Well-crafted flavoring systems are the hallmark of successful consumer products. Flavor developers invest considerable time and energy to craft a delightful sensory experience while aligning with the constraints of input materials, processing, and shelf-life realities. Learn more about the ever-evolving science behind food and beverage flavor development in today’s dynamic marketplace.
What Is Flavor Development?
Flavor development is the complex process of creating, improving, or altering the taste and aroma profiles of consumer food and beverage products. Custom flavor development is an ongoing part of the food and beverage industry, with brands investing millions each year to improve existing product lines and develop additional flavors. Our technical support services are uniquely positioned to accelerate flavor design and development efforts, working alongside customer teams.
Crafting Effective, Stable Flavor Systems
Flavor is the result of intricate interactions between ingredients, temperature, the environment, and the consumer. Flavor developers must account for several variables to ensure an exceptional experience, including:
- Ingredient interaction: Raw and finished ingredients interact throughout the manufacturing and cooking process. These interactions can significantly alter the flavor experience.
- Chemical reactions: Whether intentional or incidental, chemical changes impact the final flavor profile of any product. Many chemical interactions are the result of temperature changes; think of caramelization, which alters the sugar content of finished foods.
- Microorganisms: Microorganisms can pose health risks, but they’re also vital in creating complex flavors in many products, from bread to increasingly popular fermented foods and beverages.
All of these variables, and others, result in the idea of a flavor system, with each input accounted for and selected based on its tested interaction with other ingredients from manufacture to the kitchen table.
Sensory Effects: Flavor Systems for Lasting Connections
Custom flavor development is more important than ever for brands looking to forge lasting connections with consumers. Every food flavor development project should evoke strong emotional experiences, linking the product and the brand to a delightful sensory encounter. Successful flavor innovations are part chemistry, part poetry, as every brand seeks to differentiate its product from competitors.
What’s Driving New Flavor Creation?
Today, the changing consumer preferences and seasonal offerings are pushing flavor design at a rapid pace.
- Consumer demand for reduced sugar, clean label, and plant-based products has introduced new variables – and opportunities – to craft innovative flavor experiences using a new ingredient set.
- Seasonal and limited-edition product offerings, such as Frito-Lay’s “Global Flavors”, Kraft’s “Everything Bagel” mac-and-cheese, and Coca-Cola Zero’s “Peach” products, garnered significant media attention and reignited brand interest among loyal and prospective customers alike.
Elevate Your Flavor Development Efforts with Tilley Distribution
Tilley’s in-house technical experts have decades of experience creating successful products for customers in diverse market verticals. We’ve developed innovative flavor delivery systems hand-in-hand with in-house teams, making it easy to move from ideation to manufacturing to store shelves faster than ever. Don’t miss your market’s next trend; learn more about our value-added services by speaking with a Tilley representative today.
