Pantone, a cornerstone in Veralto’s Product Quality and Innovation (PQI) segment, has long been a global authority on color trends that transcend industries, including food and beverage (F&B). Joining Pantone in Veralto’s PQI palette are Esko, renowned for its digital workflow solutions for packaging and label design, and TraceGains, acquired last year to complete the spectrum with its expertise in compliance and product development. Together, these companies offer F&B brands a full spectrum of innovative solutions—from source to shelf—and offer unique insights on the relationship between food and color. 

Color has always been a powerful storytelling tool in the F&B industry. Whether it’s the vibrant greens of a healthy smoothie or the deep reds of a fine wine, color does more than catch the eye—it shapes our perceptions, influences decisions, and evokes emotion.

Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year: Cloud Dancer (PANTONE 11-4201)

Why Cloud Dancer matters in a rapidly changing market

For the F&B industry, where trends evolve quickly and consumer expectations grow more nuanced, Cloud Dancer offers a meaningful visual metaphor. Today’s shoppers crave transparency, simplicity, and emotional space. Cloud Dancer captures this shift beautifully.

Unlike bolder trend colors that define a specific aesthetic moment, Cloud Dancer embodies a reset:

• A clean slate for brands evolving their product narratives
• A symbol of transparency as consumers demand clearer labels and cleaner formulations
• A visual expression of “quiet premium”—the subtle, elevated design language dominating modern packaging

Its neutrality is not a limitation but a strength. Cloud Dancer’s softness pairs effortlessly with natural tones, bold accents, and functional cues, making it ideal for categories like:

• Better-for-you beverages
• Clean-label snacks
• Minimalist premium packaging
• Functional health products
• Plant-based innovation

Natural colors and new product development

But it’s bigger than a single color choice. According to Meticulous Research, global sales for natural food colors are on track to increase 8.4% compounded annually by 2027, projecting the market value at $3.2 billion by the end of the forecast period.

As regulatory pressure intensifies and consumer expectations rise, natural colors are becoming a central focus in new product development. This year’s wave of food additive bans in the U.S. has accelerated the shift away from artificial dyes, pushing brands to rethink their color strategies from the ground up. At the same time, the FDA has begun approving new natural alternatives — including Calcium Phosphate, a white colorant that can now be used in ready-to-eat chicken products, white candy melts, doughnut sugar, and sugar coatings for confections. These updates signal a regulatory landscape that is increasingly aligned with cleaner, more transparent ingredient lists.

TraceGains’ 2025 NPD Report echoes this shift: 67% of brands cite “better-for-you” products as the biggest catalyst for change, underscoring how health awareness is driving formulation decisions. As sustainability becomes an expectation rather than a differentiator, demand for natural and eco-friendly color ingredients continues to climb — not just for visual appeal, but as proof of a brand’s values.

GNT Group’s research highlights how younger consumers, especially Gen Z, are redefining natural color trends through what it calls “Healthy Hedonism.” Their desire for products that are both nutritious and joyful is reshaping palettes across categories. As Jeannette O’Brien, VP of Sales and Marketing at GNT USA, explains:

“They want snacks that taste delicious, are made with clean, natural ingredients, and deliver multiple benefits. Our Harvest Bark concepts do just that — showcasing how Exberry colors bring innovation to better-for-you treats and support brands in meeting evolving consumer expectations.”

From soft-play pastels to bold, expressive hues powered by plant-derived pigments, natural color is evolving from a compliance step into a creative tool that empowers brands to meet regulatory demands while delighting consumers in new, meaningful ways.

Color choices when it comes to food

Color plays a significant role in how we choose our food. It’s often the first element consumers notice in a food product’s appearance. Many studies suggest that visual taste perception begins in infancy and increases as we age. For example, if something is bright red, we might assume it will taste like cherry or cinnamon. If something is colored green, we might expect that food product to taste like lime or apple. And when it comes to produce, we rely on color to determine freshness.

