California Natural Color

What California Natural Color does

California Natural Color (CNC) is a B2B supplier of natural food and beverage colors, fruit and vegetable concentrates, and grape seed extracts, serving food, beverage, and nutraceutical manufacturers globally. The company was founded in 1994 as San Joaquin Valley Concentrates and rebranded to its current name in 2018; since 2020 it has operated as a division of E. & J. Gallo Winery, which provides vertical integration into the world's largest grape supply. Its core products are organized around three technology pillars: patented Crystal Colors (up to 5X more concentrated than liquid or powder alternatives, with five-year ambient shelf life and no refrigeration), Liquid Colors derived from fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based sources, and proprietary grape seed extracts (ActiVin and MegaNatural-BP) backed by patented hot water extraction and clinical research.

The company manufactures out of a single Fresno, California facility (5631 E. Olive Ave.) housing its headquarters, manufacturing, and R&D/Application building opened in 2013, and holds FSSC 22000, OU Kosher, Halal, Non-GMO Project, and Cal/VPP Star certifications. CNC sells exclusively to enterprise customers through a sales-led, field-driven motion that pairs sample requests with technical consultation, formulation support, regulatory compliance assistance, and custom color matching. Pricing is undisclosed with minimum order quantities (5 kg crystal, 5 gal liquid, 20 kg grape seed, 52 gal concentrate) and multi-year contract billing, and products are exported to Europe, China, South America, Africa, and Australia.

The business benefits from a clear secular tailwind: the FDA phase-out of petroleum-based synthetic dyes (Red 3, Red 40) is accelerating reformulation demand across confectionery, beverages, snacks, dairy, meat alternatives, and nutraceuticals — verticals CNC serves through a horizontally segmented customer base. Recent product launches (Pure Purple Butterfly Pea Crystal Color, Pure Yellow Safflower Crystal Color, Real Blue S Powder Color, Red Beet Liquid Color, Pure Brown Carrot for cocoa reduction) and joint industry activity with GNT and Bigelow Tea illustrate the company's effort to monetize this transition. Underlying technology moats include the patented crystal drying process, the patented MegaNatural-BP extraction (four patents), the proprietary Rubired grape varietal processed on-site within 24 hours of harvest, and certifications that few competitors can replicate.

Name

California Natural Color

Legal name

California Natural Color

Website

https://californianaturalcolor.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

California Natural Color is a B2B supplier of natural food and beverage colors, fruit and vegetable concentrates, and grape seed extracts for food, beverage, and nutraceutical manufacturers worldwide, operating as a division of E. & J. Gallo Winery from Fresno, California with proprietary crystal color technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural Food Colors and Ingredients

NAICS

Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (31193), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Color Lakes & Pigment Preparations (Aluminum Lakes, Encapsulated Pigments) (AFAJAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Clean-Label & Certified Colorants (Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher/Halal, Allergen-Free) (AFAJAEAI), Encapsulated & Emulsified Color Systems (Spray-Dried, Beadlets, Oil-Dispersible Colors) (AFAJAEAG), Color Blends & Formulation Systems (Standardized Blends, Shade Matching) (AFAJAEAF)

Keywords

• Natural food colors
• Crystal color technology
• Grape seed extract
• Anthocyanin colors
• Clean label ingredients

Headquarters

HQ city

Causeway Bay

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Natural Color Sales: B2B enterprise sales of liquid and crystal colors to food, beverage, and nutraceutical manufacturers. Products sold in bulk minimum order quantities (5kg, 5 gallons, 52 gallons). Revenue generated from product sales with no public pricing disclosed.
2. Grape Seed Extract Sales: Sales of ActiVin and MegaNatural-BP grape seed extracts for dietary supplements, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, pet/animal feed, and cosmetics/personal care products. Sold in minimum quantities of 20kg.
3. Fruit and Vegetable Concentrates: Sales of fruit and vegetable juice concentrates to food, beverage, and nutraceutical industries. Core business established in 1994.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

California Natural Color supplies natural liquid and crystal colors derived from fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based sources to food, beverage, and nutraceutical manufacturers. The company also produces branded grape seed extracts (ActiVin™ and MegaNatural-BP®) and supplies fruit and vegetable juice concentrates. Its proprietary crystal color technology delivers concentrated, shelf-stable, refrigeration-free coloring solutions up to 5X more concentrated than traditional liquid or powder formats.

Product overview

California Natural Color is a B2B supplier of natural food colors and grape-derived ingredients for the food, beverage, and nutraceutical industries. Their product portfolio centers on two core color delivery formats—Liquid Colors and Crystal Colors—both derived from fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based sources. Their proprietary Crystal Colors technology, introduced in 2010, uses patented drying processes to deliver concentrated colors up to 5X stronger than traditional formats, requiring no refrigeration and offering a 5-year shelf life. Complementing their color portfolio are two grape seed extract products: ActiVin™ (antioxidant properties) and MegaNatural–BP® (patented process with improved bioavailability and blood pressure support). They also supply fruit and vegetable concentrates as foundational raw materials. All products are manufactured in their FSSC 22000-certified facility in Fresno, CA, as a division of E. & J. Gallo Winery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ActiVin™ Grape Seed Extract: Grape seed extract with naturally occurring polyphenols developed for the dietary supplement industry, featuring antioxidant properties.
• MegaNatural–BP® Grape Seed Extract

