To Ensure a Stable Supply of Annatto, Frutarom Encourages Latin American Female Farmers

21 Jun 2017 --- To ensure a safe, sustainable and consistent supply of natural annatto coloring, Frutarom Natural Solutions BU has announced that it has initiated a collaboration with a local agriculture partner to encourage Latin American women in countries such as Peru, Brazil and Guatemala to become independent farmers and grow annatto in their fields.

“Women are playing a big role in changing the food system to create a well-nourished world,” says Danielle Nierenberg, president of FoodTank. “They are taking on larger and more defined roles in food and agriculture, globally.”  

Together, Frutarom and its partner announced that they are supporting the local farmers from mother plantation to education and training, including technical support on how to grow and harvest high-quality annatto. Moreover, the company says it is committed to buying all the fresh annatto harvested at a fair price. The outcome of this collaboration is providing a safe, stable income to the growers, working directly with local farmers.

“Global food and beverage companies are shifting quickly from Yellow 5 and six artificial colors to natural annatto in a wide range of food applications,” says Yoni Glickman, President of Frutarom Natural Solutions.

Annatto is an oily seed from the Achiote tree (Bixa orellana). Natural pigments present in the seeds are the carotenoids bixin and norbixin. It has a wide color range of yellow to orange tones with mid to high stability against light, heat and oxidation. 

“Frutarom’s advanced extraction of the seeds also enables recovery of high-antioxidant vitamin E while significantly minimizing fruit waste,” explains Glickman. “Suppliers of natural colors are in a race to provide sufficient supplies of natural annatto coloring.”

As a key player in this segment, Frutarom is increasing its support by creating sustainable partnerships in Latin America and working closely with the farmers. ”Frutarom is there to help them develop and expand their businesses by offering technical and business support,” Glickman stresses. “We want them to grow with us.”

Two production sites, one in Lima, Peru, and the second in Murcia, Spain, enable a smooth supply chain in fulfilling global demand and ensuring a constant supply of annatto color. 

“This ‘win-win’ situation for Frutarom and the farmers fills the gap in supply to meet the growing demand for natural annatto coloring and allows transparency with our customers worldwide,” adds Glickman. “We ensure safe, high-quality, all-natural color supply while supporting local communities in developing countries.”