Oterra appoints new COO and strengthens US operations

The Hørsholm-based company, known for manufacturing natural colors for the pet food industry, has announced the appointment of Mia Kjersner as Chief Operating Officer, effective 1 February 2025.

“Mia brings with her a wealth of experience and passion for running and transforming complex supply chains and operations and is a critical addition to the company and the Oterra Leadership Team,” says the firm’s CEO, Martin Sonntag.

Kjersner previously served as Vice President of Global Supply Chain & Regional Manufacturing at Denmark-based GN Store Nord. She has also held roles at Novo Nordisk and Nilfisk-Advance and assignments at Novozymes and Chr. Hansen.

Expansion of US operations

The move comes as Oterra recently announced the expansion of its global operations, including opening a state-of-the-art US headquarters in Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin, designed to meet rising consumer demand for sustainable, natural coloring solutions.

The 155,000 sq ft facility combines manufacturing, logistics and innovation capabilities to meet the rising demand for natural colors in the human and pet food industries.

It will enable the company to innovate and develop new products directly with customers and partners. Additionally, the facility includes 40,000 sq ft of expansion space for partner pilot production lines and new product launches.

Sonntag notes that establishing the headquarters will further strengthen the company’s foothold in the North American market. “This puts Oterra in a great position to further support our customers in the conversion towards natural colors,” he added.

Fulfilling domestic demand

While the facility has begun operations, it is still ramping up to reach full production capacity.

Although the production volume remains undisclosed, a company spokesperson informed GlobalPETS that the site has “enough available volume to scale up and provide for increases in applications for human and pet food.”

Beyond manufacturing, the new headquarters enhances response times to customer needs and reduces transportation-related emissions.

Evolving customer attitudes

A recent Natural Colors Association (NATCOL) study highlights US consumers’ preference for natural coloring, linking it to being ‘healthy,’ ‘sustainable’ and ‘appealing.’

These trends also trickle down to the pet industry, with humanization, premiumization and preference for “cleaner labels” and sustainable foods driving the demand for natural coloring in pet food.

Additionally, “regulatory changes in certain states are expected to further accelerate the demand for products that limit or eliminate the use of artificial dyes,” points out Chari Rai, Head of Applications, North America, noting the strong growth potential in this segment.