The Food Lab

186 trials. That is what it took to develop this plant-based barista drink from scratch. A clean label brief, no allergens, no seed oils, no stabilisers, and a client who knew exactly what she wanted.In this episode, I am pulling back the curtain on the entire journey. The technical challenges, the mistakes I made, the partners who completely let us down, and the intellectual property lesson every food founder needs to know before signing anything with a contract manufacturer.If you are thinking about developing a drink product right now, or you are already in the process, this episode could save you months of work and a lot of money.In this episode:▪️ Why 186 trials is actually okay▪️ The brief: clean label, no allergens, no stabilisers▪️ Tasting 12 plant-based barista drinks in a London coffee shop▪️ The flavour pairing challenge (and why buttery was an immediate no-go)▪️ The foam disaster (it looked like a bubble bath)▪️ How to stop your proteins curdling in coffee▪️ The MOQ mistake that cost me 6 months of work▪️ The pilot plant that turned out to be a complete scam▪️ Why additives are NOT always the solution (a food science myth)▪️ The intellectual property trap: what I have seen happen to food founders▪️The 4 questions you must ask your contract manufacturer before signing anything🔗 ⁠⁠⁠Book your Flavour MOT today⁠⁠⁠ If you found this episode helpful, leave me a comment and follow The Food Lab Podcast!💌 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠to receive every week directly in your inbox the biggest challenges in food and drink product development and how to solve them. 👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram (@⁠epicsi.uk) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn (Manon Galizzi)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or via my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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.

What happens at Expo West in the US typically arrives in the UK two to three years later. Following the Food & Drink Expo at the NEC Birmingham, I am sharing the nine key trends from Expo West 2026 that will reshape our industry.In this episode, we explore why fibre is moving beyond gut health and how convenience is beginning to outweigh health claims for the busy consumer. We also dive into the "all in one" functional drink shift and the surprising resurgence of dairy and meat.A significant part of this discussion focuses on how GLP-1 medications are changing buying habits in the UK. I look at how brands like Marks & Spencer and Greggs are already adapting with nutrient dense and smaller portion options.Most importantly, I discuss the one thing these trends often overlook, which is the flavour. As a food scientist and flavour expert, I explain why taste remains the number one driver for repeat purchases, regardless of the latest health trend.I am Manon Galizzi. I help food and drink brands solve the flavour problems that are costing them repeat sales.In this episode:• The growth of fibre and the GLP-1 connection• Why convenience is beating health in the US• The "Real" food movement and clean label demands• Why Gen Z is moving away from caffeine• The protein saturation point• Creatine moving into the mainstream for women• The rise of the multi-benefit functional beverage• Why meat and dairy are making a comeback• How to develop products for the GLP-1 consumer👇 Which of these nine trends surprised you the most? Let me know in the comments.🔗 ⁠⁠Book your Flavour MOT today⁠⁠ If you found this episode helpful, leave me a comment and follow EPICSI YouTube channel!💌 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠⁠⁠ ⁠to receive every week directly in your inbox the biggest challenges in food and drink product development and how to solve them. 👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram (@⁠epicsi.uk) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn (Manon Galizzi)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or via my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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.

Imagine having a brilliant food or drink product and a genuinely good supplier or contract-manufacturer, yet spending months—and thousands of pounds—stuck in a loop of terrible samples.In this episode, I break down the story of two drink brands (one vegan supplement/protein and one marine collagen) that hit a wall despite doing everything "right." If you feel like you're burning time and money waiting for samples that never hit the mark, this is a must-watch.Inside this episode:• The Shared Wall: Why different brands and different suppliers hit the exact same development trap.• The 3 Root Causes: The hidden reasons you’re stuck in an endless loop of feedback and frustration.• What Flavour Houses Actually Need: The missing piece of information you aren't giving your suppliers.• The "Game-Changer": The one shift in your approach that fixes your flavour profile and gets you to launch.Stop the cycle of wasted samples and start getting the product your brand deserves.🔗 ⁠Book your Flavour MOT today⁠ If you found this episode helpful, leave me a comment and follow EPICSI YouTube channel!💌 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠⁠⁠ to receive every week directly in your inbox the biggest challenges in food and drink product development and how to solve them. 👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram (@⁠epicsi.uk) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn (Manon Galizzi)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or via my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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.

