The increasing demand for ready-to-eat meals and bakery and confectionary products has been driving the growth of the global food colors market. The increasing disposable income of consumers has led to the growth of packed food products, as well as the restaurants industry. The increasing population, especially in Asia-Pacific has been creating significant demand for food items including bakery, confectionery, and prepared foods.
Food color is a type of additive that imparts color, when added to food or drink. They are available in several forms, such as liquid, powder, gel and paste. The colors are added to the food for serving several purposes, such as influencing the perception of the consumer, as people relate color to flavors. Colors make foods attractive and appetizing, thus enabling consumers to identify products easily. Basically, there are two types of food colors, naturally derived and nature identical. The nature derived colors are extracted from natural resources, such as plants, microbiological sources, animal, and minerals. On the other hand, nature identical or synthetic colors are obtained through chemical synthesis that replicates molecular structure of natural food color to appear identical to them.
The demand for natural food colors has been up surging, due to increasing consumer awareness about the health hazards caused by synthetic food colors used in the food. The natural food color based foods are higher in price, as compared to those manufactured with synthetic colors; however the consumers in developed countries are willing to pay extra cost to get the healthier alternative. The synthetic colors increase the shelf-life of foods; however this least bothers consumers in the developed countries. Beverages industry is one of the largest consumers of colors. Caramel is the most used food color type for beverages industry. The market for synthetic food colors is also increasing; however at a slower rate.
Certain legislations have been restricting the growth of the synthetic food colors market. Europe has one of the most stringent regulations related to use of colors in food. The regulations in North America are not very stringent; however the growing disinterest of consumers in synthetic color-based foods is compelling companies to use more of natural colors. The food processors and manufacturers companies, such as Kraft, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Subway, Nestle, General Mills, Papa John’s and Campbell Soup Company are making changes to their product offerings, and g introducing products with more natural colors.
The major markets in Europe include the U.K., France, Germany, and Italy. The key markets in Asia-Pacific include China, India, Japan, and Australia. The major players in the market include Sensient Technologies Corporation, D.D. Williamson & Co. Inc., Dohler Group, Royal DSM N.V., Cargill Inc., Danisco, BASF, and Kalsec Inc.
Global Food Colors Market Segmentation:
By Type
- Synthetic Food Colors
- Red
- Betaines
- Santalans
- Carminic Acid and Carmine
- Yellow
- Green
- Blue
- Others
- Natural Food Colors
- Carotenoids
- Caramel
- Anthocyanins
- Others
By Application
- Bakery
- Meat and Poultry
- Frozen Foods
- Others
By Geography
- North America
- Europe
- U.K.
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Asia-Pacific
- China
- India
- Japan
- Australia
- Rest of the World
