India Food Colors Market Overview, 2028

India Food Colors Market Overview, 2028

India is known for its numerous festivals and celebrations throughout the year. Food colors play a significant role during these occasions. For example, during the festival of Holi, people engage in playful color fights and also prepare a variety of colorful sweets and drinks. Similarly, during Diwali, the festival of lights, vibrant sweets and snacks are prepared using different food colors to add joy and festivity to the celebrations. India is a diverse country with various regional cuisines, each having its unique food color preferences. For instance, in North India, dishes like paneer tikka (marinated cottage cheese) and butter chicken are often garnished with bright red or orange food colors. In South India, certain dishes like biryani or sweets like Mysore Pak may be presented with vibrant yellows or oranges. The regional variations in food colors add to the cultural richness and culinary diversity of the country. India is famous for its street food culture, and food colors play a role in creating visually appealing snacks. For instance, popular street foods like chaat (a savory snack) and jalebi (a deep-fried sweet) are often garnished with vibrant chutneys or syrups of different colors, making them visually enticing for customers. Indian sweets and desserts, known as mithai, are an integral part of Indian cuisine. These sweets come in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures, making them visually appealing. Food colors are used to enhance the appearance of sweets like barfi, ladoo, and gulab jamun, making them more enticing to consumers.

According to the research report India Food Colour Market Overview, 2028, published by Bonafide Research, the India Food Colour Market is expected to grow at 6.87% CAGR from 2023 to 2028. India has witnessed a significant increase in disposable income among the middle-class population. As a result, there has been a shift in consumer preferences towards visually appealing and aesthetically pleasing food products. Food colours play a crucial role in meeting these demands by adding vibrant and attractive hues to various food items. Plant-based food colours are gaining popularity in the Indian market. Colours derived from sources such as beetroot, turmeric, spirulina, and butterfly pea flowers are being used to create vibrant and visually appealing food products. Plant-based colours are perceived as healthier alternatives and align with the growing demand for natural ingredients. Water-soluble food colours are gaining prominence in the Indian market due to their versatility and ease of use. These colours can be easily incorporated into a wide range of food and beverage applications, including beverages, desserts, icings, and fillings. Water-soluble colours offer excellent dispersion, stability, and colour intensity. India has a thriving food startup ecosystem, with numerous innovative brands emerging in the market. Collaborating with these startups and innovative brands can provide opportunities for food colour manufacturers to co-create and develop unique colour solutions for novel food and beverage products.

According to the report, based on type, the market is divided into Natural Colours, synthetic or artificial colours, and Naturally Identical Colours. Among them, the natural colour segment will lead the market in 2022. Natural colours are perceived as safer and healthier alternatives to synthetic colours. Consumers trust natural colours more because they are derived from plant, fruit, and vegetable sources. Natural colours are often associated with health benefits as they may contain bioactive compounds and antioxidants naturally present in the source material. Furthermore, The Naturally Identical Colours segment provides an easier transition for food manufacturers who are looking to replace synthetic colours with natural alternatives. Since Naturally Identical Colours are chemically identical to synthetic colours, they can be substituted without significant formulation changes or compromising on colour consistency. This smooth transition appeals to food manufacturers as it minimizes disruptions in production processes. In addition, based on Source, the market is divided into Plants and Animals, Minerals and Chemicals, microorganisms, and more. The Plants & Animals segment offers a wide variety of natural sources for food coloring. India is known for its diverse flora and fauna, providing a rich resource for obtaining natural colours. Various plants, flowers, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices are used to extract vibrant and diverse natural colorants. Plant- and animal-based food colours often exhibit good colour stability, ensuring that the desired hue remains consistent throughout the shelf life of the product.

Based on application, the market is divided into Processed Food Products, Beverages, Bakery and Confectionery Products, Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Products, Oils and Fats, Dairy Products, Pet Food, and others. The processed food industry in India has experienced significant growth in recent years. The demand for convenient and ready-to-eat food products has risen due to changing lifestyles, urbanisation, and increased disposable income. Processed food products encompass a wide range of categories, including snacks, ready meals, sauces, condiments, and processed fruits and vegetables. The growth of this industry has directly contributed to the leading position of the Processed Food Products segment in the food colour market. Furthermore, Food colours play a crucial role in differentiating various flavours within the beverage industry. Different flavours are often associated with specific colours, such as red for strawberry, orange for orange, green for lime, and yellow for lemon. By using food colours to represent these flavour profiles; manufacturers can enhance consumer recognition and make it easier for consumers to identify their preferred flavour variants. In addition, based on form, liquid food colours are known for their intense and vibrant hues. They offer high colour strength, allowing manufacturers to achieve vivid and eye-catching shades in their food and beverage products. The ability to create vibrant colours is especially important for visually appealing products such as candies, beverages, and confectionery items.

The market is divided into Dyes and Lakes based on solubility. Organic dyes are water-soluble and can be easily incorporated into a variety of food and beverage applications. They are commonly used in products such as beverages, candies, confectionery, dairy products, baked goods, and sauces. The versatility and compatibility of food dyes across multiple applications contribute to their higher market share. In addition, Food colour lakes are particularly suitable for oil-based applications, such as chocolates, coatings, fats, and oil-based confectionery. They provide excellent dispersion and colour stability in these products, resulting in vibrant and consistent colour throughout the shelf life of the product. The compatibility of lakes with oil-based matrices contributes to their higher growth potential.

Considered in this report
• Geography: India
• Historic year: 2017
• Base year: 2022
• Estimated year: 2023
• Forecast year: 2028

Aspects covered in this report
• India Food color market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By type:
• Natural Colors
• Synthetic/ Artificial Colors
• Naturally Identical Colors

By Source:
• Plants & Animals
• Minerals & Chemicals
• Microorganisms

By Application:
• Processed Food Products
• Beverages
• Bakery & Confectionery Products
• Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Products
• Oils & Fats
• Dairy Products
• Pet Food
• Others

By Form:
• Liquid
• Powder
• Gel

By Solubility
• Dyes
• Lakes

The approach of the report
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to Food Color industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.