Nestlé USA, Conagra & J.M. Smucker Join Industry Shift Away From Synthetic Coloring

Nestlé USA, Conagra Brands and J.M. Smucker are the latest consumer goods companies to announce plans to eliminate synthetic, additive food colors previously certified by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) from their portfolios. 

The three CPG companies shared their goals after General Mills and Kraft Heinz unveiled similar synthetic dye deadlines earlier this month.

Earlier this year, Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would like to phase out synthetic dyes used to enhance color in foods such as candy and cereals. The FDA already banned red dye No. 3 in food and ingested drugs, and the agency said it would be working with the industry to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the U.S. food supply over the next several years.

Nestlé USA

Nestlé USA plans to eliminate synthetic colors from its U.S. food and beverage portfolio by mid-2026. The company said it has been actively removing synthetic colors from its products over the last decade.

Marty Thompson, CEO of Nestlé USA, said in a statement that the company is continuously looking for ways to meet consumers’ changing preferences, with a balance of nutrition, quality, price and convenience. 

Also: L’Oreal is using generative AI to reformulate existing products