Products and services

• Crystal Colors Patented crystal color technology derived from fruits and vegetables. Up to 5X more concentrated than traditional liquid or spray-dried colors. No refrigeration required with 5-year shelf life. Water-soluble with superior stability against heat and light. Sold to food, beverage, and nutraceutical manufacturers in minimum 5 kilogram quantities.
• Liquid Colors Natural liquid colors derived from fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based sources. Provides vibrant color solutions for food, beverage, and nutraceutical applications with clean-label positioning. Sold in minimum 5 gallon quantities to enterprise customers.
• ActiVin™ Grape Seed Extract Grape seed extract with antioxidant properties from naturally occurring polyphenols. Used in dietary supplements, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, pet/animal feed, cosmetics/personal care products. Sold in minimum 20 kilogram quantities.
• MegaNatural-BP® Grape Seed Extract Patented grape seed extract with reduced molecular size polyphenols for improved bioavailability and greater absorption. Supports endothelial function and healthy blood pressure levels. Backed by peer-reviewed clinical research and human studies. Sold in minimum 20 kilogram quantities.
• Fruit & Vegetable Concentrates White and red grape concentrates and other fruit/vegetable concentrates. Foundation raw materials for the company's color and extract product lines, with full traceability from vineyard to product. Sold to food, beverage, and nutraceutical manufacturers.
• Pure Purple Butterfly Pea Crystal Color Crystal color derived from butterfly pea flower, providing purple and blue hues depending on pH. Designed for beverages, ice cream, candy, and related applications.
• Pure Yellow Safflower Crystal Color Crystal color delivering a vibrant lemon-yellow hue for beverages, dairy, confectionery, bakery, snacks, desserts, ice cream, smoothies, yogurt, and savory applications.
• Real Blue S Powder Color Powder color derived from blue-green algae, providing bright blue color stable at pH >4 for icing, yogurts, and confections.
• Red Beet Liquid Color Liquid color derived from red beet, achieving a bright purple-red hue for fruit preparations, dairy products, ice creams, sweets, pastries, coatings, pet foods, meat products, and meat alternatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Crystal colors are up to 5X more concentrated than traditional liquid or powder coloring solutions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• GNTflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Joint participation at ISM 2026 confectionery trade show. Both companies positioned as key players in redefining confectionery colors with natural alternatives, highlighting industry collaboration ahead of synthetic dye phase-outs.
• Bigelow TeaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Both companies launched butterfly pea flower products in late 2024, representing market activity among key players in natural color and beverage space.
• E. & J. Gallo WinerycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020E. & J. Gallo Winery acquired California Natural Color in 2020. California Natural Color is a division of Gallo, providing vertical integration for grape sourcing and processing. Gallo is the world's largest winery, providing unmatched supply chain security and grape supply capacity.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Naturex (Givaudan Natural Ingredients): Naturex, now part of Givaudan, is one of the largest natural ingredient platforms globally, with a significant natural color portfolio alongside flavors and botanical extracts. A broader incumbent that competes across most of California Natural Color's product lines but with substantially larger R&D and customer footprint.
• Sensient Technologies: Sensient is a global specialty ingredients and color company operating across natural and synthetic food colors, flavors, and cosmetics ingredients. A broad incumbent that competes with California Natural Color in food & beverage colors and in nutraceutical applications.
• DSM-Firmenich: DSM-Firmenich is a global nutrition, health, and beauty ingredients major offering natural colors, flavors, and functional ingredients for food, beverage, and supplement customers. A broad incumbent that overlaps California Natural Color across the natural color, flavor, and nutraceutical adjacencies.
• Chr. Hansen (Novonesis): Chr. Hansen, now part of Novonesis, produces natural colors from fermented sources alongside cultures and enzymes for food and beverage customers. Comparable to California Natural Color in providing clean-label natural colors but operates across a much broader ingredient portfolio.

Direct peers

• Döhler: Döhler is a major German natural ingredient manufacturer producing natural colors, flavors, fruit preparations, and beverages. Overlaps with California Natural Color across natural color concentrates for beverages, dairy, and confectionery, and competes globally in the same anthocyanin and carotenoid derived color lines.
• Lycored: Lycored is an Israel-based supplier of natural carotenoid-based colors and nutraceutical ingredients from tomato, paprika, and beta-carotene. Comparable to California Natural Color in the natural colorant category serving food, beverage, and supplement manufacturers with similarly patented extraction and stabilization technologies.
• GNT Group: GNT is a leading Dutch-German supplier of plant-based natural coloring foods (EXBERRY brand) for beverages, confectionery, dairy, and baked goods. Explicitly named in California Natural Color's data as a co-exhibitor at ISM 2026; competes head-to-head in the same anthocyanin, carotenoid, and chlorophyll liquid/powder color categories.
• Kalsec: Kalsec is a privately held U.S. supplier of natural colors, hop extracts, and natural flavorings for the food and beverage industry. Directly comparable to California Natural Color in target customers (beverages, snacks, confectionery), B2B sales motion, and clean-label positioning across the natural colorant category.
• ROHA (Nature's No.1 / Natpure): ROHA is a major Indian color manufacturer offering both synthetic and natural color solutions (Natpure range) for food, beverage, and personal care applications. Competes with California Natural Color in natural carotenoid and anthocyanin color categories from an emerging-market cost base.

Emerging players

• Shenzhen Chitai Industrial Co. (Chitai Colors): Shenzhen Chitai is a Chinese supplier of natural and synthetic food colorants serving global CPG and nutraceutical customers. An emerging player with partial overlap to California Natural Color's natural color portfolio, particularly relevant given CNC's China export activity since 2012.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJHsSRaTkdh4yXwdDK2QkNg
• Facebookfacebook.com/CaliforniaNaturalColor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-natural-color
• Instagraminstagram.com/california_natural_color

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 California Natural Color