Spirulina Extract as a Natural Blue Color in Global Tea Beverages

In 1999, Starbucks opened its first outlet in Beijing, marking the entry of Western beverage culture into China. Over the past two decades, China’s tea beverage sector has evolved from simple refreshment drinks into highly stylised products that combine flavour innovation, visual aesthetics, functional positioning, and strong brand identity.

Today, leading brands such as HEYTEA, NAIXUE, MIXUE, and CHAGEE are expanding rapidly into Southeast Asia, North America, Europe, and the Middle East. As competition intensifies in global markets, visual differentiation—particularly through colour—has become a strategic tool for brand positioning.

At the same time, growing demand for clean-label and naturally derived ingredients is reshaping formulation strategies. In this context, Spirulina Extract has emerged as a compelling natural blue colour solution for modern tea beverages.

Spirulina Extract (Phycocyanin): A Natural Blue Color with Proven Global Value

Natural blue color has long been one of the most challenging areas in food and beverage formulation. Synthetic blue dyes such as Brilliant Blue or Indigo Carmine have faced increasing scrutiny due to health concerns and clean-label pressure. In contrast, blue pigments that exist naturally in the food chain are extremely rare.

Spirulina extract, with phycocyanin as its key coloring component, provides a unique solution.

Derived from edible spirulina platensis, phycocyanin delivers a vivid sky-blue to turquoise hue while also being associated with high protein content and a naturally derived origin. This dual attribute—color performance and nutritional perception.

In North America and Europe, functional cafés, juice bars, and wellness-focused tea brands have widely introduced blue beverages using spirulina extract. In Asia, leading tea beverage brands have also embraced spirulina extract. Seasonal blue teas and fruit-based iced drinks launched by premium tea chains in China and Southeast Asia have demonstrated strong consumer engagement, driven by both visual appeal and clean-label messaging.

Case: The Rise of Spirulina Extract in Global Tea Brands

• Joe & The Juice

As a globally recognized premium juice and beverage brand originating in Europe, Joe & The Juice has repeatedly introduced blue-toned beverages featuring spirulina extract. These products stand out visually in-store and on social media, reinforcing the brand’s positioning around natural ingredients, active lifestyles, and contemporary aesthetics. For such brands, natural blue color is not a novelty; it is a well-integrated design and marketing tool.>>>View Application Details

• Starbucks

“All natural, no fluff”. The bright blue color comes entirely from natural phycocyanin, making it well-suited for tea beverages that emphasize clean labels and plant-based ingredients. As a water-soluble natural colorant, spirulina extract delivers a strong visual appeal while allowing brands to replace synthetic dyes, and its antioxidant positioning further supports a health-oriented product story.>>>View Application Details

• HEYTEA

“colors from nature”. In this product, blue spirulina represents the blue of rivers, lakes, and seas, matcha conveys the green of the grass and forests, and coconut milk brings a soft white tone reminiscent of clouds and glaciers. All colors are derived from natural ingredients, reinforcing a clean-label and nature-inspired message rather than artificial coloring. By integrating phycocyanin into a tea-based formulation, Heytea demonstrates how natural color can be used not only for visual impact, but also to communicate purity, balance, and a plant-based lifestyle, turning the beverage into a sensory expression of nature rather than just a flavored drink.>>>View Application Details

These cases show that in tea applications, spirulina extract functions not only as a natural coloring solution, but also as a key element for differentiation, wellness communication, and social-media-driven innovation.

From Regulatory Readiness to Challenges: Spirulina Extract in Tea Beverages

Regulatory Status of Spirulina Extract

Spirulina extract is widely accepted across major global markets as a safe and established natural ingredient. Evaluated by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, it has no specified ADI and is included in the General Standard for Food Additives under GMP conditions. In the U.S., spirulina extract does not require certification; in the EU, it is commonly classified as a coloring food rather than a color additive; and in Japan, it is approved as a food additive.

These consistent regulatory positions confirm spirulina extract as a mature, commercially viable natural blue color, well-suited for use in tea beverages.

Stability of Spirulina Extract

From an application perspective, spirulina extract can be broadly integrated into multiple tea and beverage systems, including Milk Tea / Bubble Tea, Fruit Tea / Iced Tea, Sweet Tea, Botanical Tea, Functional / Wellness Beverages, as well as Cold Brew Coffee, Milk-based Coffee, and Fruit Coffee.

Within the fruit tea category, spirulina extract typically delivers a clear, transparent blue appearance that naturally aligns with the refreshing, light, and health-forward image of fruit tea. However, as some fruit tea formulations are relatively acidic, formulation challenges may arise during application. For this reason, it is generally recommended to avoid strongly acidic bases such as lemon-dominated fruit teas, and instead select milder, more balanced fruit tea systems to achieve optimal color performance and product stability.

Quality Plays a Decisive Role in Application

As a natural, protein-based blue color, its purity, color intensity, and stability directly influence the final drink’s appearance and taste. Inconsistent quality can lead to color fading, turbidity, or off-notes, weakening both visual appeal and consumer trust. For tea brands that rely on a consistent “signature look,” only highly standardized, food-grade spirulina extract can support long-term product performance.

A stable supply chain ensures not only consistent color and quality from batch to batch, but also the ability to support volume growth and multi-market launches without interruption.

The successful use of natural blue color depends on whether the supplier can deliver a continuous supply, reliable quality, and global readiness, making supply chain strength a key consideration in ingredient selection.

BINMEI: Customized Spirulina Extract Solutions for Tea Beverage Innovation

As a dedicated spirulina extract manufacturer, BINMEI goes beyond supplying raw materials. We work closely with tea and beverage brands to ensure that the natural blue color performs reliably from formulation development to commercial launch.

Application-focused support, not just ingredients

BINMEI provides customized spirulina extract solutions specifically designed for tea beverage systems. Our portfolio includes both liquid and powder formats, with multiple specifications adapted to different pH ranges, processing conditions, and beverage bases—helping brands address common challenges in fruit teas, milk teas, functional beverages, and coffee-based drinks.

From pilot testing to market launch

Natural blue color often behaves differently at the laboratory scale compared to real-world production. BINMEI supports brands throughout the full development cycle, from early-stage formulation testing and color adjustment to scale-up validation and pre-launch optimization—reducing uncertainty when moving from concept to commercialization.

Designed for long-term product performance

Through advanced technologies such as micro-encapsulation, ultra-fine processing, and optimized emulsification, BINMEI enhances color stability and application flexibility. This ensures consistent visual performance not only at launch, but throughout shelf life and across repeated production batches.

>>>Explore BINMEI Spirulina Extract Solutions

Spirulina Extract: A Mature Natural Blue Color Empowering the Future of Tea Beverages

As a mature natural blue color with strong coloring performance and high protein association, spirulina extract has already been deeply integrated into overseas tea beverage markets and consumer awareness.

BINMEI remains committed to supporting tea beverage brands worldwide by providing stable spirulina extract ingredients and collaborative development solutions—unlocking new creative possibilities and helping natural blue color inspire the next generation of tea beverages.