Creating the tastes of tomorrow with FlavourVision®
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
Peter Drucker, world renowned business strategist
He may well have been speaking of the shifting patterns in taste and flavour preferences.
Givaudan’s FlavourVision® is a future-focused programme that connects global markets with consumers, helping our customers to stay ahead of the game, transforming trends into flavours.
Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of FlavourVision®, Givaudan has launched an entirely revamped version of the programme that is truly industry leading. FlavourVision® 2018 reveals seven key consumer trends ranging from Crafted Identities to Risk Aware and Human Connection. These trends are brought to life with over 250 market examples including a fresh take on how health, identity, and enjoyment are translated into eating and drinking experiences.
In August 2020 Givaudan refreshed the programme with a new edition: FlavourVision® Refresh – Through a COVID-19 lens, to address the key changes brought by the pandemic. We have all seen how COVID-19 impacted in our daily routines, our work and family lives. This has also changed the trajectory of the FlavourVision® trends. The 2020 refreshed edition examines the existing global trends through a COVID-19 lens and helps describe how they have been altered while offering a perspective on the shifts that can be expected to remain well past the pandemic.
Key consumer trends
Crafted identities
As technology, social media, and globalisation widen their reach, people are willing to defy traditional definitions of identity and embrace more complex, fluid expressions of self beyond gender, race, and ethnicity. This translates into food choices driven by social causes/values; novelty, exotic flavours and flavour fusions, and food experiences worth sharing socially.
Layered wellness
People are leveraging heritage and high-tech solutions to address not only the physical, but also the mental, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of wellbeing. The increasing quantification of health is enabling more proactive wellness measures and driving consumer demand for functional foods, ‘better for you’ products and pure and simple ingredients lists.
Human connection
People are craving community and human connection even as they become more mobile and independent. Companies are responding by celebrating cultural heritage, craftsmanship, and provenance. This is translating into a demand for authentic flavours and cooking methods, food with a provenance or connected to a specific culture and sustainable and ethically sourced products.
Tailored expectations
Finding scale across niche opportunities is the new challenge in this world. It is easier than ever for consumers to find products and services to meet their unique needs. Advances in technology will allow consumers to quantify and communicate their needs, permitting trusted brands to provide the most relevant solutions. This trend links to high levels of diversification and niche food and drink products alongside personalised nutrition.
DelightFULL
With a sense of global uncertainty and the pressures of modern life, consumers are seeking moments of escape and meaningful indulgence, whether that’s a decadent dessert or a novel, shareable brand experience. This is translating into demand for multi-sensory eating experiences, indulgent ingredients and exotic tastes.
Risk aware
A constant barrage of conflicting information on health, global security, and the environment has left people feeling anxious and unsure of whom to trust. Consumers crave transparent, authentic communication from brands to be sure they’re making the right choice for themselves and their families. This is leading to increased interest in natural, organic and sustainable food, transparent labelling and minimally processed foods.
Augmented self
As consumers seek self-improvement they are increasingly open to experimenting, from ancient Ayurvedic remedies to emerging high-tech solutions. As sensing technologies and genomics advance, people will have access to more tools to meet their unique needs. This trend is leading consumers to seek out functional and fortified foods with physical, emotional and cognitive benefits.
The future is a difficult thing to predict, and the pace of change and diversity of consumer desire are forever gaining momentum. But when the food and beverages industry asks Givaudan: “What are the next winning flavours that my customers will want in the future?” we’re able to draw on FlavourVision® to deliver future focused and actionable innovation concepts, tailored to brand needs and backed by our technical expertise.