Is your food or drink product getting negative reviews about the taste? Are sales slowing down and you're not sure why? Or maybe you're about to pitch to retailers or investors and you just need to know, honestly, that your product is ready? As a flavour expert and food product development consultant, I meet food and drink brand owners in exactly this situation: at events, through my website, or through this podcast. They're stressed, they're stuck, and they're all asking me the same thing: can you taste my product and tell me what's going on? In this episode of The Food Lab Podcast, I'm sharing two real stories, a marine collagen brand who thought they had a sweetness problem (they didn't), and a savoury snack founder who was choosing flavours the wrong way around entirely. Both had the same thing in common: they were solving the wrong problem. And nobody had told them. This is exactly why I created the Flavour MOT: a fast, affordable, expert flavour health check for established food and drink brands. No months-long commitment. No massive investment. Just clear, objective, professional feedback you can act on immediately, and the peace of mind to move forward with confidence. Whether you're getting negative reviews about your product's taste, something feels off but you can't identify it, or you're walking into a retailer or investor pitch and want expert reassurance before you do, the Flavour MOT gives you clarity, fast. In this episode you'll learn: ● Why the most common flavour fix actually makes the problem worse ● How your brain creates a perception of sweetness even when there's zero sugar in your product ● The real reason your masking flavour isn't working, and what to do instead ● Who the Flavour MOT is for and when you actually need it If your food or drink product isn't performing the way it should, this episode is for you. 🎙️ Listen to #13 here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/epicsi/episodes/12-Does-Your-Product-Actually-Taste-the-Way-You-Think---The-Blind-Spot-Problem-e3f5ei9 🔗 Book your Flavour MOT (25% off with code MOT26, for the first 10 spots only): https://www.epicsi.co.uk/flavour-MOT 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. Research shows flavour is the #1 driver of repeat purchase. Get it right, customers return. Get it wrong, they don't. 👋 Connect with me directly on Instagram , LinkedIn, YouTube or via my website.
