California Natural Color Expands Fresno Facility to Boost Natural Color Production

Ingredient supplier California Natural Color is adding to its Fresno, California footprint, with construction now underway on a build-out of the company's headquarters and manufacturing site.¹ Company officials indicate the project will increase existing production capacity by 300%, giving the supplier more room to manufacture both its grape seed extract ingredients and its natural color offerings.

Local and company officials marked the start of construction at a groundbreaking event, with Fresno Mayor Jerry P. Dyer and other city representatives joining California Natural Color's leadership team. Speaking on behalf of the company, director of operations Jorge Ortiz highlighted the company’s milestone. “This new development is the result of hard work and collaboration, and it is our goal that the upgraded facility will enhance the company’s ability to better serve customers globally,” he stated.

For Bill McMorran, vice president and general manager, the timing of the expansion lines up with a changing regulatory and retail environment for color additives. He pointed to "regulatory tightening, retailer mandates, and growing awareness of ingredient sourcing" as forces pushing brands away from synthetic dyes. “With this upcoming expansion, we are well positioned to continue to meet rising market demand by increasing the production capabilities of our broad portfolio of naturally derived color and our innovative crystal technology,” he explained.

What Regulatory Changes Are Driving the Shift to Natural Colorants?

The expansion follows a period of regulatory change for color additives. In February 2026, the FDA revised its policy on "no artificial colors" labeling claims, a move intended to support the broader transition away from petroleum-based synthetic dyes.² In an interview published by Nutritional Outlook, Dana Osborn, marketing manager at California Natural Color, said the company has already seen a meaningful increase in brands moving from synthetic to natural colors, attributing the trend to regulatory initiatives throughout 2025 as well as the FDA's more recent labeling update.

Osborn noted that formulators must still account for factors such as heat, light, and oxygen sensitivity, ingredient interactions, and processing conditions when replacing synthetic dyes, and that the company works with customers' R&D teams early in development to address these variables. She added that California Natural Color's shelf-stable crystal color format offers manufacturers additional flexibility in storage and inventory management.

How Has the Company Recently Showcased Its Portfolio?

The Fresno investment also follows recent visibility for California Natural Color's product portfolio at industry events. At the Institute of Food Technologists' IFT FIRST event in Chicago in July 2026, the company showcased plant-based color solutions derived from sources including carrot, radish, beet, and grape, developed in response to continued regulatory attention on FD&C Red No. 3 and Red No. 40.³ The company also highlighted MegaNatural-BP, its proprietary grape seed extract, in a functional beverage concept developed with PLT Health Solutions. The ingredient's blood pressure-related claim has been evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority, whose review found that one of two submitted human intervention studies showed an effect on blood pressure.

Who Is California Natural Color?

California Natural Color supplies natural color, grape juice concentrate, and grape seed extract ingredients to the food, beverage, pet food, and nutraceutical sectors. The company markets its crystal color technology as offering an extended shelf life and high color concentration compared with conventional liquid colorants.

“California Natural Color has been a trusted provider of natural color and ingredient solutions for the food, beverage and nutraceutical sectors since 1994 and continues to grow and evolve along with the industry,” McMorran also stated.

References

1. California Natural Color. California Natural Color Breaks Ground on Fresno Facility Expansion. August 26, 2026. Accessed August 27, 2026.
2. McEvoy E, Osborn D. The shift away from synthetics: navigating formulations with natural colorants. Nutritional Outlook. March 6, 2026. Accessed August 27, 2026. https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/the-shift-away-from-synthetics-navigating-formulations-with-natural-colorants
3. Saraceno N. Natural color suppliers highlight plant-based alternatives at IFT FIRST. Nutritional Outlook. July 13, 2026. Accessed August 27, 2026. https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/natural-color-suppliers-highlight-plant-based-alternatives-ift-first