Do you know how many of your customers actually come back and buy your food product again? Not roughly. Really. Because repeat purchase is the number that tells you the truth. Last week I spoke at the Nourish conference organised by the Tastebuds Collective, and I heard something that anchored what I think about what actually drives food and drink repeat purchase. Spoiler: it's not your packaging. It's not your brand story. It's not even getting onto shelf.So what is it? And why are so many food and drink founders getting this wrong?In this episode, I share:• The biggest industry shifts happening in 2026• What a school chef taught us about what customers really respond to• Why functional brands struggle between product development and scale-up• The one thing most brands are too close to their product to seeIf you're struggling with repeat purchase, this episode will change how you approach your food or drink product.You need help with the flavours of your product(s) but you don't know where to start? 🔗 ⁠⁠Book your Flavour MOT⁠⁠ today If you found this episode helpful, leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on whatever platform you're listening to this podcast!💌 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive every week directly in your inbox the biggest challenges in food and drink product development and how to solve them. 👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 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.

You know your functional product has a taste challenge. The earthy notes, the bitterness, that lingering fishy aftertaste that just will not go away. You know it. But you are not quite sure where to start, or what a proper process even looks like.In this episode, I am taking you behind the scenes of exactly what happens when a functional food or drink brand brings me their product and says, this doesn't taste great, can you help?From the moment I open the product and taste the raw base, to the flavour workshop, to the full day of trials with my client, this is what the process actually looks like, the unglamorous, spreadsheet-heavy, nose-wrinkling reality of it.In this episode:What I am actually doing when I taste a product for the first time, and why that first tasting tells me everythingThe difference between "I don't like it" and feedback that actually moves your product forwardWhy I do up to 200 trials per project, and what I am looking for in each oneWhat a flavour workshop really looks like, and how it gets your whole team alignedThe moment in every project when the energy in the room completely shiftsIf you already know your product has a taste problem and you want to understand what a structured process looks like, this one is for you.🔗 ⁠Book your Flavour MOT⁠ (25% off with code MOT26 (only few spots left!) If you found this episode helpful, leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on whatever platform you're listening to this podcast!💌 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠⁠⁠ to receive every week directly in your inbox the biggest challenges in food and drink product development and how to solve them. 👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 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.

You have been going back and forth with your supplier or your contract manufacturer for months. You keep getting the samples, you do the testing, and every single time at the end of the tasting session you have things like, I don't know, I'm not sure, let's ask for more options.And you go back to square one again.This episode is about one of the main reasons your food or drink product development keeps going in circles. And I can tell you right now, it is not what you think.In this episode you will learn:● Why "I like it" and "I don't like it" is costing you months of back and forth with your supplier● The two dynamics that are killing your tasting sessions, the silent ones and the loud ones● How to create a tasting culture that actually produces useful, actionable data● What a flavour lexicon is and why it changes everything● Why none of this works without a proper flavour strategy behind itThis episode is also a little bit special. I recorded it as part of Podcasthon, a global charity event where podcasters around the world dedicate an episode to a cause they care about. The cause I am supporting is Cancer Research UK, because I think we have all lost someone we love way too soon because of cancer. The donation link is in the show notes below.If your team keeps leaving tasting sessions with no clear direction, this episode is for you.💛 ⁠Donate to Cancer Research UK⁠🎙️ Listen to the previous episode here 🔗 Book your Flavour MOT If you found this episode helpful, leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on whatever platform you're listening to this podcast!💌 ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠⁠⁠ to receive every week directly in your inbox the biggest challenges in food and drink product development and how to solve them. 👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 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.

You had an amazing day at the market. People tried your product, they loved it, they told you it was brilliant. You drove home thinking, this is working.But here's the thing. Most food and drink founders in that exact moment never ask the one question that could completely change the way they see that day.In this episode, I am talking about something I see all the time with established food and drink brands, something that feels like confidence but is actually quietly killing your repeat purchases. It is called the echo chamber effect. And the scary part? You probably do not even know you are in one.In this episode:Why the feedback you collect at events is almost always biased (and what you are missing without realising)The difference between someone buying your product once and someone becoming a loyal customerWhy health benefits alone will never be enough to drive repeat purchaseTwo things you can do right now to get objective, honest data on what your product actually tastes likeWhy the brands that struggle most are not the ones who asked for help too early🔗 Book your Flavour MOT (25% off with code MOT26 (only few spots left!) If you found this episode helpful, leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on whatever platform you're listening to this podcast!💌 ⁠⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠⁠ to receive every week directly in your inbox the biggest challenges in food and drink product development and how to solve them. 👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ or via my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 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.

