A passion for innovation, keeping up to date with the latest world trends and developing the South African colour technologists of the future – this is all happening in the seemingly small Sensient Colors office in Kyasands, Johannesburg.
Aret Meyer, business manager at Sensient Colors SA says, ‘First thing I see is I am a consumer!.’ She points out consumer trends at the moment are all about ‘natural’, whereas ‘fusion’ is the new buzz word in the colour industry. ‘It is no longer about the natural product but about finding the perfect shade,’ says Meyer.
From what we have seen natural has been the trend for 2010, but with new legislations surrounding this selling term, ‘Is it really going to be worthwhile if we are ‘claiming’ to be natural?’ asks Meyer.
‘Colour can be a problem product,’ she says, ‘and treating it as you would treat all other ingredients is what we aim to do.’ In the past, colour has been left until last in the development of products. However Meyer says ‘colour is major in the food industry. It has to be given the same attention as any other ingredient. Colour should be looked at in the beginning, the concept process, like stabilisers.’ With this in mind, Sensient Colors SA aims at providing its customers with flexibility and hands-on support, says Meyer. It also wants to be the forerunners in providing customers with ‘local ingredients and local skills...We participate in the trials,’ says Meyer, ‘Our technicians are here, we have a well equipped lab – everything is done in house!’
As well as training, Sensient Colors SA prides itself in furthering local skills. ‘We recruit from universities and provide in service training,’ says Meyer. Rose Masisi has been with Sensient Colors SA for six years now, working in the colour chemist. One of the most qualified on the team, she came as an in service trainee and is now working at the forefront of colour development in SA.
After spending R5 million on the company’s facilities, Dave Farrington, managing director of Sensient Colors SA says, ‘The American president of Sensient’s recent visit was very stressful, but he was very pleased with what he saw!’
And, why not? Dershana Jackson, technical manager at Sensient, proudly describes all the latest equipment being utilised in their pristine, HASSP approved laboratory. ‘The instrument laboratory has state of the art instrumentation to measure colour in liquid and powder form,’ says Jackson. ‘From a technical perspective Sensient Colors SA, is able to offer service and advice on various food applications plus carry out the actual development work for the customer.’ In conclusion, she adds, ‘The full technical package provides the customer with the assurance that our knowledgeable and well trained colour application chemists will present coloured finished product accompanied by a full report on the stability testing of a particular colour in its specific product application, to their satisfaction. The colours used also, meet both the EEC and CODEX regulations.’
