When it comes to creating new food and beverage products that fly off the shelves, a product development professional’s mantra should be: “flavor reigns.” From flavor creation to product formulation, only the best survive.
But, knowing what flavors will resonate with consumers is not a straightforward science. There are a variety of factors to consider. After years of working with product developers from large corporations, as well as entrepreneurs with new product ideas, this author’s team at the Guelph Food Technology Centre (GFTC) has come up with three main considerations that affect which flavors win with consumers: demographics, the economy and trends.