What if you could know exactly what's wrong with your food or drink product flavour, and exactly how to fix it, in just one week? No guessing. No months of back and forth with suppliers. Just clear, expert answers, fast.In this episode of The Food Lab Podcast, I'm taking you fully behind the scenes of the Flavour MOT, my expert flavour health check for established food and drink brands. I'm walking you through every single step, what I'm analysing, what you get, and how you can use that information straight away.Because here's the thing. A lot of food and drink brand owners don't actually need a six-month formulation project. Sometimes you just need to know quickly if there is actually a problem, something maybe you're not even aware of yet.In this episode, I walk you through:● The exact process I follow when I receive your product● Why I taste your ingredients separately, and what I'm actually looking for● The traffic light system I use in every single report● Why positioning matters just as much as taste● How to decide how much support you actually need after your reportIf your product isn't performing the way it should, this episode is for you.🎙️ Listen to #13 (why I created the Flavour MOT) here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/epicsi🔗 Book your Flavour MOT (25% off with code MOT26 — first 10 spots only): https://www.epicsi.co.uk/flavour-MOTIf 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.

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 itIf 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.

Here's a question that might make you uncomfortable: does your product actually taste the way you think it does?If you're a food and drink brand developing products, you've probably tasted your own product hundreds, maybe thousands of times. You know every version, every tweak, every ingredient change. You know the recipe inside out.But here's what I keep noticing with food and drink brands I speak to: the more you taste something, the more blind spots you develop. Your brain gets so familiar with it that you literally can't taste it the same way someone tasting it for the first time would.I was at an event recently where a founder was about to pitch to retailers and investors. They asked me to taste their products honestly. One was orange and mango. The orange? Absolutely incredible, so fresh and juicy. The mango? Completely missing. The second product was lemon and raspberry. Again, amazing lemon, but I couldn't taste raspberry at all.And they were about to walk into a room and say "try this orange and mango" when the mango wasn't even there. That's a blind spot. And it could have cost them everything.In this episode, I share:● Why your brain develops blind spots when you taste your own product repeatedly● Real examples from brands about to pitch (missing flavours, earthy notes building up)● Why family and friends won't give you honest feedback● How to get valuable data from your actual target consumers● The difference between selling at a farmer's market vs. using it for market research● Why involving consumers in your R&D gets you the most honest feedbackThis awareness is honestly the first step. Getting real feedback from your target consumers or experts is the best way to find out what's really going on in your product. 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.

You've done the trials. The product is really good. But you're not launching. Because what if it could be better? What if it's not perfect yet?Here's the truth: it will never be perfect. And waiting for perfection is keeping your product off shelves while your competitors are building their customer base.In this episode:Real client story: When personal preference nearly killed a launchWhy "perfect" is costing you thousands in lost revenueThe 5-question readiness checklist to know if you should launchLaunch and learn: Why you'll need to tweak after launch anyway (and that's okay)How to tell the difference between "not ready" and "not perfect" 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.

Your product was perfect. Then suddenly it doesn't taste the same anymore. What happened? Nine times out of ten, someone in your supply chain switched suppliers without telling your R&D team. Because "it's the same ingredient on paper." Except it's not. In this episode:- Real client story: How a cocoa powder switch undid 6 months of development work in weeks- Why "same ingredient on paper" ≠ same in your product- The hidden costs of switching suppliers without testing- How to protect your product from procurement decisions that destroy taste- The one diagnostic question to ask when your product changes  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.

That "free flavour development" from your flavour house or contract manufacturer? It might be the most expensive decision you make.After working inside a flavour house, I'm sharing what really happens when smaller brands rely on free development, and why it often ends up costing thousands in wasted time, delayed launches, and underperforming products.In this episode:- The 5 hidden costs of free flavour development nobody tells you about- Why 6 months of "free" samples can cost more than strategic guidance upfront- When free development makes sense (and when it absolutely doesn't)- The IP trap that leaves brands stuck with their co-manufacturer- Real cost comparison: free vs strategic flavour work 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.

We spent months perfecting a clean-label plant-based product. No additives. No seed oils. No compromises. Then we booked a pilot plant run with a food scientist who, within minutes, tried to convince my client to add everything we'd worked to avoid.This is the story of what happened when traditional food science thinking clashed with clean-label values, and why we proved them completely wrong.In this episode:• Real client story: How a food scientist dismissed clean-label as "impossible" without even tasting the product• Why traditional food science training creates an additives-first mindset• The 4 pilot runs that proved clean-label can work (without compromising)• Red flags when working with food scientists and production facilities• How to protect your brand values when "experts" try to talk you out of them 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.

