IFF: Re-Imagine Programs accelerate innovation and tap into unmet consumer opportunities

19 Oct 2017 --- Innovator of sensory experiences, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF), has launched Re-Imagine programs to accelerate innovation and increase agility to capture unmet opportunities in the changing food and beverage market. Based on a combination of future trends analysis, consumer insights, and a modernized cross-category development process, the programs guide the company’s research and development efforts to ensure an innovation pipeline that addresses evolving consumer needs and desires.

“The Re-Imagine programs area tangible expression of our commitment to advance taste for our customers – and consumers,” says IFF Chairman and CEO Andreas Fibig. “It is another way in which we show how we are dedicated to being our customers’ partner of choice as we progress on our business strategy, imbue sustainable thinking throughout the creation process, and continue to strengthen our industry-leading innovation platforms.” 

“The programs were developed to outpace rapidly changing dynamics and anticipate market shifts that were unimaginable just a few years ago,” says Matthias Haeni, IFF Group President, Flavors. 

“Our customers aren’t looking for just a better strawberry. They are looking for answers to questions beyond traditional flavor, requiring a hands-on, artisanal approach to making their iconic tastes come to life. We are essentially rethinking the traditional end-use approach of our industry to design technologies with the versatility to deliver differentiation across multiple categories and applications. This demonstrates IFF’s commitment to making bigger and bolder bets on where the market is heading,” he explains. 

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Karen Stanton, IFF’s Global Marketing and Branding Director for Flavors says: “Consumer shifts are taking place at a pace faster than ever before with unique demands that test the traditional industry category structure. To be relevant and to stay ahead of the curve, we must be structured in a way that more smoothly allows us to anticipate these shifts and be agile enough to act on them. Our customers’ needs require thinking outside of the usual pillars and instead, cross categories in new ways and requiring greater innovation in areas like naturals and clean label.”  

“Two pillars of our long-term business strategy include ‘becoming our customers’ partner of choice’ and ‘innovating first.’ IFF takes this seriously. We believe that as we more effectively anticipate consumer needs and we will also use these insights to drive innovation at the R&D level,” explains Stanton.   

The programs focus on six key areas, including culinary, citrus, delivery systems, naturals, modulation and protein and were selected based on market potential, customer input, expert industry collaboration and versatility across end-use categories. They consider a rapidly changing world – from the expectations of sophisticated consumers too busy to cook for themselves; to the realities of a warming climate and its impact on key crops and ingredients; to an increased awareness of our role in the health of the planet. 

Re-Imagine Citrus: Greening disease and the recent hurricanes in Florida have exacerbated an already growing crisis for the availability of citrus oils and materials in a world where refreshment is increasing in importance.  While the demand for materials goes up, its availability is and will remain challenged.  It is a key area and we are developing sustainable tools to allow for continued taste design in beverages. 

Re-Imagine Protein: For many reasons, consumers are increasingly moving away from traditional animal sources of protein such as red meat towards more plant-based proteins and becoming more flexitarian in their eating habits. However, consumers are not willing to compromise taste for health, and the challenges of many plant-based proteins is taste and texture. We are working on taste design which delivers authenticity and great taste experience.

Re-Imagine Culinary: Consumers are less able to cook (the homemade traditions are not being passed down from generation to generation anymore and have far less time to cook today, but at the same time there is a greater curiosity - eating out at a wider range of cuisines. So while there is far less traditional ‘cooking’ taking place, expectations for ‘richness’ and authenticity in products is greater than ever before.

Haeni concludes: “Our expansive innovation platform required an innovative approach to taste creation. To address this, our bespoke IFF Taste Design is a combination of artisanal, handcrafted techniques and proprietary technologies that drive consumer preference and market differentiation. We believe that both our Re-Imagine programs and our IFF Taste Design approach will provide our customers with winning tastes and further establish us as their essential partner.” 

By Elizabeth Green