Copenhagen, Denmark—Chr. Hansen Natural Colors has purchased SECNA Natural Ingredients Group S.L., bolstering its position in the natural colors segment, according to a press release.

This is Chr. Hansen Natural Colors’ first add-on investment sincebeing acquired by private equity firm EQT, and it grants the company access to SECNA Group’s pigment portfolio, which includes anthocyanins from black carrots and grape. The SECNA Group is a holding of several companies, with a presence in Spain, Italy, and Turkey.

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“The combination of our color platforms puts us in a prime position to better serve the market and our customers, and we’re looking forward to welcoming SECNA Group’s 100 employees to the Chr. Hansen Natural Colors team,” said Klaus Bjerrum, COO, Chr. Hansen Natural Colors, in the press release.

SECNA Group CEO Gabriel Muñoz sees the merger as a good opportunity: “It’s a win–win situation as Chr. Hansen Natural Colors will add our strong pigment offerings in anthocyanins and caramel to their collection, while providing our valued customers and suppliers with access to their portfolio, technologies and market reach, which is the most extensive in the industry.”

“We’re committed to continuing to find new ways to harness and share the power of nature's true colors,” concluded Odd Erik Hansen, CEO, Chr. Hansen Natural Colors. “This is the first of many exciting milestones for us as a standalone company. We look to enhance our value proposition and strengthen our operational platform together with the team at SECNA at a time when demand for naturally sourced colors is increasing.”