Pineapple is flavour of the year. Gochujang is trending. Functional ingredients are everywhere. But should you jump on these trends?Maybe. But only if they fit YOUR product base, brand, and consumers. Because chasing trends without strategy is how brands waste thousands launching products that flop.In this episode:• 7 major flavour and consumer trends shaping 2026 (from fermented flavours to healthy ageing)• Why "trendy" doesn't mean "right for your product"• The 3-step framework to evaluate if a trend is worth pursuing• Real examples: When trends work vs. when they destroy products• The critical warning every brand needs before chasing flavour of the year 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.

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.

I have created something special for you! If you are tired of doing endless back and forth with your supplier and still not understanding why your product isn't performing, Download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free step-by-step guide based on the process I use with my clients. It shows you exactly what's wrong with your flavours and how to fix it, so you can stop guessing and start acting.Your product launched a few years ago with all the "safe" flavours: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, caramel. It did well at first. But now sales are slipping, competitors are catching up, and you're thinking... these are popular flavours. They should be working. What's going on?If you're a food and drink brand experiencing declining sales and you've already tried going back to your flavour house (back and forth, more samples, nothing's making a difference), this case study is for you.I recently worked with a plant-based protein brand facing exactly this situation. It took 150 trials across their six flavours to fix it, but we got it right. And what we discovered completely changed how they think about flavours.Here's the thing: they were asking the wrong question. Instead of "which flavours are most popular?" they should have been asking "which flavour profile will actually work with my base?"In this episode, I walk you through:The biggest mistake food and drink brands make when choosing flavoursWhy their Madagascan vanilla tasted like Play-Doh (I'm not joking)The exact process I used to fix all six flavours (from my Fix package)How we ran structured workshops to identify the right flavour profilesWhy "chocolate brownie" and "banana bread" emerged naturally from tasting sessionsThe four common mistakes food and drink brands make with flavour housesYou don't need luck. You need a proper flavour strategy. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products.We made it! This is the final episode of my 30-day podcast challenge, and I'm doing something different today, answering YOUR questions about product development, flavours, and everything in between.If you're a food and drink brand struggling with product development decisions, wondering how to choose the right flavours, or curious about what's coming next in the industry, this episode is packed with answers.I've been getting so many messages from listeners asking about my services, about flavour trends, about the biggest mistakes brands make, so let's tackle them all in one place. Honestly, these are the questions I wish more brands would ask before they waste time and money going in the wrong direction.In this Q&A episode, I cover:My three service packages explained: Create, Choose, and Fix (and what's included in each)The #1 mistake food and drink brands makeThe 5 biggest flavour trends for 2026My step-by-step process for choosing the right flavour for your next launchWhy "I like it" doesn't help product development at allWhat new affordable services I'm creating for 2025 (I want YOUR input!)Thank you for following along this entire challenge. Your support means everything 🙏. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products.Someone on your team just tasted your product and said, "It doesn't taste like strawberry. but I don't have a good palate anyway".Sound familiar? I've been there, in fact, it happened just last week with a client. And honestly, when your team can't describe what they're tasting, product development becomes impossible. You can't brief suppliers, you can't make clear decisions, and you're stuck going in circles.If you're a food and drink brand struggling with confused tasting sessions, whether you're developing new products, choosing the right flavour profile, or fixing flavours that aren't working, this episode will change everything.The problem isn't about having a "good palate" or a "bad palate." It's about your brain trying to match what you're tasting to your personal memory of what strawberry (or any flavour) should taste like. And when it doesn't match? Your brain just says "it is not a strawberry."In this episode, I'll share:Why everyone's perception of flavours is completely differentThe 3 non-negotiable rules for better tastingsThe exact exercise I use with clients to lock in your flavour directionHow to train your team to separate personal taste from objective tastingWhy "I like it" doesn't help product development at allStop judging. Start describing. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products."I have a terrible palate. I can't taste anything properly."I hear this all the time from food and drink brands, and honestly? It's complete rubbish. You absolutely CAN learn how to taste better and if you're running a food or drink business, you need to.Whether you're developing plant-based products, launching functional foods, or trying to improve your flavour profile, knowing how to properly taste and describe what's in front of you is essential. And it's a skill your whole team can learn.I've been there, working with brands who felt intimidated by tasting sessions or didn't know how to articulate what they were experiencing. But once they understood how their brain actually works, everything changed.In this episode, I'll cover:Why your brain isn't naturally designed to describe flavours preciselyThe truth about "super tasters" How to create a respectful tasting culture in your teamWhat flavour lexicons are and how they work (I create bespoke ones for my clients!)Using memories and emotions to remember flavours fasterThe mindfulness practice that transforms your palate over timeWhy "I like it" and "I hate it" are useless comments in product developmentStop saying you have a bad palate. Start training your brain instead. