Martin Sonntag, CEO of Oterra, a major natural dye company.
According to Martin Sonntag, CEO of natural colors leading company Otera, the next decade in food and nutrition will be defined not only by volume growth, but also by companies’ ability to build verifiable trust in supply chains.
“As the bar rises globally on safety, sustainability and ethical sourcing, only transparent systems and continuous improvement will maintain trust,” he said after delivering the keynote address “Shaping the next decade of food and nutrition: collaboration, trust and responsibility” on the sidelines of the International Spice Conference (ISC 2026).
Food safety, environmental accountability and ethical sourcing have moved from aspirational benchmarks to fundamental market-entry requirements, he said.
The global food and beverage market, with estimated annual consumer spending of approximately €6 trillion, drives more than €100 billion in ingredient purchases each year (excluding meat and dairy). However, the supplier base remains fragmented, opening up opportunities for consolidation and integrated models that improve traceability, compliance and consistent quality.
Oterra, which reported revenues of €417 million in 2023-24, operates from more than 40 locations around the world, serving more than 110 countries and supplying more than 2,200 customers. The company follows a backward-integrated model spanning breeding, contract farming and extraction and processing of natural colours, with the aim of reducing supply-chain risk and ensuring compliance from origin to finished product.
Sonntag identified seven megatrends shaping the industry: premiumization, affordability pressures, health and longevity, expanding consumer choice, responsible growth, tighter regulation in food chains and rapid digitalization.
He said regulatory tightening in the EU and US, coupled with sustainability reporting frameworks and due diligence mandates, is forcing companies to move from reactive compliance to proactive risk management.
For spice-producing economies like India, this change has direct commercial implications. While India’s spice exports are growing, regulations on residue standards, contaminant testing and traceability are becoming tighter in key markets. Exporters face a dual imperative – protecting volumes while investing in systems that minimize rejections, minimize reputational risk and secure long-term contracts.
According to him, climate risks for constituent businesses are increasing rapidly. Otera has conducted greenhouse gas analysis in turmeric cultivation and worked with farmers on water efficiency, crop rotation and regenerative practices to create a de-carbonization roadmap.
He said growth in the coming decade will be defined by those who combine scale with responsibility and build trust at every layer of the value chain.
Published on February 24, 2026
