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Oterra is working with sustainability data platform HowGood to provide carbon-footprint information for selected products in Oterra’s natural-colors portfolio. Food companies can use the data in sustainability planning and to assess ingredient impacts, but the companies have not specified which products are covered or when the data will be available.
Ingredients supplier Oterra is collaborating with sustainability data platform HowGood to provide carbon-footprint information for selected natural colors, giving food companies data they can use to assess ingredient emissions and support sustainability planning. The companies have not identified the products covered or said when customers will be able to access the figures.
The collaboration will provide carbon footprints for selected products in Oterra’s portfolio, according to a report by Food Dive. Customers may use the information to advance their sustainability plans and manage the carbon impact of ingredients. The announcement describes the scope as selected products, not Oterra’s full natural-color range.
HowGood tracks environmental data for more than 30,000 ingredients, chemicals and materials used in the consumer packaged goods industry, Food Dive reported. Its data can support automated reporting and corporate sustainability decisions. The report does not detail the methodology that will be used for Oterra’s products, the emissions boundaries included, or how often the figures will be updated.
The partnership aligns with Oterra’s 2030 sustainability strategy, which the company says emphasizes working with suppliers and other partners to make progress beyond its own operations. Oterra’s global sustainability head, Vera Karmeback, said the companies aim to combine Oterra’s natural-color expertise with HowGood’s sustainability data to help customers make more informed choices.
Ingredient Data for Climate Plans
For food manufacturers, ingredient-level emissions information can help identify where a product’s climate impact comes from and inform decisions about sourcing or product formulation. The Oterra–HowGood arrangement brings that type of reporting to at least some natural colors, a category whose environmental impacts can depend on how crops are grown and processed.
The announcement also reflects a broader commercial pressure: companies are being asked to report environmental impacts across their supply chains, not only at their own facilities. More specific supplier data can make those reports more useful, but its value depends on coverage, transparent methods and comparable figures. Those details have not been provided for this collaboration.
Natural colors are often derived from agricultural materials. Food Dive noted that increased demand for crops used to make dyes could intensify concerns such as land-use change and deforestation, depending on sourcing and production. The partnership’s stated focus is carbon-footprint tracking; the report does not say it will measure those wider impacts.
natural food colorants with carbon footprint data
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Natural Color Growth and Sourcing
Food manufacturers have been adopting natural colors as consumer preferences shift away from artificial dyes, according to Food Dive. As use expands, suppliers and customers are also facing questions about how to measure the environmental effects of growing and processing the underlying crops.
Other suppliers have pursued production approaches intended to address sustainability concerns. Food Dive reported that Sensient has initiatives involving intercropping, in which crops are grown during periods that might otherwise be fallow. Oterra has also explored gene-editing technology to speed the breeding of crop varieties that could enhance color or produce new shades, and uses advanced cultivation technologies.
One example cited in the report is Oterra’s Arctic Blue, which the company harvests in a carbon-neutral vertical-farming system powered entirely by geothermal energy. The report also noted Oterra’s investment in a larger U.S. headquarters in Wisconsin, opened the prior year, with a manufacturing facility and innovation lab. These efforts provide context for the partnership, but the new data offering is described separately and does not establish the footprint of every product or operation.
““Granular sustainability metrics are no longer a nice-to-have for food companies – they’re imperative to making meaningful progress in sustainability commitments, improving transparency with suppliers and consumers, and understanding the true environmental impact of their products.””
— Rachel Calomeni, senior vice president of growth and innovation at HowGood
Coverage and Data Methods Pending
The announcement leaves several practical details open. Oterra and HowGood have not named the selected products included, specified when the footprints will be available to customers, or said whether access will be offered through a particular reporting tool or format.
The report also provides no product-level emissions figures or methodological details, such as the lifecycle stages counted, the data sources used, or how frequently estimates will be reviewed. It is not clear whether the figures will cover impacts beyond carbon emissions, including land use or biodiversity. Until those details are available, the scope and comparability of the information cannot be assessed.
Product Scope and Access Details
The next concrete information to watch for is which Oterra products receive carbon-footprint data and how customers can use it. Further details on calculation methods, data coverage and update schedules would help food companies judge how the figures fit into their existing reporting systems.
Food Dive’s report does not give a launch date or describe any next milestone. For now, the confirmed development is the collaboration and its stated purpose: providing emissions information for selected natural colors. Any broader claims about measurable emissions reductions or coverage across Oterra’s portfolio remain unconfirmed.
Key Questions
What are Oterra and HowGood doing?
They are collaborating to provide carbon-footprint data for selected products in Oterra’s natural-colors portfolio. Food companies can use the information in sustainability planning and ingredient-impact assessments.
Will the data cover every Oterra natural color?
The announcement refers to selected products. No full-portfolio coverage has been confirmed, and the products included have not been named.
When will customers be able to use the information?
The report does not provide a release date or explain how customers will access the data.
What environmental impacts will be measured?
The stated focus is carbon emissions. The companies have not said whether the data will also measure issues such as land use, deforestation or biodiversity.
Why are emissions data for natural colors relevant?
Natural colors can rely on agricultural crops, so their footprints may be affected by how those crops are grown and processed. Ingredient-level figures may help food companies assess supply-chain emissions, although the methods and scope for Oterra’s data have not yet been disclosed.
Source: rss
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