So, aside from expected taste, what else do colors mean when it comes to food?

• Red – Appetizing: Research shows that red is eye-catching and triggers appetite. It’s particularly useful in packaging design, probably because the color indicates ripeness or sweetness in natural foods like berries.
• Blue – Instagrammable: While blue is typically the first color to disappear from a child’s crayon box, it’s the last candy standing (sitting?) in the M&M bowl. Why? Because edible blue foods are rare in nature. However, they exist, including blue butterfly pea flower, blue carrots, and concord blue grapes. It’s unclear why blue foods are so hard to find, but some research suggests it’s because they’re typically appetite suppressants.
• Yellow – Happiness: Consumers see yellow as the happiest color, and brands incorporate it in a variety of products. Yellow tends to evoke optimism and general good feelings. However, debate persists regarding the artificial version of yellow in food products.
• Green – Natural/Healthy: With sustainability and organic remaining front of mind for most consumers, green is making its way to becoming one of the more popular colors in the food supply chain (think green juice). Green is now almost synonymous with health and well-being when it comes to food.
• Orange – Satisfying/Energizing: Orange foods are normally tied to autumnal traditions in the west, including pumpkin products, squash, and candy corn. However, orange is vibrant, with orange and carrot juice linked to vitality year-round.

What about packaging?

As we mentioned, color is one of the first things we notice while shopping. Visual factors influence more than 90% of purchase decisions, and 85% of shoppers say that color is the primary reason for buying a product. With that in mind, understanding how packaging color dictates purchasing behavior is vital to food manufacturers. While the colors above represent how consumers react to them, the packaging colors of those products elicit entirely different feelings. For example, seeing blue eggs on a plate vs. buying eggs in blue packaging can evoke different emotions.

Here’s how a few colors break down in terms of packaging:

• Red: Red is a bold packaging choice and helps draw attention to your product. It is known to spark an appetite, but it’s also the color people notice first, which is why so much food packaging features red.
• Blue: Blue packaging helps portray trust and dependability. However, darker blues are more serious and formal, whereas lighter blues help give the perception of softness and creativity.
• Yellow: Yellow in packaging suggests something is original or innovative or that the product is less expensive or fun. With the optimistic energy of this color, it has a youthful, upbeat vibe that can help attract a younger demographic.
• Green: In food coloring, consumers associate green packaging with healthy and organic products. With the increase in health-conscious consumers and people more focused on what goes into their bodies, green has grown in popularity in recent years.
• Purple: Using purple in your packaging implies your product is unique or original; consumers associate purple with spirituality, and remains a common choice for holistic products.
• Orange: Orange is often used to portray value and affordability, and for food marketers, orange packaging helps provide a more affordable appearance.
• Black: Black typically represents luxury, appearing more substantial and expensive, which transmits a higher perceived value. As a result, this color is often on higher-end items like premium ice creams and chip packages. And depending on what colors you choose to pair it with, black can convey many things.
• Brown: Brown works for products that brands want to portray as natural, wholesome, or organic. In addition, earthy brown packaging promotes sustainability. Brands lean toward this when they want to communicate its packaging is made from recycled sources.
• White (including Cloud Dancer): Cleanliness, simplicity, and modernity.

Cloud Dancer, in particular, offers a fresh canvas—signaling purity, clarity, and elevated minimalism. It’s becoming especially popular in premium food, beverage, and wellness packaging that aims to communicate trust and transparency.

Cloud Dancer offers a meaningful edge

As F&B brands navigate an increasingly competitive market, leveraging trends like Pantone’s Color of the Year offers a meaningful edge. Cloud Dancer is more than a shade—it’s a narrative of simplicity, clarity, and creative possibility that aligns with today’s evolving consumer mindset.

By embracing this luminous white, brands can create deeper emotional resonance, reinforce their identity, and set the stage for the next era of innovation.

To learn more about how TraceGains can accelerate NPD, start here.