The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

Last week, Pantone revealed its Colour of the Year: Cloud Dancer, a soft shade of white that has been met with widespread underwhelm across media and design circles. But in a colourful world, the monochromatic palette stands out as high contrast with a strong visual impact.

Within the F&B industry, bright white and stark dark colours can give the impression of opulence and decadence, elevating a product’s position on the shelf. While black and white colours offer a unique canvas, they also demand flawless execution and precise attention to detail. There are no hues to hide behind when using black and white, as FoodBev's Siân Yates explores.

From a technical standpoint, white is pure light while black is the absence of light. Black does not reflect light at all, while white is the most reflective colour in the spectrum – yet both wield profound influence in capturing the discerning gaze of consumers.

In some cultures, these contrasting colours symbolise the profound duality of life and death, as well as being employed to address themes such as identity, presence and absence. Black is associated with fear and mystery, elegance and nobility. White conveys peace and purity, integrity and transparency.

Their significance and depth also extend to the food and beverage industry. White signifies cleanliness and freshness but can also come across as harsh and sterile if not used judiciously. Black exudes elegance and exclusivity, instantly elevating the perception of quality and sophistication in products.

“Black and white products represent stark, often standout visuals compared to the rainbow of colour in many categories,” Meghan Skidmore, content marketing lead at Sensient Food Colors, told FoodBev. “The harshness of these colours can elevate and differentiate from other products and can even feel luxurious in some capacities when paired with indulgent or exotic flavour profiles.”

A pleasing palette

Consumers seek products that captivate their curiosity and stimulate their senses. The inclusion of unique or unconventional colours adds an exciting dimension, enhancing even everyday products, and enabling shoppers to break free from monotony and experience something new. “The concept that ‘you eat with your eyes’ is becoming increasingly relevant in the social media age, as sharing photos and videos of your food has become part of the culinary experience for many,” said Ellie Nikolova, commercial marketing manager for cocoa powder at Cargill EMEA.

She continued: “More than half of EMEA consumers consider colour to be an important driver for their cocoa and chocolate purchasing decisions, and colour is within the top ten most important factors for cocoa and chocolate products”.

Maartje Hendrickx, market development manager at GNT Group, agreed that social media has a significant impact on product choice: “The new generation of consumers likes eye-catching products that grab your attention and can make an impact on social media. Contrasting colour schemes are a great way to do that, whether through vibrant colour clashes or simple black and white. It’s all about being creative and making a powerful statement through colour.”

Emina Goodman, senior director of colours at ADM, pointed out that the consumer’s desire for self expression and discovery, coupled with the industry’s shift away from synthetic colour sources, is not only fuelling innovation but also significantly influencing colour trends in today’s market.

She told FoodBev: “Whether it be loud pink shades, bright teal or vivid yellows and even brilliant white and stark black that are dramatic and eye-catching, consumers are turning to bold shades to express themselves through their food and beverage choices”.

Black is the new black

The scarcity of naturally occurring black colours poses a considerable challenge for companies committed to maintaining a clean label approach, as GNT’s Hendrickx noted.

“Carbon black is a natural colour created from carbonised vegetable matter, but it’s classified as an additive under EU regulations and requires an E number,” she warned. Under its Exberry Colouring Foods brand, GNT has created edible concentrates from non-GMO fruits, vegetables and plants using physical processing methods such as chopping and boiling.

“We can deliver an intense black effect in food and drink by combining spirulina, purple carrot and safflower,” Hendrickx explained. “This allows manufacturers to achieve the visual impact they need while maintaining clean and clear labels.”

Exberry’s black shades can help brands tap into some of the most innovative new flavour trends, such as black garlic confectionery or salted liquorice ice cream.

“They can be used to create Halloween-themed products such as black ‘witches’ brew’ lemonade and black candy apples,” Hendrickx enthused. “Other possibilities include black baked goods, noodles and vegan-friendly ‘squid ink’ pasta.”

“Recipes can utilise naturally white elements to achieve that sharp visual contrast. In foodservice, that could be ramen with boiled eggs and white bamboo shoots alongside jet-black noodles.”

Exberry has a vertically integrated supply chain for fruits, vegetables and plants, and provides farmers with seed varieties that produce crops with intense colours developed using natural cultivation techniques. These raw materials are turned into concentrates using gentle, physical processing methods that preserve the crops’ vibrant natural colouration.

