Nestlé USA has completed its 2026 goal of removing artificial colors defined by Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) from its US food and beverage portfolio as part of the company’s broader reformulation and transparency initiatives.
“Last summer, we committed to accelerating the removal of FD&C colors from our US food and beverage portfolio. Today, I’m proud to share that we have fully eliminated them,” Nestlé USA CEO Marty Thompson, said in a statement.
To achieve this, Nestlé removed or reformulated products that previously relied on these additives, replacing them with natural alternatives where needed, and without sacrificing product integrity, according to Thompson.
“In the products where these ingredients were previously used, we removed or replaced them with alternatives – while maintaining the quality, taste and experience consumers expect,” he said.
Thompson highlighted reformulation efforts in products like Nesquik’s strawberry-flavored offerings, which were updated to incorporate colors from natural sources. Meanwhile, foodservice teams transitioned more than 20 Nestlé Vitality beverage products to natural color sources within just five months, while maintaining quality and taste.
Nestlé’s removal of FD&C colors reflects a wider effort to evolve its recipes and align with shifting consumer expectations, according to Thompson.
Industry-wide reformulation efforts to remove synthetic colors
The company’s news comes amid broad reformulation efforts to remove artificial colors from packaged food and beverages.
Earlier this year, FDA eased labeling rules for artificial colors that allow companies to use voluntary labeling statements on products that contain natural derived colors provided that petroleum-based synthetic dyes, like Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 6, are not present. At the same time, FDA expanded the use of natural colors, including beetroot red and spirulina extract.
Last year, the agency fast-tracked approvals for several naturally derived colors, including Galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract and calcium phosphate last year.
Clean label ‘where it makes sense’
Nestlé’s reformulation extends beyond color additives and into reducing added sugars “where it makes sense,” and ensuring that less than 1% of its US portfolio contains high-fructose corn syrup and that it does not use aspartame across its US offerings, Thomson said. The company is also expanding low- and zero-sugar options, including Coffee mate Zero Sugar iced coffees and creamers.
At the same time, Nestlé is emphasizing simpler ingredient lists and product transparency, Thompson said. The company’s Natural Bliss creamers, for example, contain just four ingredients (milk, cream, sugar and natural flavor) while Libby’s canned pumpkin is 100% pumpkin and California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzas contain real cheese, no artificial flavors and preservative-free crusts.
Expanding label transparency and functional food portfolio
Transparency is as critical as reformulation, according to Thompson, who noted that that company is expanding its SmartLabel to provide consumers with easier access to detailed product information.
As demand for functional and nutrition-forward products continues to evolve, Nestlé is also adapting its portfolio to align with consumers’ health goals. For example, its Vital Pursuit frozen meal line for consumers using GLP-1 medications offers pre-portioned, protein-rich options – aligning with industry-wide efforts to create targeted formulations containing macro and micronutrients.
