Aligned with our customers› priorities
Understanding customers' priorities is key to support them in delivering products that address the desires, needs and motivations of consumers. With 30+ years in the food and beverages industry, Michael Malone, Head of Flavors and Fragrances, knows all too well what his customers need.
Based on your experience, what is the most critical challenge that your customers face? Our flavor and fragrance customers operate in a market requiring multiple thousands of ingredients where supply is often interrupted regularly due to uncontrollable external factors – such as weather, climate change, supply chain issues and many others. Their most critical challenge is predictability. Will they receive enough of the ingredient they need? Will it be delivered on time? And will it be of the high quality they expect? These are major uncertainties that our customers seeking premium quality aroma ingredients are frequently exposed to.
«Predictability is the most critical challenge that companies seeking premium quality flavor and fragrance ingredients are facing.»
Does our technology platform address all these uncertainties? Yes, it does. Ingredients made via fermentation are available at any time and scale, affordable and of consistent high quality. Availability, affordability and high quality are the three key pillars that interest our customers most. In addition, the ingredients are nature-based which is of growing interest and is evidenced by consumer trends towards healthier and more positive eating lifestyles.
Because of what you described above, are you seeing an increasing interest from customers? Healthier lifestyles and wellness are trends that have been a fundamental driver of change within our market segment, we expect these trends to continue, and very likely accelerate. The industry is evolving rapidly towards a healthier and more sustainable future and one that recognizes issues related to climate change. Consumers want to know and understand which ingredients are in the products they consume – which is why we are seeing an increase in interest from customers.
Historically it would have been rare for a consumer to read the ingredients listing on the package of a food or beverage product before placing it in the shopping basket. Consumers are now paying much more attention to the ingredients which are in food products and becoming more selective about what they purchase.