Virtual reality: Ingredion launches Inside Idea Labs in EMEA

05 Oct 2018 --- Ingredion has introduced a virtual lab called Inside Idea Labs, for the EMEA region. The interactive online portal serves as an extension of the global network of Ingredion Idea Labs innovation centers. It is equipped with resources and content developed by the same experts who partner with customers at the company’s brick-and-mortar labs around the world.

The development of on-demand digital support reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to innovation. The virtual lab, first developed to serve the beverage market, makes Ingredion Idea Labs science-based problem solving more readily available to customers pursuing increased agility and speed to market.

Charlotte Commarmond, Senior Director, Marketing and Innovation, EMEA at Ingredion, says: “Inside Idea Labs enables us to extend the reach of our five Idea Labs innovation centers in EMEA and provide easy access for more manufacturers to our range of technical services and expertise in areas such clean label, sensory experience, affordability and health and nutrition.”

Inside Idea Labs will consist of regionally developed labs focused on specific market segments. The beverage lab has been launched first for customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and a dairy lab will follow later this year. Ingredion experts will continue to create additional resources to serve customers.

The beverage lab showcases technical resources including sample formulations, white papers and responses to questions that customers frequently ask about topics such as emulsification, mouthfeel enhancement and protein enrichment. Visitors also will find information about the consumer and market trends driving change in the industry, as well as insights from the experts working throughout our network of Ingredion Idea Labs innovation centers.

“Our existing relationships with customers have given us insight into the types of information that we need to build into each virtual lab and we’re looking forward to expanding our resources across all segments as part of our service offering,” Joseph M. Light, Vice President of Global Development and Ingredient Technology at Ingredion, explains.

Valdirene Licht, Ingredion Senior Vice President and President for Asia-Pacific, tells FoodIngredientsFirst: “We launched the first virtual lab in the US in June, building an interactive online portal to serve the beverage industry, and we are now expanding our reach, creating beverage labs with content customized for customers around the globe. We will add labs to serve additional segments, with work on a dairy lab already underway.” 
 
“We see growing demand for both clean-label ingredients and specialty starch-based texturizers throughout Asia and plan to invest US$60 million in growing the specialty food ingredients business in the Asia-Pacific region. Alongside this, our virtual lab makes our science-based problem-solving in areas such as clean label, sensory experience, affordability and health and nutrition more readily available to more manufacturers,” Licht explains. 
 
“The world is becoming more digital, and with nearly 1.9 billion internet users residing in Asia Pacific, it makes up more than half of the world’s digital population. The way customers seek information is very different today - our customers are searching for information online and forming opinions long before meeting with our experts. Our virtual lab is an interactive and easy-to-use resource for food & beverage companies of any size pursing increased agility and speed to market. It provides content such as How-to videos, case studies, consumer insights and market analysis.”      
 
“As digital access becomes more prevalent in Asia, consumers now demand food that tastes good and looks good too – the rise of ‘Instagrammable’ food. Apart from using vibrant colors, texture is an excellent way to intrigue and win over consumers. In our upcoming dairy lab, we will demonstrate how manufacturers can create that ultra-stretchy cheese that caught Asia by storm,” adds Licht.

By Elizabeth Green