Earthrise

What Earthrise does

Earthrise Nutritionals LLC, founded in 1976 in California and operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan's DIC Corporation since 2005, is one of the world's largest commercial producers of spirulina (blue-green microalgae) and a leading supplier of spirulina-derived natural blue food colorant (LINABLUE®). The company cultivates spirulina across a 108-acre, 37-pond farm in the Sonoran Desert near Calipatria, California, and operates a newly inaugurated (April 2025) New Harvest Plant featuring SCADA-controlled, AI-monitored, drone- and robotics-augmented Smart Agriculture across approximately 420,000 m². Annual production capacity exceeds 500 metric tons, which combined with sister facility Hainan DIC Microalgae (~350 MT) gives the DIC Group the largest global spirulina footprint. Core technology includes outdoor raceway cultivation, water-based phycocyanin extraction for LINABLUE®, flash (spray) drying to preserve heat-sensitive nutrients, and a Zero Water Discharge closed-loop system using ~50% renewable electricity.

Earthrise sells through a hybrid model spanning direct-to-consumer e-commerce (earthrise.com, Amazon), B2B bulk ingredient supply to supplement/nutraceutical/food manufacturers, and B2B sales of LINABLUE® phycocyanin colorant to food and beverage companies replacing synthetic dyes. Consumer SKUs include spirulina tablets and powders (180g to 2 lb, priced $18–$90), specialty products like Spirulina UltraPure (ergothioneine-rich, sterilization-free), and legacy branded variants (Spirulina Gold®, LinaX®, Spirulina Natural®). The B2B LINABLUE® franchise is the highest-margin asset: DIC Group holds over 90% global market share in spirulina-derived natural blue food coloring, with regulatory approvals in the US (FDA, 2013), Europe, and Asia.

The company serves three primary segments: (1) health-conscious consumers purchasing via DTC and Amazon, (2) dietary supplement and nutraceutical manufacturers requiring bulk, Non-GMO, GRAS-certified spirulina, and (3) food and beverage manufacturers seeking natural blue colorant alternatives to FD&C #1. Distribution spans more than 20 countries, leveraging DIC Group's global presence in 63 countries. The company maintains a deep certification portfolio (FDA GRAS, FSSC 22000, ISO 9001, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, Halal, cGMP, California Prop 65 compliance), forming a substantial regulatory and quality moat that is the only one of its kind held by a continental US spirulina producer.

Name

Earthrise

Legal name

Earthrise® Nutritionals, LLC

Website

https://earthrise.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Earthrise Nutritionals, a DIC Corporation subsidiary, is the world's largest commercial spirulina producer, cultivating California-grown spirulina and manufacturing LINABLUE® natural blue phycocyanin colorant for consumer supplement and food/beverage manufacturer customers across 20+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spirulina Production and Natural Ingredients

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Algae & Seaweed Proteins (Microalgae/Spirulina, Macroalgae) (AFAJAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Natural Colorants (Plant/Algae/Microbial Extracts: Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, Chlorophyll, Spirulina) (AFAJAEAA)

Keywords

• Spirulina cultivation
• Natural blue colorant
• Nutritional supplements
• Bulk microalgae ingredients
• Phycocyanin extraction

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Consumer Spirulina Products (Tablets & Powder): Direct-to-consumer sales of branded spirulina supplements in tablet and powder forms through e-commerce (own website and Amazon). Products include Earthrise Superfood 100% California Grown Spirulina in various sizes and formats.
2. LINABLUE® Natural Blue Food Colorant: B2B bulk ingredient sales of phycocyanin-based natural blue coloring to food and beverage manufacturers. DIC Group holds over 90% global market share in spirulina-derived natural blue food coloring. Approved for use in US, Europe, and Asia.
3. Bulk Spirulina Ingredients: B2B sales of spirulina as raw/bulk ingredient to dietary supplement, functional food, and nutraceutical manufacturers worldwide.
4. Spirulina UltraPure (Ergothioneine-Rich): Premium spirulina ingredient targeting dietary supplements and functional food formulations, positioned for cognitive support and healthy aging applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Earthrise Nutritionals cultivates and processes spirulina (blue-green microalgae) at its 108-acre farm in California's Sonoran Desert, producing consumer spirulina supplements in tablet and powder form, plus bulk spirulina ingredients and LINABLUE® natural blue food colorant (phycocyanin) for food and beverage manufacturers worldwide.

