Press Release 18th November 2025

Less sugar on the shelves: successful partnership between BILLA and NEOH continues to grow

Sugar-reduced foods combine a conscious lifestyle with a balanced diet. As the first port of call for daily shopping, BILLA also offers numerous highlights in this range. The food retailer's goal is to specifically expand its selection of sugar-free and sugar-reduced products, especially in confectionery and staple foods. To this end, the food retailer is collaborating with the Austrian company NEOH. Since last year, the sugar substitute ZERO+ has been used in selected products from BILLA's own brand. ZERO+ not only replaces traditional sugar, but also tastes great. Popular treats such as Neapolitan slices, mini chocolate biscuits, chocolate-raspberry cashews, chocolate and vanilla pudding are available – with significantly reduced sugar content. BILLA also offers numerous NEOH products with the ZERO+ formula, including various bars, hazelnut and milk chocolate, and waffles.

Four people stand in a kitchen or showroom setting, each holding plates or food items. The person on the left holds two plates with food, the next person holds a pan with scrambled eggs and tattoos on one arm, the third person is holding a spoon and small container, and the fourth person holds a package labeled "Zero." Shelves filled with wine bottles are in the background.

Manuel Zeller (CEO of NEOH AG), Philipp Janele (chef), Holly Wilkinson (nutritionist) and Zdeslav Jolic (BILLA Managing Director of Category Management/Purchasing) are committed to reduced-sugar enjoyment as part of the successful partnership between BILLA and NEOH. / Copyright: © BILLA AG / Robert Harson, Reproduction for PR purposes free of charge

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At a glance

Reduced sugar but still sweet: BILLA and NEOH always use ZERO+ to replace sugar in selected products from the BILLA own brand.
The sugar substitute ZERO+ developed by NEOH keeps blood sugar levels stable, is low in calories and contains lots of valuable plant-based fibre.
Numerous sweet treats with no added sugar available at BILLA and BILLA PLUS – including popular classics such as Neapolitaner Schnitten, chocolate and vanilla pudding

Zdeslav Jolic, BILLA Managing Director of Category Management/Purchasing: "We offer a wide range of products in our stores that enable our customers to enjoy a balanced diet. Our cooperation with NEOH shows that a lot of sugar can be saved, especially in the confectionery range, without compromising on taste. We want to continue to exploit this potential in the future. It is essential for us to offer attractive pricing as well."

ZERO+ sugar substitute at BILLA: valuable fibre and fewer calories

ZERO+ is a sugar substitute developed by NEOH that contains very few calories. It consists of over 90 percent plant-based fibre and therefore has less impact on blood sugar than conventional sugar. This has been tested and confirmed in a clinical study conducted by the Medical University of Vienna (2022). In addition to these health factors, ZERO+ impresses with its sensory and physical properties. Sugar is not only responsible for sweetness in food, but also affects the taste, consistency, colour, viscosity and shelf life of products. Unlike other sweeteners, ZERO+ behaves similarly to sugar during processing and is therefore very close to sugar in terms of technology.

"With ZERO+, we have achieved a real game changer in the food industry. The substitute formula has been perfected over more than 15 years, scientifically tested and consists of over 90 per cent plant-based fibre – including agave, chicory, corn and wheat. Its texture and taste are similar to conventional sugar, but it has little effect on blood sugar levels and is very low in calories. We are delighted about our close partnership with BILLA. But you can also replace conventional sugar with ZERO+ at home; the 250-gram pack of ZERO+ is also available at BILLA," says Manuel Zeller, CEO of NEOH AG.

Holly Wilkinson, nutritionist: ‘Balancing enjoyment and responsibility for health – this can be achieved thanks to innovation and expertise, as in this case. ZERO+ is basically the relationship we all want: sweet, stable and drama-free (for blood sugar levels).’