Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc., announced the opening of its new North American corporate headquarters at 250 East Devon Avenue in Itasca, Ill. The new space is designed to accelerate Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition's commitment to delivering high-quality ingredient solutions that drive value for customers.

Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing introduces Aroma Kiosk, a ground-breaking new digital sensory insights tool to connect with consumers in dynamic environments such as grocery and department stores, universities and shopping malls. The goal is to gather valuable consumer insights and recommend products in real time. 

Answering the needs of the evolving plant-based food and beverage market, Bell Flavors & Fragrances has launched a portfolio of taste technologies and flavors to help manufacturers overcome challenges in product development and improve the overall taste profile of plant-based alternatives.

ADM opened a new cutting-edge, plant-based innovation lab, located in ADM’s Biopolis research hub in Singapore. The lab will develop next-level, on-trend and nutritious products to meet growing food and beverage demand in the Asia-Pacific region.  

Fuchs North America introduces the Earthy Eats Collection, a limited edition line of seasonings that deliver munchies for every occasion. These new seasonings—derived from and inspired by the earthy flavors of hemp—will delight consumers’ taste buds. This collection presents craveable seasoning blends ideal for beverages, baked goods, snacks, and ice cream. These items are also the starting point for food manufacturers to develop their own rich signature product offerings, with Fuchs’ culinary specialists at their side.

Although there may be a pandemic-related slowdown, there’s no stopping new product development. To better help readers with corporate innovation strategy, Prepared Foods turned to leaders at the Eureka! Ranch and the Innovation Engineering Institute, Cincinnati. Founded in 1986, Eureka! Ranch has become a global think tank and innovation training company. 

Gums and hydrocolloids are a diverse collection of polysaccharides that create gel-like formations when in contact with moisture. They are extremely versatile, improving texture, mouthfeel, and physical appearance in foods and beverages. Gums can be used to increase viscosity levels or benefit flow. They are especially prized for increasing stability in an ingredient matrix.

Prepared Foods talks dips, sauces and condiment trends with David Bezenyei, sales manager, Columbus Vegetable Oils. Based in Des Plaines, Ill., Columbus Vegetable Oils produces a wide range of sauces, dressings, condiments and oils for private label and contract manufacturing customers. Likewise, it supplies a Butcher Boy sauce line to foodservice operators.

Whether a hot condiment such as Tabasco, sriracha, or gochujang gets folded into the coating for hot and “sexy” chips or into a newly crafted fiery dip, or if the goal is a dressing, a splash, or a pour of flavorful expression, condiments are trending big.

Although there may be a pandemic-related slowdown, there’s no stopping new product development activity. To better help its readers with initial new product evaluation and development Prepared Foods asked Nancy Jo Seaton, owner and president of Seaton Food Consultants, to create a thought leadership series. Seaton has more than 30 years of food industry experience and most recently led global product evaluation for the Subway restaurants. She also has worked for such global food brands as Chiquita, Unilever and ConAgra.