Oterra, one of the the world’s leading suppliers of natural colours with one of the widest portfolios in the industry announced the addition of Vera Karmebäck to the team as its first Global Sustainability Lead.

Karmebäck enhances the international profile of the company, having been named a UN Global Compact SDG Pioneer in 2022. Vera, recognised for her strong work in having ‘demonstrated extraordinary progress and commitment towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals’, comes from RA International – a remote site service provider.

Sustainability is a key focus area for Oterra in 2023, as the company looks to step out of the shadows of its previous parent company Chr. Hansen, and strongly solidify its own world contributions. For Oterra CEO, Odd Erik Hansen, the company’s mission of ‘making food and beverage easy for a healthy and sustainable world’ resonates with industry aspirations.

“Our employees and customers expect us to be the industry leader when it comes to sustainability – and as a natural colours company that believes nature got it right – it makes perfect sense that we lead the colour industry in finding the best ways to adopt sustainable practices for the future,” said Hansen.

Oterra is a key supplier of natural colours to most of the world’s largest food and beverage manufacturers.

Oterra, one of the world’s leading suppliers of natural colours with one of the widest portfolios in the industry is pleased to announce that the acquisition of India’s Akay Group is now complete. Oterra announced its intention to purchase Akay in July of 2022. Founded in 1995, Akay Group is a leading player in the natural colours and nutraceutical ingredients market.

This acquisition is the company’s fourth in under two years, and its first within the Asia Pacific region. Based in Kerala, India, Akay has four manufacturing sites in southern India that Oterra will add to its existing production network, as well as 400 employees who will join the team.

The acquisition further strengthens Oterra’s backwards integration, mainly in turmeric and paprika. It also provides a strong addition in the nutraceutical ingredients area and will allow the company to offer its customers and market partners a complimentary portfolio to its existing natural food colours solutions for dietary supplements.

The two companies have a long-standing connection. Oterra, previously known as Chr. Hansen Natural Colors, was in 1995, part of a joint venture with Akay to produce natural colours from turmeric and paprika. From 2007, Akay continued as an independent company, but Oterra and Akay kept close ties with each other since Akay was a key supplier to Oterra.

Oterra^™ is pleased to announce that it has closed its acquisition of SECNA Natural Ingredients Group S.L.

This is the first acquisition for Oterra, which itself was purchased by private investment firm EQT in March 2021 when Chr. Hansen divested their natural colours business. Oterra, recently announced its intention to pursue a second acquisition, namely Diana Food’s colours business. 

Odd Erik Hansen, CEO of Oterra, stated, “This is an exciting time for the industry as demand for natural colors continues to increase. We expect the addition of SECNA to be a meaningful contributor to Oterra’s growth in 2021 and beyond, as we solidify our position as one of the world’s leading suppliers of natural colours. We look forward to offering both our, and SECNA’s, customers a fully integrated go-to-market service soon.”

With this acquisition, Oterra, will further enhance its value offerings to customers worldwide. Notable portfolio additions include SECNA’S anthocyanins from black carrots and grape, as well as caramel, and an organic range. After a period, the SECNA group will be fully incorporated into Oterra.

Approximately 80 SECNA employees, based in Spain and Italy, will join Oterra. This is an exciting time for Oterra, who look forward to having them on the team. “SECNA’s skilled and competent workforce stood out from the start, and I am happy to welcome them to the Oterra family,” said Odd Erik Hansen.

Chr. Hansen Natural Colors A/S, an EQT portfolio company, announces new company name and identity following the move to a standalone company.

Chr. Hansen Natural Colors A/S, the leading provider of natural colors with the widest natural color portfolio in the industry, has announced the company will be known as Oterra™, effective immediately, and will begin the process to operate under the new name.

The new name, Oterra, is inspired by the Latin word for earth. The rebranding reflects the company’s commitment to provide the world with colors from natural sources, and contribute to food that is natural, authentic, safe and sustainable. The company’s ownership and staff have not changed.

CEO, Odd Erik Hansen stated “We have been producing natural colors for more than 145 years now – our new name and brand identity are rooted in this proud heritage and reflect our belief that nature provides the best ingredients. We help our customers meet the increasing global consumer demand for natural products by utilizing the power of nature’s true colors and our unrivalled expertise in colors for food, beverage and pet food.”

The new name is the latest in a string of announcements for the company which was acquired by investment organization EQT in 2021. In April 2021 the company announced its first strategic investment with the acquisition of SECNA Natural Ingredients Group S.L., a move which supports EQT’s strong growth plans for the company.

Cees de Jong, Oterra Board Chairman, commented, “The board is very excited about the relaunch as Oterra – a name and identity that encapsulates our purpose and sustainable value proposition. We see great growth ahead for Oterra and are confident the company will accelerate its development under its new brand.”

For more information visit oterra.com.