Beyond artificial: Creating a brighter future for beverages with natural colors

With approximately 50% of new beverages in the U.S. now utilizing natural coloring sources,[1] the shift from synthetic colorants to natural is undeniable. For food and beverage brands, much of this transition has been driven by recent regulatory changes around synthetic dyes like the recently announced ban on Red No. 3, California’s move to ban 6 azo dyes in schools from Dec 2027, and the EU's 2008 azo dye labeling requirement.

However, it’s not just regulators turning their backs on synthetic colors, it’s consumers too. In fact, 27% of consumers are said to actively consider the type of colorant, natural or artificial, when choosing new products.[2] Consumers today are looking for products that are multipurpose – clean-label, health boosting, delicious and fun. Meeting all these demands in one drink is a tall order and when two-thirds of consumers globally say they are influenced by clean-label attributes when making purchasing decisions,[3] no one piece of this puzzle can be ignored.

Despite the shift in preference to natural, consumers still want products that look as good as they taste. Younger demographics, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, are looking for vibrant, “Instagram-worthy” beverages. A prime example of this is McDonald's 2023 launch of the ‘Grimace Shake’, a vibrant purple milkshake and an unconventional color choice for the category. However, the drink quickly went viral and was cited in the company’s Q2 earnings as a contributor to overall sales growth that year.[4] This isn’t surprising as bold colors are often among the most popular with consumers such as vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow, due to their eye-catching nature.

Overcoming the ‘natural’ challenge

In the past, synthetic additives were the first choice for delivering vibrant, long-lasting products due to their stability in formulations. Natural colors are different.

Color stability can be difficult to manage across the food industry but with beverages, the unique conditions present a different set of challenges. In bottled beverages, there is often a low pH, high levels of exposure to light and constant contact with oxygen. Such environments can cause natural colors to fads and deteriorate.

The good news? dsm-firmenich is here to help. We’ve developed solutions to combat this including our advanced encapsulation techniques, which ensures natural colors can retain their vibrancy throughout a product’s shelf life, even in challenging applications like clear, low-pH beverages. Whether it’s an energy drink, sparkling water, or a functional juice blend, our color solutions help beverages to stay vibrant during packaging, transportation and on supermarket shelves.

We’re also blending nature’s best ingredients with cutting-edge technology to create next-generation beverage colors. Our expertise in fermentation allows us to produce high-quality, stable pigments without relying on agricultural land or seasonal variability. This not only ensures year-round supply consistency but also drastically reduces our environmental footprint.

Take β-carotene, for example. Traditionally sourced from carrots, we can now produce it through fermentation, offering a sustainable alternative that delivers the same bright orange brilliance consumers expect. Plus, it doubles as a functional ingredient, acting as a powerful source of vitamin A, which supports skin health, immunity, and vision. Similarly, lycopene can be produced through fermentation, providing a striking reddish hue and is packed with antioxidant properties.

At dsm-firmenich, we’re leading the way in redefining how beverages get their color. By leveraging groundbreaking fermentation technology and innovative extraction methods, we are helping brands unlock a new world of naturally derived colors that are stable, sustainable, and functional.

To find out more about natural colors for beverages, visit: coloration solutions.