Colors that connect: GNT reveals how brands can tap into consumer desire to Gather Together 

December 11, 2025

Bold color can power new food and drink products that help consumers connect, explore culture, and find comfort in challenging times, new research from GNT Group shows.

As people worldwide navigate instability and digital overload, shared eating and drinking occasions are becoming a joyful way to come together, express identity, and feel grounded.

This shift is transforming the look and feel of food and drink, putting color at the center of experiences that feel more social, expressive, and emotionally resonant. ​

The Gather Together report explains how consumer behavior is changing and shows how natural shades can inspire new products that reflect their desire for shared, sensory-rich moments.

Dieuwertje Raaijmakers, Marketing Communications Specialist at GNT Group, said: “People are looking to food and drink for connection, comfort, and creativity – and color helps spark those moments. Gather Together shows how brands can tap into this momentum using plant-based shades that resonate with how consumers want to eat and share today.”

The Gather Together analysis highlights four new trend directions, each supported by an inspirational color palette to help guide new product development:

• Joyful Unity celebrates communal eating in familiar or reinvented spaces, expressed through warm, hearty shades inspired by seasonal, nourishing, and comforting dishes.

• Cultural Celebration reflects rising interest in regional authenticity and hyper-local flavor exploration, characterized by bold, saturated tones rooted in culinary heritage.

• Sensory Escape showcases surreal, multisensory food experiences that offer a break from routine, with unconventional, mysterious, and futuristic hues.

• Branded Bites highlights the rise of hybrid brand collaborations, from retail cafés to limited-edition snacks, using fresh citrus and floral tones to create uplifting visuals.

In addition to the Gather Together report, GNT is offering category-specific guidance, prototype concepts, and application support across beverages, confectionery, dairy, and bakery.

Dieuwertje Raaijmakers added: “We want to make it easier for brands to turn insight into compelling visual experiences. EXBERRY^® offers a complete spectrum of plant-based, sustainable color shades, helping manufacturers bring these trends to life in the food and drink consumers love to share.”

For more information about Gather Together, visit: https://exberry.com/en/gather-together-color-trends

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For more information, contact:
​Robin Hackett, Ingredient Communications
​robin@ingredientcommunications.com | +44 7507 277733

About EXBERRY^®
​EXBERRY^® is a leading global brand of plant-based, sustainable colors for food and drink. The EXBERRY^® portfolio includes a complete spectrum of shades created from non-GMO fruit, vegetables, and plants. They are available in a wide range of formats and suitable for almost any application, including confectionery, dairy, bakery, soft and alcoholic beverages, cereals, snacks, sauces, savory, and plant-based meat, seafood, and dairy. EXBERRY^® colors are trusted by many of the world’s leading food and beverage manufacturers for their vibrancy, versatility, stability, ease of use, and strong sustainability credentials.

About GNT Group
​Founded in 1978, GNT is a family-owned company pioneering in the creation of plant-based, sustainable ingredients. It is headquartered in Mierlo, The Netherlands, with additional offices in Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East. GNT’s family ownership provides stability and long-term commitment, enabling it to make strategic decisions to futureproof supplies. These include ambitious sustainability commitments and investments in long-term stockholding. The company supports its customers throughout every stage of the product development process, including concept innovation, color selection and matching, stability testing, upscaling, regulatory matters, and quality documentation.