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products."How long do you think this will take?"It's the question I get asked most often by food and drink brands. And honestly? The answer is almost always longer than they expect. But here's the truth, if you want to create an amazing product that stays on retail shelves, it takes time.I've been there, watching timelines stretch because we discovered something in scale-up, or because finding the right flavour profile took more trials than expected. And that's completely normal in product development.If you're a food and drink brand planning your next launch (or trying to fix an existing product), this episode will give you realistic expectations for your timeline, from concept to shelf. Whether you're working on plant-based products, functional foods, or trying to improve your flavouring, understanding the real timeline is crucial.In this episode, I'll break down:My three packages: Create (12-18 months), Choose (6-12 months), Fix (6-12 months)Milestone 1: Defining your product brief (and why pre-selection matters)Milestone 2: Kitchen sample validation (yes, I've done 200+ trials for one project!)Milestone 3: Scaling up with your contract manufacturer (and why you can't skip this step)Why your scaled product will NEVER be exactly like your kitchen sampleThe back-and-forth, tastings, and tweaking that go into every successful launchStop rushing. Start planning properly. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products.Today's episode is a bit different. I'm pulling back the curtain on my journey from corporate food scientist to consultant, and honestly, it's been one hell of a ride.If you're a food and drink brand wondering who you're really working with when you hire a product development partner, this episode is for you. Because the way I work, the boundaries I set, and the clients I choose to work with, it all comes from what I've learned about myself on this journey.I used to say yes to everything. I'd take on any client, any project, even when it wasn't the right fit. But I've learned that the best work happens when there's alignment, when we're both working towards products that taste amazing, use clean-label ingredients, and are good for people and the planet.In this episode, I share:Why I left the corporate world (hint: too many pointless meetings!)How I learned to set boundaries and say no, even to big moneyThe clients I love working with (curious, values-led, want to learn)Why I simplified from 9 services to just 3 (Create, Choose, Fix)Letting go of perfectionism in content creation (no one cares about perfect Instagram grids!)Transitioning from employee mindset to being the captain of my own shipThis is who I am. This is why I do what I do. And this is who I want to work with. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products.Chocolate. Strawberry. Vanilla. Caramel. These are the flavours everyone says they want, right? So you add them to your food or drink product, launch it, and... nobody buys it twice. Sales drop. Reviews complain about the taste. And you're left wondering what went wrong.I've been there, actually, I nearly lost my mind trying to fix vanilla and strawberry for a client because they were the wrong flavours to begin with. And honestly, this is one of the biggest mistakes I see food and drink brands make.If you're developing plant-based or functional food or drink products that taste earthy, bitter, or fishy, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew about "safe" flavours. Because picking popular flavours doesn't guarantee success, especially when they clash with your product base.Your flavouring needs to fit and complement your product base, not fight against it. That's how you build repeat customers, not one-time buyers.In this episode, we'll cover:Why "safe" popular flavours often clash with functional and plant-based productsThe funnel strategy: lots of one-time buyers vs. fewer loyal repeat customersWhy taste is the #1 reason for repeat purchase (not trends or marketing)How to choose a flavour profile that actually works with your productA real example of why vanilla and strawberry were my biggest nightmareStop guessing. Start choosing flavours that actually fit your product. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products.You've spent weeks perfecting your lab sample. The flavour profile is spot-on, the balance is beautiful, everyone loves it. Then you get the scaled-up version from your co-manufacturer and... it's completely different. Too sweet. Flavours have disappeared. The whole thing feels off.Sound familiar? I've been there more times than I can count, and honestly, it's one of the most frustrating parts of food product development.If you're a food and drink brand working with a contract manufacturer or doing the production in-house, this episode will save you time, money, and a lot of stress. Understanding why scaling up changes everything and how to plan for it is crucial for any FMCG.Your lab sample isn't just a recipe you can copy-paste at scale. It's a delicate equilibrium. And when you disrupt that balance through different equipment, processes, and ingredient interactions, your flavour profile changes too.In this episode, we'll cover:Why your scaled product never tastes exactly like your lab sample (it's normal!)How sweetness, flavouring, and base ingredients shift during scale-upWhy you can't just "decrease the sweetness" without consequencesHow to plan for testing and tweakingPractical tips to minimize surprises and protect your budgetDon't panic, plan ahead instead. