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The worldwide demand for high-potency sweeteners is expected to increase, especially with the new practice of blending different sweeteners. The sweet herb of Paraguay, Stevia rebaudiana Bert. produces, in its leaves, just such an alternative with the added advantage that stevia sweeteners are natural plant products. In addition, the sweet steviol glycosides have functional and sensory properties superior to those of many other high-potency sweeteners. Stevia is likely to become a major source of high-potency sweetener for the growing natural food market in the future. The task at hand is to convert stevia from a wild plant to a modern crop well suited to efficient mechanized production. For Canada, the necessary steps are the development of a seed, seedling and crop production system, including information on optimized crop inputs, weed and disease control, harvest and handling methods and a breeding program aimed at optimizing glycoside content and sensory characteristics. Understanding the biology of the stevia plant and the chemistry and biochemistry of the sweet glycosides are prerequisites for conversion of stevia to a modern crop. Currently, stevia production is centered in China and the major market is in Japan. No large-scale mechanized production has been established and stevia sweeteners are not yet found in mainstream food products in most countries of the world. Progress towards large-scale commercialization has been slow, largely due to difficulties in producing the crop, the poor quality of stevia extracts and the absence of regulatory approvals essential for stevia sweeteners in the North American and European markets.