Product overview

Earthrise Nutritionals offers a portfolio of spirulina-based nutritional products and natural colorants. The core offering consists of California-grown spirulina available in tablet and powder formats under the Earthrise® brand. The product line is differentiated through specialty variants including Earthrise Spirulina UltraPure (ergothioneine-rich, low SPC format) for premium supplement applications. Complementary to the food supplement business, Earthrise produces LINABLUE®, a premium natural blue food colorant derived from spirulina phycocyanin, serving the food and beverage industry. All products are cultivated at the company's world-leading spirulina farm in California's Sonoran Desert, with the DIC Group providing global distribution and manufacturing scale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LINABLUE®: Premium Blue Spirulina extract derived from spirulina; natural blue food coloring rich in phycocyanin, used in beverages, confectionery, dairy products, and functional foods.
• LinaX®
• Spirulina Gold®
• Spirulina Gold Plus®
• Spirulina Natural®
• Bright & Healthy®
• Earthrise Superfood 100% California Grown Spirulina

Products and services

• Earthrise Spirulina (Tablets)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% global market share in spirulina-derived natural blue food coloring
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• LINDEminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 May 2025Joint marketing activity promoting sustainable agriculture. Partnership involves using purified CO₂ in spirulina cultivation, aligning with Earthrise's zero-water discharge and renewable energy initiatives. Supports sustainability messaging for both companies.
• FermentAlgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2017Multi-year cooperation agreement signed September 2017 between DIC Corporation and French firm FermentAlg for developing new generation of natural food colorings. Includes three-year joint development agreement for microalgae-derived natural pigments including innovative phycocyanin. Combines FermentAlg's microalgae strain bank and biotechnology platform with DIC's research, industrial, and commercial resources.
• Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2017Earthrise joined CRN in February 2017 as a voting member. CRN is the leading trade association for dietary supplement and functional food industry, representing 150+ manufacturers. CRN member companies agree to comply with federal/state regulations and CRN's Code of Ethics in manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety.
• Hainan DIC Microalgae Co., Ltd.coreTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2014Sister company in Hainan, China operating spirulina farm on Hainan Island. Together with Earthrise California farm, covers total of 30 hectares of raceway ponds. Also implements Zero Water Discharge approach. Earned FSSC 22000 certification in January 2017. Produces approximately 350 metric tons of spirulina annually.
• Imperial Irrigation District (IID)minorOthers · 1 November 2014Local utility provider in California supplying approximately 50% of electricity used at Earthrise operations from renewable green energy sources.
• DIC CorporationflagshipOthers · 1 January 2005Earthrise Nutritionals became a wholly owned subsidiary of DIC Corporation in 2005. DIC (formerly Dainippon Ink and Chemicals) established strategic partnership with Earthrise in 1981. DIC Group is now the world's largest producer of spirulina with global operations in 63 countries. Earthrise serves as DIC's flagship US operation for spirulina production and LINABLUE® natural colorant.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cyanotech Corporation: Cyanotech is a Hawaii-based producer of microalgae products including spirulina (Spirulina Pacifica®) and astaxanthin, directly competing with Earthrise in North American bulk spirulina and consumer supplement channels.
• Algatech (Solabia Group): Algatech is an Israel-based producer of microalgae-derived ingredients including spirulina and astaxanthin, supplying nutrition and cosmetic manufacturers globally with cultivated microalgae biomass — overlapping Earthrise's bulk ingredient and premium extract positioning.
• GNT Group (EXBERRY): GNT Group is a leading supplier of plant-based natural food colorings (EXBERRY® brand), including blue shades from spirulina/phycocyanin and other fruits/vegetables, directly competing with LINABLUE® in the clean-label natural blue colorant market.

Broad incumbents

• DIC Corporation: DIC is Earthrise's publicly listed Japanese parent company and global operator of the world's largest spirulina production network (including Hainan DIC Microalgae). It is broader than Earthrise, spanning pigments, chemicals and materials, but directly comparable on the microalgae and natural colorant side.
• Sensient Technologies Corporation: Sensient is a global manufacturer of natural and synthetic food colors, flavors and ingredients, with a substantial natural colors portfolio that competes with Earthrise/LINABLUE across beverage, confectionery and dairy applications.
• Chr. Hansen (now part of Novonesis): Chr. Hansen / Novonesis produces natural food colors (e.g., FruitMax®) and microbial-derived ingredients used in food and supplements, making it a broad incumbent competing with LINABLUE in natural colorants and functional food ingredients.
• Givaudan (Naturex portfolio): Givaudan, through its acquisition of Naturex, offers a broad portfolio of natural plant extracts and colors for food, beverage and nutraceutical applications, competing with Earthrise's bulk spirulina and natural colorant offerings.
• Roquette Frères: Roquette is a global starch, polyol and plant-based ingredient supplier developing microalgae and fermentation-derived ingredients for food, nutrition and health markets, overlapping Earthrise's bulk spirulina ingredient business at the B2B level.
• Corbion: Corbion is a Dutch ingredient company producing algae-based ingredients (e.g., AlgaPrime™ DHA) and natural food preservation solutions, making it a broad incumbent in algae-derived food and supplement ingredients comparable to Earthrise's spirulina platform.

Emerging players

• FermentAlg: FermentAlg is a French biotech developing microalgae-derived natural pigments (including next-generation phycocyanin) under a 2017 joint development with DIC/Earthrise, making it both a partner and a long-term emerging competitor in natural blue and other microalgae colorants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Earthrise_CA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Californian.Spirulina
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/earthrise-nutritionals

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Earthrise