The color red is set to shake up the food and beverage industry in 2021 thanks to its ability to spark powerful emotions, according to GNT Group. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken consumers outside their comfort zones, leading them to break free from old habits, patterns of behavior and search for something new.

GNT believes red can connect with this desire for discovery and help signal the start of a new era. 

Red has long been an iconic shade in cosmetics, beauty, fashion, film and design. As industry approaches 2021, GNT says red is now ready to invigorate the F&B landscape.

Limitless opportunities 
Speaking with FoodIngredientsFirst, Lorraine Jansen, content marketing specialist at GNT, says the possibilities for creating exciting red food and drink are “almost limitless.”

“Vivid reds can create a really powerful effect in applications like seasonal confectionery launches, ‘meaty’ plant-based products and beverages with flavors such as cranberry or hibiscus,” she details. 

Red can also provide eye-catching, adventurous twists in savory products. Something like red berbere popcorn can really connect with that desire for exploration.

“Red is an incredible color. It’s known as the color of love for good reason – it’s been shown to increase romantic attraction for both men and women,” Jansen continues. “It’s also a very energizing shade that increases heart rate and strength  and is associated with sporting dominance.  

It can elevate food and beverage in a variety of ways, according to Jansen.

“It’s highly ‘Instagrammable’ and attracts attention as well as stimulating hunger. It can also underline the excitement around international cuisine. Red is used as one of the ‘five colors’ in many Asian dishes, for example, while it can also enhance perceptions of piquancy in spicy dishes,” she further elaborates. 

A passionate and positive color
GNT is highlighting red’s ability to add a sense of excitement and exploration to F&B applications, with its appeal among the Instagram generation providing another key reason for the shade’s growing popularity.

“Red was the natural choice for our new Love Color with Exberry campaign. It epitomizes human vitality, creating energy, passion and positive action, and brings real excitement to food and drink products,” explains Maartje Hendrickx, market development manager at the company. 

“Red is well known for its ability to command instant attention, and it’s a color you will not be able to ignore in 2021,” she maintains.

Addressing clean label demands
With consumers demanding clean and simple ingredients in their food and drink, GNT offers a range of red Exberry Coloring Foods made from raw materials such as radish, carrot, sweet potato, hibiscus and berries, including elderberry and chokeberry.

Like all Exberry products, GNT’s red shades are made from fruit, vegetables and edible plants using physical manufacturing processes and no chemical solvents. 

“In every case, we rely on simple physical processing methods like chopping, heating and boiling to extract the pigments. Unlike so-called ‘natural’ colorants, we never use chemical solvents as part of the extraction process,” adds Jansen.

Furthermore, Exberry’s red ingredients can provide a suitable clean label replacement for colorants such as the azo dye Allura Red AC and carmine. 

GNT also controls the entire Exberry supply chain, enabling the company to guarantee all products meet its rigorous quality and sustainability standards and ensure year-round availability.

“Exberry is based on the principle of coloring food with food, using plant-based pigments to unleash products’ full potential. Trusted by manufacturers all over the world, our Coloring Foods can deliver exceptional shades for practically any F&B application,” Hendrickx notes.

Delivering on social media
GNT believes vibrant reds will be the standout color in 2021, but Jansen points to pinks and purples, which are also set to prove popular “as consumers search for head-turning shades.” 

In line with its color forecast for 2021, GNT unveiled its beetroot-based Fiesta Pink micronized powder in October. The company flagged that the pink hue utilized betanins natural coloring capabilities and is pegged to transform superfoods and boost beverages. 

The launch was the latest in the Exberry range and provides visual intensity for truly “Instagrammable” colors. 

“Age of the Influencer” has been pegged as a Top Trend for 2021 by Innova Market Insights. It is a nod to social media platforms and how consumer behaviors change as a reflection of an online presence.