What's been on my mind a lot lately is something I keep noticing in conversations with food and drink brands owners. And I thought, you know what, I want to talk about this because I think it may be relevant for you too.

The question is, does your product actually taste the way you think it does?

Now, I'm not asking that question to scare you. I'm asking because I've noticed something really interesting and I want to share that with you.

Today, we are going to talk about blind spots.

Why Your Brain Can't Taste Your Product Objectively Anymore

So think about it for a second. How many times have you tested your own product? Hundreds, thousand times?

You've been living with it, developing, tweaking it for months, maybe years. You know every single version of it. You know the recipe inside out.

But here's the reality, and I actually think it's fascinating. The brain does something really interesting when you taste something over and over again. It starts having blind spots.

It gets so familiar with it that you can't actually taste it the same way you're tasting it for the first time.

But here's what I keep thinking about. You are the one that cares the most about the product. You've put your heart into it, your soul. You invested time, money, energy.

So of course you think your product is amazing. That is your baby.

But what does a person picking up and tasting for the first time will actually think? What are the blind spots you're not seeing anymore?

Because this is what will determine whether they come back for more or not.

The Orange and Mango That Wasn't

So I was at an event recently and after I finished my talk, a brand owner came to me. They were getting ready to pitch to retailers and investors. So you can imagine it was a very big moment for them.

So they asked if I would mind testing the product and telling them honestly what I was thinking.

So I tested two of their products and I found in both cases the same problem.

One of them was an orange and mango and the orange was absolutely incredible. It really was tasting like a fresh orange juice. It was so juicy, so zesty, absolutely incredible.

But the mango, non-existent, absolutely non-existent. It wasn't there at all.

And the second product was lemon and raspberry. Again, the lemon was so fresh, so juicy and zesty. The raspberry, I could pick up some other fruit, but I couldn't tell what fruit it was and certainly not raspberry.

And what really struck me was this founder was just about to walk into the room with retailers and investors and say, try this orange and mango or try this lemon and raspberry product.

And if the person involved in the tasting thinks the same thing as I did, that you couldn't taste the mango and you couldn't taste the raspberry, that this doesn't match what the label says. They're going to be like me. They're going to be disappointed.

It's Not Just About Missing Flavours

So maybe you're listening to this and you think, oh no, it's not going to happen to me. It's completely different. And maybe you're right.

But I think it's worth exploring, you know, because it's not just about the flavours that are missing.

It can be other things that are happening and you stop noticing because you've been way too close to the product.

So maybe there are notes that aren't quite working. Maybe the balance feels off and you can't really put your finger on what it is. Maybe the flavour is actually doing something different than what you're expecting in your base and you didn't have the chance to actually step back and realise it.

The Earthy Snack That Built Up

I had another founder at this event who had a savoury snack and he came to me asking me exactly the same question.

The snack was beautiful. It was so crunchy and I am a cruncher. So I love that. But it was made from ancient grains and the problem with that is it was very earthy.

So what they did was to look at what was selling the most in their category. So in the savoury snack aisle, for example. So you know you have your sour cream and chive, you have your salt and vinegar, you have your just salted.

And they went for the most popular flavours because they are proven to be working, right?

And some of the flavours worked actually quite well with the base and was masking some of the earthy notes. But the just salted, for example, didn't cut the chase. It was so earthy and it was building up.

Remember, it's a snack. So it's something that is moreish and you want to keep on eating it. So the more I had some of it, the more I felt like I can't have more than this because it builds up in your mouth this earthy note.

And this is what I told them, that if people will have even just the tiny bag, you want them to keep on munching, you want them to keep on enjoying it because it's moreish. And at the moment, it's way too earthy for that to happen.

So I just recommended them, for example, to take another flavour than just salted. Something else that cut through the earthiness and helped mask it.

Why We All Need Fresh Perspectives

And I think that's something we all experience. We are way too close to our own work and sometimes we just need someone to just help us have a little bit more perspective and see things differently.

So it doesn't mean anything was wrong in their product. It just means they maybe needed a fresh perspective and how valuable that is.

This is exactly why I created the Flavour MOT. You send me your product, I taste it objectively as a first-time consumer would, and I give you a clear diagnosis of what's working, what's not, and exactly what needs to change. Book your Flavour MOT here.

What You Can Actually Do About This

So if you're listening to this and you're thinking, "Okay, that's interesting, but what can I actually do with this information?"

Here are a few things that can be helpful.

Get Feedback from Your Actual Target Consumers

The first thing, which is the most powerful, is getting feedback from your actual target consumers. I didn't say just customers, your target customers.

So if you don't have customers yet, try to go on the street and try to have your target consumers' feedback. Again, not every feedback, try to have it targeted to your audience.

Where do they do their shopping? Where are you sure you can find them?

And I know family and friends are obviously the easy and sometimes the first option. They are right here. It's very easy to access them and they want to support you and to help you.

But they're not always going to be very truthful because some of them will not want to hurt your feelings. They may not want to be as harsh as what they would actually want to say if it was someone else.

And also they may not be your target audience.

Where to Find Your Target Consumers

So if you can get your product in front of your target consumers, maybe it can be a pop-up somewhere in a retailer or in a shopping centre, in a farmer's market, anything like that. This is where you're going to have very valuable data.

Again, don't forget you can't please everyone. So focus on your target audience.

Turn Consumers Into Your R&D Team

What I always find valuable is you make people participate and part of your R&D team almost.

So if you really explain what you're trying to do, rather than just focusing on selling your product on a farmer's market, for example, try to see it as market research and ask people for their really honest feedback.

Explain to them that you are developing the recipe at the moment, that you're not sure which sample to choose. So maybe you can give them two or three versions of the product you are developing right now.

And see it as market research, ask them which one they prefer. Involve them in the decision. This is how you're going to get even more valuable feedback because the focus is not, I don't want to hurt the feelings of the person in front of me.

Now they have to be honest because they are actually participating. They have the responsibility to help you decide which flavour is best, for example.

And you can do exactly the same with your current consumers. Get people involved in your development. This is how I found the most valuable and the most motivating way to have actual valuable data.

The Awareness Is the First Step

So this is something that came up again and again in conversations with food and drink brand owners.

So if you're thinking about, "hmm, I wonder what my product tastes like for someone that tasted it for the first time." That is a really good question to ask yourself.

And that awareness is honestly the first step.

Getting real feedback from your target consumers or experts like myself or other development agencies. This is the best way to find out what really is going on in your product and what are your blind spots.

Learn more about my Flavour MOT service. 

Get an Objective Diagnosis of Your Product

If you're wondering whether your food product or drink product actually tastes the way you think it does, the Flavour MOT gives you that fresh perspective.

You send me your product ahead of time, and I:

• Taste and evaluate it objectively as a first-time consumer would
• Analyse its flavour profile, texture, and overall sensory balance
• Identify the blind spots you can't see anymore
• Outline your next best flavour steps in a clear, actionable report

This is the diagnosis that food and drink brands need before they pitch to retailers, before they reformulate, or before they invest more time and money into product development.

Book your Flavour MOT now and find out what your product really tastes like to someone experiencing it for the first time.

Because the blind spots you can't see are the ones costing you customers.