Food Colors Market Report 2026

The food colors market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $4 billion in 2025 to $4.32 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth of processed food consumption, rising use of visual appeal in packaged foods, expansion of beverage manufacturing, availability of synthetic color additives, increasing standardization in food processing.

The food colors market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $5.9 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing consumer preference for natural ingredients, rising regulatory scrutiny on synthetic dyes, expansion of clean-label food products, growing investments in natural color extraction technologies, increasing demand from premium food segments. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of natural and plant-based food colors, rising demand for clean-label coloring solutions, growing use of microbial and fermentation-derived colors, expansion of heat-stable and light-stable color formulations, enhanced focus on regulatory-compliant color additives.

Growing demand from the food and beverage industry is expected to support the expansion of the food colors market in the coming years. The food and beverage industry includes all enterprises involved in the production, packaging, and distribution of raw food ingredients, covering both fresh and processed foods, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Food colors are incorporated into food and beverage products to maintain their original appearance and texture, which may deteriorate during cooking and processing due to various chemical and physical reactions. For example, according to the Ministry of Finance and Economy, a Brunei-based government ministry, in terms of volume, the food and beverages sector registered year-on-year growth of 12.7% in Q1 2023, following a 33.3% increase in Q4 2022. Therefore, rising demand from the food and beverage industry is significantly contributing to the growth of the food colors market.

Leading companies operating in the food colors market are emphasizing innovation, such as the development of ultrafine milled natural powder colorant systems, to address increasing demand for clean-label, vibrant, and sustainable food coloration that appeals to health-conscious consumers and meets manufacturers’ needs for high-performance, user-friendly color solutions. Ultrafine natural powder colorant systems utilize finely milled, plant-based pigments with extremely small particle sizes, which enhance surface area, improve dispersion, and increase light reflection. This results in stronger, more uniform color intensity at lower usage levels compared to conventional natural color powders. For instance, in September 2024, Oterra, a Denmark-based supplier of natural colors, introduced I-Colors® Bold, a portfolio of ten ultrafine milled powders designed to deliver deeper and richer shades while reducing the required dosage. These powders are sourced from plant-based raw materials, such as sweet potato and anthocyanin- or beet-derived pigments, and are suitable for applications including powdered beverages, snack seasonings, coatings, bakery toppings, fat-based fillings, confectionery, and compressed candies. Compared to traditional natural color solutions that often produced dull tones, required higher dosages, or showed inconsistent dispersion, I-Colors® Bold provides synthetic-like color performance using natural-label ingredients, improved stability, reduced dosage requirements, and enhanced processing efficiency.

In October 2025, ROHA Group, an India-based manufacturer of food color solutions, acquired Tebracc for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, ROHA aims to strengthen and expand its global natural color capabilities and enhance supply chain resilience by incorporating Tebracc’s expertise in annatto extraction and processing across food, beverage, nutraceutical, and pet food markets. Tebracc is a Brazil-based natural color manufacturer specializing in the extraction and production of natural food colors, with strong expertise in annatto and sustainable pigment solutions.

Major companies operating in the food colors market are D.D. Williamson & Co Inc., Kalsec Inc., Döhler GmbH, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., Koninklijke DSM NV, Sensient Technologies Corporation, Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, LycoRed Ltd., Givaudan SA, Naturex Ltd., GNT Group BV, San-Ei Gen., Roha Dyechem Pvt Ltd., Kolor Jet Chemical Pvt Ltd., Vidhi Specialty Food Ingredients Ltd., Vinayak Ingredients India Pvt Ltd., Neelikon Food Dyes and Chemicals Ltd., Aarkay Food Products Ltd., Natural Food Colors Inc., Ingredion Incorporated.

North America was the largest region in the food colors market in 2025. The regions covered in the food colors market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the food colors market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Canada.

The food colors market consists of sales of synthetic colors, natural colors, and nature-identical colors. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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