I remember sitting in meetings at McVitie's, listening to the marketing team go back and forth. "We don't want to upset our core consumers, they love the product." And then, almost in the same breath: "But we also want to attract Gen Z and millennials."
Both things. At the same time. From the same ...
186. That is the number of trials it took to get this product right.
I know what you are thinking. That is absolutely insane. But when you are developing a plant-based barista drink from scratch with a clean-label brief, no allergens, no seed oils, no stabilisers, and working with a client who know...
I have just come back from the Food & Drink Expo at the NEC Birmingham, and I came back with so much to share.
I watched StickyBeak present their insights from Expo West 2026, one of the biggest food and drink trade shows in the world. Nine trends, some of them I expected but some of them genuinely...
When was the last time you really looked at your repeat purchase rate?
Not roughly. Not "I think it's okay." Really looked at it.
Because that number, more than your launch figures, more than your follower count, more than anything on your marketing dashboard, is the one that tells you the truth a...
I have tested some truly, truly challenging things in my career. Products that made my body physically react. Products where I had to take a step back, reset and think, right, where am I going to start with this? Today, I want to take you behind the scenes of what I'm actually doing when a functiona...
Your F&D Product Development Partner
FLAVOUR MOT
If you know your food or drink product has a taste issue and you don't know what to do, or if you want honest feedback from someone with over 10 years in food and flavour industries, start with the Flavour MOT.
Send me your product and within few days I will send you my expert feedback covering exactly what is working, what needs improving, and what the specific next steps are.
Investment: FREE
Turnaround: few days
Includes: expert feedback and clear next steps.
FLAVOUR DEVELOPMENT
If you already know what needs to change in your food or drink product and need someone to do the trials for you go straight to Flavour Development.
I go deep into your specific product, your target consumer's palate, and your category. I run as many trials as it takes in my own lab. I guide you through structured tasting sessions so your team can make decisions with confidence rather than personal preference. And I stay with you through the first production run so what comes out of the factory is exactly what we agreed together.
You leave with a validated flavour direction, a team that knows how to evaluate and brief flavour properly, and a product you are genuinely proud of.
Investment: £2,500-£7,000
Timeline: 1 to 3 months
Includes: flavour workshop, in-house trials, in-person guided tasting sessions, industrialisation support.
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If sales are slipping or reviews keep pointing to taste/flavour, it’s time to do something about it. Subscribe and get straight-to-the-point insights on how to fix flavour problems and futureproof your products.