Cargill, meanwhile, has launched Gerkens BL84 Magnificent Black, the darkest addition to its Gerkens cocoa powder portfolio. “It was developed specifically for the bakery space, where darker colours are associated with more intense flavour, better taste and considered more premium,” said Nikolova.

“Besides being a standout in colour, Gerkens BL84 also has excellent performance in terms of smell, taste and overall balance.” ADM’s Goodman emphasised that formulating black colours from natural sources brings about a distinct set of challenges. “Delivering a dark shade that is also cost-effective, has a low usage level and is stable and versatile in various applications can be difficult to achieve,” she said. “Common options on the market today include caramel colour, malt extract and apple extract, however, they present more as dark brown and not black.”

She continued: “It takes a blend of red, blue and yellow colours to create a black shade. At ADM, we tap a wide range of yellows and reds, in addition to a stable blue colour solution, all of which are derived from natural sources. Derived from the Amazonian huito fruit (which is brownish grey), our fruit juice blue provides a natural colour source that remains stable across foods and beverages, ultimately supporting the development of a true black hue.”

The brightest white

Historically, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been the go-to solution for white in food and beverages. It is extremely efficient and cost-effective, making it popular with manufacturers. However, recent consumer pushback and a new regulatory ban in the EU have placed scrutiny on TiO2.

“Unfortunately, there is no single solution to replace TiO2, so alternatives are being developed to target specific processing conditions,” said Sensient’s Skidmore. “Heat and water activity are two of the more common challenges for whitening alternatives, as titanium was extremely stable. Colour suppliers are working to create replacements with varying degrees of success.”

Sensient’s Avalanche portfolio for whitening and opacity includes over 40 unique solutions developed for use in specific applications and processing conditions, from beverages and baked goods to confections and more. Its portfolio offers brilliant white shades that are both kosher and halal certified, and stable without impacting on flavour, texture and viscosity.

ADM’s Goodman noted that two alternatives to TiO2 include calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate; “however, these ingredients can present a broad spectrum of drawbacks and don’t always meet consumers’ clean label expectations while each posing a range of labelling and formulation challenges, including poor solubility and requiring chemical modification to overcome complications”.

“For instance, formulators using calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate may need to incorporate them at high usage rates to achieve targeted whitening, negatively affecting texture and cost.” ADM’s PearlEdge portfolio of brilliant white solutions offers an alternative that is stable and can help target clean label positioning. It is created using raw materials derived from natural sources and aims to meet specific formulation requirements while also delivering whitening and opacity solutions.

“For example, tapping into our PearlEdge Splash and Splash+ we leverage our proprietary emulsion technology to act also as clouding agents for beverages, enabling key uniformity and opacity,” Goodman added. “And PearlEdge Silk, Satin and Shine are functional base layers for confections to help overlayed colours stand out, and to create even coatings in panned confections, and smooth and glossy surfaces for hard candies.”

PearlEdge comes in powdered and liquid emulsion forms for ease of use and precise formulation development. ADM says its powdered solutions work best for confections, icings, coatings, meat and seafood alternatives, while its liquid emulsions work well in beverage applications to mitigate ringing, precipitation, sediments and staining. They can also be used in fillings, soups, sauces, dressings, dairy and dairy alternatives, meat alternatives, sugar-free offerings and even pet food.

In the confectionery space, white chocolate is experiencing a surge in popularity. 15% of European consumers now say it is their preferred chocolate variety – up from the 11% reported just a year ago.

“However, regular ‘white’ chocolate is not actually white,” explained Cargill’s Nikolova. “By applying their sensorial expertise and technical chocolate experience, Cargill chocolate engineers have succeeded in reducing the creamy, yellowish hue and creating the dazzling Bright White, which we have now patented.”

She added: “With Bright White, 92% of consumers rated it notably whiter than the white chocolate currently sold, and we’ve found that its visual appeal has been a huge draw, providing an exciting canvas to bolster the visual appeal of all kinds of end products, including bakery, confectionery and dairy”.

The rising popularity of black and white colours within the food and beverage industry is a testament to

their timeless appeal and versatile impact. These contrasting hues, often associated with elegance, purity and sophistication, hold the power to elevate product aesthetics, create brand identity and engage consumers on a visual and emotional level.

As the industry continues to evolve and consumers seek unique and memorable experiences, the future of this palette is not just bright – it’s black and white.