio, offering innovative, health-conscious choices globally.
Key people at Wisdom Natural Brands.
Wisdom Natural Brands is a family-owned manufacturer of premium, plant-based sweeteners and herbal products, best known for its SweetLeaf Stevia Sweetener and Wisdom of the Ancients herbal blends. Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Gilbert, Arizona, the company produces zero-calorie, non-glycemic stevia sweeteners using a proprietary water-based extraction process, alongside yerba maté-based herbal teas, serving health-conscious consumers worldwide through health food stores, supermarkets, and online retailers in over 30 countries.[1][2][3][4][5] With around 32-38 employees and annual revenue of approximately $7 million (as of 2024), it solves the problem of providing natural sugar alternatives that taste superior without calories, carbs, or artificial ingredients, earning 36 awards for taste and innovation while maintaining strong growth from its home-based origins to a global enterprise.[2][3]
Wisdom Natural Brands traces its roots to 1982, when James A. May, a healthcare executive, and his wife Carol May discovered stevia—a naturally sweet herb—during a trip to South America.[1][5] Recognizing its potential as a healthy, plant-based sweetener amid limited awareness in North America, the couple left their stable life, invested their savings, and started the company from their Scottsdale, Arizona garage as a home-based operation.[1][5] Early challenges gave way to pivotal success through innovative processing developed with South American scientists, launching SweetLeaf as the first stevia sweetener to achieve GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.[3][5] Under Carol May's leadership as CEO and later her son Michael May as President and CEO, the company expanded into a 30,000+ square foot facility in Gilbert in 2005, growing into a leader in stevia with products like organic packets, shaker jars, and herbal teas under Wisdom of the Ancients.[1][2][3]
While not a tech company, Wisdom Natural Brands rides the wave of the natural health and wellness boom, particularly the surge in demand for clean-label, plant-based sugar alternatives amid rising obesity, diabetes rates, and consumer shifts away from artificial sweeteners.[1][3] Its timing capitalized on stevia's regulatory GRAS affirmation in the 2000s, positioning it ahead of competitors like Celestial Seasonings or Sunwin USA in the $7 million revenue niche within the multibillion-dollar natural sweeteners market.[2][3] Market forces like keto, low-carb diets, and clean eating favor its products, influencing the food & beverage ecosystem by setting standards for taste-superior, sustainable stevia and inspiring herbal innovation drawn from ancient traditions.[4][5]
Wisdom Natural Brands is poised for sustained growth by expanding its award-winning stevia lineup—such as new syrups and baking blends—and leveraging yerba maté trends for functional beverages amid escalating demand for zero-calorie, natural options.[3][4] Trends like personalized nutrition, e-commerce proliferation, and global health regulations on sugar reduction will propel it, potentially through partnerships or ingredient supply deals.[5][6] As a family-led pioneer, its influence may evolve toward dominating organic stevia segments, fostering a sweeter, healthier world just as James and Carol envisioned from that Arizona garage.[1]
