2025 has been a year of incredible learning, challenging projects, and some hard-won lessons about what really works when it comes to flavour strategy. And if you're a food and drink brand launching something new in 2026 or struggling with a product that's not performing, these insights might just save you months of back and forth. This year, I worked on some of the most challenging projects I've ever taken on. A 16-month plant-based barista milk that had to foam properly, stay stable in coffee, and use only clean-label ingredients. Functional products with earthy, bitter, fishy bases that required thinking completely outside the box. And I kept hearing the same thing from brands: "I wish I'd found you sooner. We've received a lot of samples from our supplier/co-manufacturer and we're not getting anywhere." Here's what I realised. Food and drink brands know they need flavours, but they don't know there's a strategic process for selecting the right flavour profile for their specific base. They think it's just "ask for vanilla" or "add some fruit juice concentrate" and that's it. But a vanilla is not just a vanilla. In this episode, I share: Why I simplified from 9 services to 3 (Create, Choose, Fix)The brands I love working with (clean label, plant-based, functional, allergen-free)What I learned from 16 months developing a barista milk from scratchWhy brands come to me after wasting hundreds of samples elsewhereThe gap in understanding that's costing brands time and moneyWhat's coming in 2026 (guest interviews, webinars, and more ways to connect)Thank you for being part of this journey. Let's make 2026 even better. If you found this episode helpful, leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on whatever platform you're listening to this podcast. Your review genuinely helps this podcast grow and makes it more visible to other food and drink brands who are struggling with the same challenges you might be facing. 🙏 💌 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Every week, I break down the biggest challenges in food and drink product development and show you exactly how to solve them. No fluff, just practical insights from real projects with real brands. 👋 I'm Manon Galizzi, a flavour expert and food scientist with 10+ years in the industry, including training at a flavour house and working with iconic brands like McVitie's, Yeo Valley, Burger King, and Jacob's. I founded EPICSI to help UK food and drink brands nail their flavour strategy and choose the best flavour profile, especially for challenging formulations.If your sales are declining due to taste complaints, I diagnose what's wrong and rebuild your flavour profile. If you're launching functional or plant-based products struggling with bitter, fishy, or earthy notes from marine collagen, plant proteins, or adaptogens, I help you choose flavours that actually mask or complement those notes. I specialise in clean-label, additives-free, plant-based, and functional food product development. Unlike generic flavour houses or co-manufacturers, I provide custom flavour language training, run extensive trials (up to 200 per project), and guide you through every tasting and decision. Research shows flavour is the #1 driver of repeat purchase. Get it right, customers return. Get it wrong, they don't. Each episode shares practical strategies for food and drink product development, flavour selection, and fixing products that aren't performing. 👋 Connect with me directly on Instagram , LinkedIn, YouTube or via my website.
