Chr. Hansen Holding A/S and the EQT IX fund announced that EQT has agreed to acquire the Natural Colors Division, a subsidiary of Chr. Hansen, the global bioscience leader and developer of natural solutions for the food, nutritional, pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. The purchase price amounts to EUR 800 m.

Headquartered in Hørsholm/Denmark, Natural Colors is the leading developer and manufacturer of natural colouring ingredients, serving over 1,600 customers in the food and beverages (F&B) industry. The company is the global leader in the natural colorants industry in terms of innovation, application, formulation, product portfolio breadth and geographical reach. The Natural Colors Division employs approximately 650 people and has grown organically by around 9 % per annum during the past five years up to 2018/19. The company generated sales of EUR 224 m in 2018/19.

Natural Colors’ products are made from all-natural fruit and vegetable concentrates from sweet potatoes, grape skin, spirulina, carrots and beetroots. The products are primarily used within F&B applications where the conversion from artificial to natural colorants is highest, such as dairy- and fruit preparations, confectionary, ice cream, prepared foods and beverages.