Plant-based meat, seafood, and dairy have enjoyed significant growth in recent times, but now momentum is stalling.

There are various reasons for this. One is that, in a sector driven by health-conscious consumers, the rise in media stories around ultra-processing have had an impact. A 2021 survey of vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians, and omnivores found that meat-reducer and meat-avoider consumers pay more attention to clean labels than omnivores.(1) A 2022 study on plant-based burgers, meanwhile, found that the use of simple and familiar ingredients helps to increase product authenticity and consumer acceptance.(2)

At the same time, many shoppers – and especially those who also consume animal products – expect plant-based alternatives to replicate the sensorial experience of the real thing. Taste, texture, and aroma are all vital, but color is the first thing consumers see and sets expectations on product quality. If a plant-based patty doesn’t look like a meat burger, they won’t believe it tastes like one either.

Concentrates made from fruits, vegetables, and plants can provide a highly effective solution for all types of plant-based food and drink. These colors can deliver shades from across the rainbow with minimal impact on flavor. They also offer perfect synergy with the plant-based category, enabling manufacturers to deliver visually appealing products with clean and clear labels.

EXBERRY® color concentrates are made from non-GMO fruits, vegetables, and plants and can be used in plant-based meat, fish, yogurt, ice cream, and beyond. Due to the way they are created, they support simple label declarations such as “fruit and vegetable juice for color,” “carrot juice for color” or “paprika (color).” They also pass the strictest ‘do-not-use’ ingredient lists of brands who choose the most natural, transparent ingredients for their products.

We offer complete customer support, working closely with our customers through every step of the product development process. Our services include concept innovation, color selection and matching, stability testing, upscaling, and regulatory matters.

No matter your requirements, EXBERRY® colors can provide the perfect solution for plant-based products – allowing you to deliver appetizing color shades while helping to maximize consumer acceptance. For more information visit, exberry.com.

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(1)Noguerol, A.T. et al. ‘Green or clean? Perception of clean label plant-based products by omnivorous, vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian consumers’ Food Research International (2021)
(2) Birke Rune, C.J. ‘Consumer perception of plant-based burger recipes studied by projective mapping’ Future Foods (2022)