Earthrise
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
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.
Earthrise firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Earthrise industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Earthrise is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Earthrise business model
Business model- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bulk Spirulina Ingredients: B2B sales of spirulina as raw/bulk ingredient to dietary supplement, functional food, and nutraceutical manufacturers worldwide.
- Spirulina UltraPure (Ergothioneine-Rich): Premium spirulina ingredient targeting dietary supplements and functional food formulations, positioned for cognitive support and healthy aging applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spirulina Natural Powder - 180g |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spirulina Natural Powder - 1 lb bag |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spirulina Natural Powder - 2 lb bag |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 100% California Grown Spirulina Tablets - 180 Count |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 100% California Grown Spirulina Tablets - 360 Count |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 100% California Grown Spirulina Tablets - 1 lb bag |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Earthrise product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Earthrise
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Earthrise technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Earthrise partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.
- LINDEminorJoint 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.
- FermentAlgcoreMulti-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)coreEarthrise 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.coreSister 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)minorLocal utility provider in California supplying approximately 50% of electricity used at Earthrise operations from renewable green energy sources.
- DIC CorporationflagshipEarthrise 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
Earthrise competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Earthrise social profiles
Digital presenceEarthrise compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Earthrise financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Earthrise leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Earthrise subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Earthrise funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Earthrise M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Earthrise
What does Earthrise do?
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.
Is Earthrise a public or private company?
Earthrise is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Earthrise founded?
Earthrise was founded in 1976. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Earthrise based?
Earthrise is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does Earthrise make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Consumer Spirulina Products (Tablets & Powder) is the primary driver. The others are LINABLUE® Natural Blue Food Colorant, bulk Spirulina Ingredients and spirulina UltraPure (Ergothioneine-Rich).
Who are Earthrise's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cyanotech Corporation, Algatech (Solabia Group) and GNT Group (EXBERRY). Broad incumbents are DIC Corporation, Sensient Technologies Corporation, Chr. Hansen (now part of Novonesis), Givaudan (Naturex portfolio), Roquette Frères and Corbion. FermentAlg is listed as an emerging player.
Does Earthrise have an API?
No public API is recorded for Earthrise.
What industry is Earthrise in?
Earthrise's product category is Spirulina Production and Natural Ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAJAHAF, Algae & Seaweed Proteins (Microalgae/Spirulina, Macroalgae), with a secondary code of AFAJAEAA, Natural Colorants (Plant/Algae/Microbial Extracts: Anthocyanins, Carotenoids, Chlorophyll, Spirulina). Its NAICS code is 11121 and its SIC code is 100.