Chr. Hansen leverages plant breeding techniques to develop "natural" substitutes for synthetic colors

April 16, 2019 | Case Study

Danish company Chr. Hansen (Lux Take: Positive) is a key player in the agrifood ecosystem, with more than 600 products in its portfolio across three segments. The company develops food additives in line with consumer demand for clean-label, "natural" ingredients as well as gut microbiome-benefiting products like probiotics. The company has a strong focus area on natural ingredients and has been instrumental in developing several plant-based colors and novel encapsulation techniques for prolonged stability in various downstream applications. Its "natural" colors segment accounts for 21% of revenue, and the company creates products based on ingredients like annatto, carthamus, luteins, and turmeric for several food and beverage applications.