300 Families Displaced by the Armed Conflict crop Annatto in Colombia to produce natural coloring in a sustainable manner

Nowadays, around 300 Colombian farming families affected by the armed conflict have alternative sources of income in their homes in the regions of Chocó, Urabá (Antioquia) and Córdoba thanks to the annatto-planting program. This initiative aims to strengthen the value chain of this seed from which an active ingredient known as bixin, used for producing natural dyes, is extracted.

This program is led by Colorganics, a Colombian company, with the support of ACUMEN (investor of high international impact), the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture and the communities of the Pacific regions. “We structure the annatto value chain in order to develop natural coloring solutions, replace bixin imports into the country and provide a high-quality product for international markets. In addition, we contribute to the progress of the communities in the Colombian Pacific and use this natural resource in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable manner,” said Joaquín Gamboa, CEO of Colorganics.

Annatto: A Species Used by Our Ancestors

Annatto—typical of tropical areas—is a seed of the tree that bears its same name. It is said that some natives, such as the Mayans, used annatto to color their bodies in rituals, protect themselves from the sun or spice their food.

To date, Colorganics has revived the use of annatto in Colombia as a natural dye producing it in an agro-industrial manner through a clean extraction method that allows developing a strategic ingredient. This input meets the high quality international standards and is aligned with healthy consumption trends.

The active ingredients of annatto, such as bixin and norbixin, allow producing natural coloring in hues ranging from yellow to orange for the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, among others. It is worth mentioning the alliance between Colorganics and Compañía de Galletas Noel S.A.S. (Grupo Nutresa)—the leading company in the Colombian food industry. The latter early joined the trend towards the use of natural dyes and since 2007, with the help of Colorganics, has replaced the use of synthetic coloring in its products.

Scope of the Initiative

For Gamboa, “the annatto value chain is strengthened every day in Colombia; therefore, we are able to ensure a sustainable supply to customers in the national and international markets, reduce fluctuations in international prices, pay a fair price for the annatto and promote an inclusive social model. In the end, all those involved profit from that, generating economic, social and environmentally-friendly benefits.”

Colorganics has dedicated several years to researching, developing and implementing natural coloring solutions for the food and beverage industry, which respond to the global market demand. This has been possible thanks to alliances with large companies that have relied on the work of Colorganics and the support of institutions and business accelerators such as Biointropic, CBI Netherlands and Procolombia.