The importance of color in food is undeniable. Studies reveal that 62%-90% of consumers' purchasing decisions are influenced by color within the first 90 seconds. Chinese consumers, in particular, have a strong preference for colorful food. A survey by Oterra revealed that Chinese consumers' acceptance of color in savory foods is much higher than that of consumers in European and American countries. Over the past five years, the proportion of colored food and beverages in the Chinese market has increased from 15% to 22%, while this proportion has remained stable globally.

As consumer preferences evolve, the global trend in food coloring is shifting from synthetic pigments to natural pigments and colorful food.This trend is also reflected at major international food fairs, such as Bakery China, where the use of natural colors is a hot topic. For example, only 2.2% of new products launched in Europe in 2024 used synthetic pigments, while Australia was more proactive, with 23% of new products claiming to contain natural or clean pigments. Although China started late, the trend of transition is evident. Natural pigments are extracted from natural sources such as carrots, sweet potatoes, green leafy plants, spirulina, beetroot, and turmeric. However, the stability of these pigments can be easily affected by food ingredients, pH levels, light, and temperature. Therefore, how to customize suitable pigment formulations and shades according to product characteristics has become a core technological advantage for natural pigment companies.

Oterra, a Danish pigment company with over 150 years of history, has been committed to providing edible natural pigments and colorful food since it launched the world's first edible natural pigment product, annatto, in 1876. It is one of the world's leading suppliers of edible natural pigments. Oterra' products are widely used in infant food, dairy products, ice cream, candies, baking, and other fields, and can provide customers with a wide range of customized and innovative color solutions.

Oterra' history can be traced back 150 years to the natural pigment business unit of Chr. Hansen. It was acquired by Swiss EQT in 2021 and became an independent entity as Oterra, with a wholly-owned subsidiary established in China in the same year. Today, Oterra has offices, laboratories, or factories in 27 countries worldwide, employing over 1,000 people, including more than 80 agronomists, pigment, and application scientists. It has established partnerships with more than 5,000 customers and its products are available in 112 countries.

Oterra advocates that "natural is the best" and is committed to providing pigment products derived from nature. Starting from plant cultivation, Oterra uses biotechnological solutions and advanced agricultural science and technology to ensure the quality of pigment raw materials. At the same time, it integrates its supply chain globally and continues to acquire and expand, ensuring the quality and supply of raw materials through a "dual-channel" approach. In product design, Oterra focuses on sustainability, promoting low-carbon, low-waste product combinations to reduce carbon emissions and enhance customers' differentiated competitiveness.

Oterra' products have a wide range of applications and can customize color schemes for customers based on product characteristics. In the beverage sector, Oterra' edible natural pigments provide customized solutions for different types of beverages with strong adaptability. In the candy sector, Oterra' natural edible pigments provide stability and robustness, highlighting the flavor characteristics of candies. In the ice cream sector, Oterra' edible natural pigments give ice cream more attractive colors to consumers. In the savory food and meat sectors, Oterra provides technical services and support in the field of color, quickly matching suitable colors for customers' products. In the baking and cereal food sectors, Oterra' edible pigments do not affect the texture, taste, and stability of products and can optimize color performance. In the dairy and fruit product sectors, Oterra' edible natural pigments can be used to enhance the color of fruits and maintain the product's clean label. Additionally, Oterra' products are also used in functional gummies, pet food, and other fields.

Oterra' research and development center is located in Montpellier, France, actively conducting cutting-edge research and achieving a higher level of innovation in edible natural pigments.Its six innovative color solutions include:

The FruitMax® series of pigment raw materials for clean labels;

CapColors® encapsulation technology for bright and stable colors;

The ColorFruit® series, known for high color intensity and versatility;

Migration-resistant pigments for strong coloring effects;

Strawberry® powder for fast dissolution and vibrant colors;

Dairy-specific pigments for matching existing product colors.

In summary, Oterra continues to lead the way in the global edible natural pigment industry, offering a diverse range of innovative color solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of customers across various food sectors. With its strong commitment to sustainability, quality assurance, and cutting-edge research, Oterra stands as a trusted partner in delivering the vibrant hues that captivate consumers and enhance product appeal.

Bakery China 2025 will continue to share more industry professional content with you, so please stay tuned!

Bakery China, organized by China Association of Bakery and Confectionery Industry (CABCI) and Bakery China Exhibitions Co., Ltd. was launched since 1997. Bakery China is the Asia Pacific‘s leading event serving the entire value chain for the bakery and confectionery market. The event presents all range of ingredient, equipment, packaging and services, and enables global leading professionals and buyer delegates to meet and share the latest innovations and thinking on manufacturing & distribution, R&D, applications and related services for bakery industry.

The 27th Bakery China would be held on May 19-22, 2025 at National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC), Shanghai, covering 330,000 sqm show space. Over 2,200 exhibitors and 400,000 visits are expected.

Source: FoodTalks