Utz Brands (NYSE:UTZ) is the latest food manufacturer to make a pledge to remove artificial colors from its products, setting a goal for all Utz snacks to be free of Food, Drug and Cosmetic ((FD&C)) coloring by 2027.
Currently, 80% of Utz Brands (NYSE:UTZ) snacks do not contain any FD&C colors.
“Since 1921, Utz Brands Inc has been committed to making snacks with quality, transparency, and simple trusted ingredients. As consumer tastes and government regulatory initiatives evolve, we adapt while staying true to the flavors and traditions people love,” the company said in a statement.
As the third-largest U.S. salty snack producer, Utz Brands (NYSE:UTZ) made the strategic decision to join a rapidly growing list of food processors who are removing artificial coloring and preservatives to address changing consumer tastes and get ahead of federal regulations as part of a vision by the Trump Administration to “Make America Healthy Again.”
Utz (UTZ) joins peers like General Mills (GIS), Kraft Heinz (KHC), Nestlé (OTCPK:NSRGY) (OTCPK:NSRGF) J.M Smucker (SJM), Tyson Foods (TSN), PepsiCo (PEP), Hershey (HSY), and WK Kellogg (KLG) making a commitment to remove artificial colors. Recently Sam’s Club (WMT) also said it will eliminate over 40 ingredients, including artificial colors and certain sweeteners, from its private label Member’s Mark brand as part of its “Made Without” initiative.
The news has done little to immediately stem the downward trajectory of Utz (UTZ) shares with a third straight day in the red. Since the beginning of the year, shares are down 19% versus a 13% gain for the S&P 500.