Color trends: Mood and energy enhancing-hues of plant-based color captivate consumer imagination

26 Jan 2022 --- A sense of well-being is a powerful influencer, reveal color and flavor specialists with their finger on the pulse of color trends in 2022.

Hues of blue and purple are on-trend due to their association with health and well-being rooted in flavors such as spirulina, while pink is seen as a powerful indicator of inclusive femininity. In contrast, “egg-like” hues have been flagged as one of the new color innovations in the dairy alternative space.

FoodIngredientsFirst speaks to ADM, Döhler, GNT and Givaudan, who dive into the key drivers and market dynamics within the color space. 

Big expectations for vivid colors
The technology used to process natural colors is also advancing rapidly to enhance their performance of natural colors across a variety of processing environments. 

Dr. Roland Beck, head of business unit colors, Döhler says natural colors must now perform in high pH situations or heat and pressure treatments and still deliver on vibrance. 

“This technical challenge requires greater evaluation of natural plant materials to match the demand. Changes in legislation also continue to drive the move to natural color,” says Beck.

The recent ruling that titanium dioxide was no longer permitted in food in the EU forced the company to search for an effective natural white alternative. 

Hues of the momentPurple and blue colored snacks, energy drinks and ready-to-drink cocktails are popular at the moment. 
Specific shades of color are associated with mental concepts creating social constructs around food. Colors supporting physical, mental and emotional health are trending.

Hélène Moeller, vice president, global product marketing, ADM says holistic well-being drives many consumer purchases. 

“Blues and purples are having a moment this year as consumers not only seek out offerings that provide support for sleep and stress, but also look for avenues that ignite imagination and inspiration,” she reveals.

ADM has spotted a spike in purple and blue colored snacks, energy drinks and ready-to-drink cocktails. “These deep shades are also growing in popularity for formats like teas, bars and gummies as consumers seek out options that support different aspects of wellness,” Moeller explains.

In fact, ADM notes that even the Pantone Color Institute named “very peri” (periwinkle) the 2022 Color of the Year. “The periwinkle blue has a red-violet undertone and, according to the institute, signifies “transformative times” and “displays a spritely, joyous attitude.”

Natural colors have performed well for some time and are replacing artificial dyes in food applications. Formulators note that colors sourced from fruits, plants and vegetables are growing in demand.

Contextual colors
Meanwhile, GNT has teamed up with consumer psychologists and semioticians to establish how color generates meaning across products. 

“One of the key takeaways is that the meaning of color is not only determined by context but that the meaning also changes with time. If we take pink, for instance, it was previously seen as a girly shade and associated with sweetness,” says Maartje Hendrickx, market development manager at GNT Group. 

Pink has undergone a cultural revolution due to its use in the cosmetics field and is now associated with femininity that is “inclusive and radical.” 

“As a result, it’s now possible to create a range of pink food and drink products that deliver a real sense of sophistication,” Hendrickx explains.

GNT has launched two new additions of green shades, Exberry Jade Green and Lime Green in response to the growing demand globally for cost effective greens that support clean labels.

The jade displays a bright bluish green hue while the lime showcases a yellowish green shade. The colors are made from spirulina and turmeric, respectively, both on-trend ingredients.

Plant-based drives natural colorsColors supporting physical, mental and emotional health are trending.
As plant-based eating gains further traction, it has driven the demand for browns and reds in meat substitutes, white and orange for fish analogs and yellow in dairy-free products, flags Nathalie Pauleau, global product manager for natural colors, Givaudan. 

“Around 95% of new colored meat alternative product launches contain color solutions from natural sources, more specifically, from plant-based coloring foods,” she says. 

“Consumer demand for plant-based meat has created a need for natural brown and red coloring solutions that can help recreate an authentic color transition from red-to-brown during the cooking process,” explains Pauleau. 

Givaudan reports the demand for dairy alternatives, particularly plant-based beverages – which often have a chalky or gray appearance – have created a need for natural warming vanilla and egg-like hues along with nutty brown shades.

Notably, an Innova Consumer Survey shows that 25% of global consumers prefer 100% plant-based options.

Döhler’s Beck highlights that colors that provide warmth and positive emotions have been growing in interest as the world collectively experiences “pandemic fatigue.” Natural orange and various shades of red are growing in popularity, sourced from paprika and carotene, for example.

Earlier this month, experts from CP Kelco, ADM, Almond Board of California, Puratos, Kalsec and GNT discussed the plant-based trends shaping 2022.

Time for a technological reboot
Processing technology has also been spotlighted in advancing colors. ADM’s proprietary and patented micronized technology creates a spectrum of bright colors derived from natural sources that have plating characteristics to stop streaking, flashing and bleeding.

“While gorgeous purple tones can be extracted from berries like elderberry and blackberry, it’s harder to find a vibrant, low pH, heat- and light-stable blue color from a plant-based source,” explains Moeller.

The company has had success with its fruit juice blue, “the industry’s only patented acid-, light- and heat-stable blue created from the Amazonian huito fruit.”

“With our fruit juice blue, we help product developers achieve various shades of blue, purple, green and brown from a natural source even in the toughest applications, such as fermented drinks, baked goods, confections and more,” explains Moeller.

Clean label considerations
According to Givaudan, a spike in demand for clean label products is driving the advancement of sourcing and technology of natural colors. 

“On the sourcing front, nature provides endless inspiration, but a profound understanding of botanical science is required to tap into the possibilities when it comes to raw materials,” explains Pauleau.

“These high-performance natural color and coloring foodstuffs can often become a vector for innovation. Manufacturers can build their product positioning upon the color and the appeal of the raw material, fulfilling the need for clean labels and creating a fully natural and reassuring food experience,” she says.

GNT highlights that the chemical-sounding names of food colors are becoming increasingly off-putting to consumers with the potential to alienate a significant number of shoppers. 

“Coloring foods are made from edible fruit, vegetables and plants using physical processing methods. As a result, they’re considered food ingredients rather than additives within the EU,” Hendrickx explains.

“This means they don’t require E-numbers and can be described in a way that’s simple to understand, such as “concentrates (carrot and blackcurrant).”

“Brands are therefore increasingly switching to plant-based concentrates to maximize their products’ appeal,” says Hendrickx.

Fusion is the flavor fashionSpecific shades of color are associated with mental concepts creating social constructs around food. 
Fusion foods, born of the mixing of cuisines from different regions and cultures has generated a demand for vibrant food color ranges that have different processing conditions.

“The effect of an interest in, for example, a blend of sweet and savory flavors in a product requires colors that match the consumers’ expectations of such tastes,” flags Döhler’s Beck. 

The company’s natural yellow color developed using curcumin supports dishes of this kind blending Asian and European culinary products.

Colors that are sourced from plants, botanicals, fruits and vegetables are sought after.

“We source botanicals, spices, fruits and botanicals from around the globe to provide color solutions that are on-trend, transparently sourced and meet clean label demands,” says Moeller.

Consumers are looking for the next visually exciting, share-worthy food or beverage. This desire has been accelerated by restrictions throughout the pandemic limiting in-person connections. 

“Vivid plant-based colors that can deliver these moments of pleasure will win with consumers,” Moeller concludes.

By Inga de Jong