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products.Ever wondered why your flavouring tastes completely different in one recipe versus another? You're using the same amount, the same brand but somehow it just doesn't work the same way. If you're a food and drink brand developing products and struggling to get your flavour profile right, this episode will be a game-changer. If you are doing product development in-house, understanding how your ingredients affect flavouring is absolutely essential.Your recipe isn't just a list of ingredients. It's an equilibrium. And tiny changes in moisture, fat, sweetness, or saltiness completely transform how your flavours come through and how your consumers experience them.In this episode, we'll cover:Why dry products trap flavours (and what to do about it)How fat delays flavour release — and why chocolate needs to melt slowlyThe shocking impact of sweetness and saltiness on flavour intensityLiquid vs. solid products: completely different tasting experiencesHow to think about your recipe as a balanced systemStop guessing. Start understanding your product from the inside out. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products.Ever sat in a food or drink product tasting where no one says a word? Or worse, one loud voice drowns everyone else out and suddenly you're second-guessing everything? I've been there and honestly, it's one of the most frustrating parts of food product development.If you're a food and drink brand struggling to make confident decisions during tastings, this episode is for you. Whether you're fixing a failing product, choosing the right flavour profile for a new launch, or just trying to get constructive feedback you need a tasting culture that actually works.As an F&B development consultant, I've seen how bad tastings lead to delayed launches, wasted batches, and products that miss the mark. But it doesn't have to be this way.In this episode, we'll cover:Why silence and "big mouths" are sabotaging your tastingsHow to create a respectful tasting culture (it starts at the top!)Why everyone's palate is different — and that's actually a good thingThe role of your target consumer in making final decisionsPractical tips to get objective, useful data from every tastingLet's fix your tastings so you can move faster and launch with confidence. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products.Got this question on Instagram: "My functional food product isn't selling. What should I do?" Here's the truth: if people bought your product once or twice and then stopped buying, the number one reason is ALWAYS taste and flavour. Nothing else. Not your branding, not your packaging, focus on the taste of your product.People want healthier and more functional products with tons of health benefits, but if your product doesn't taste good, they won't buy it again. Remember: you're not selling medicine. You can't get away with bad taste. You're selling a food or drink product, and people buy them for enjoyment, to fulfil an emotion, as a pick-me-up, or to give as gifts (Christmas is coming soon!).In this episode, you'll discover:The real reason functional products fail: one of my clients sold plant-based, clean label sports nutrition for 10+ years with great sales, until the market got saturated and health benefits alone weren't enough anymoreWhy having health benefits at the centre of your messaging is not enough for repeat purchases The three most common flavour problems killing functional productsMy process for fixing your productIf you're a functional food or drink brand struggling with sales and repeat purchases, this episode will show you exactly how to fix your product and why flavour can never be secondary to health benefits. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products."Just take the emotion out of your product", I know, easier said than done, right? This is your baby. Maybe it's your grandma's recipe, a family heirloom passed down through generations, or you've spotted a massive gap in the UK market with a trend from another country. There's always going to be emotional attachment, and that's completely normal. But here's the reality: if you want to succeed in the UK, you may have to adapt to the British palate, and that means compromise.I've spoken with SO many food and drink founders who brought their culture into the products they wanted to sell in the UK: Sri Lankan, Jamaican, North African, and more. They all started with family recipes, and they all told me the same thing: they realised very quickly they needed to adapt to reach a wider audience.In this episode, you'll discover:Why you can't completely remove emotion (and the frustration that comes with product development), but you MUST stay objectiveThe brilliant strategy one Jamaican drink business owner used to target both audiencesHow to be crystal clear on who your target consumers are (not your family, not your friends, not yourself)Why you need to ask your target consumers directly for their opinion, and here's the hard part, actually LISTEN to their feedbackThe compromises you might have to make on flavours that are very familiar to you (but unfamiliar to your UK consumers)If you're bringing a family recipe or a trend from another country to the UK market, this episode will show you how to keep your target consumers front and centre and adapt your product so thousands of loyal customers keep buying it again and again. 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.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products.I still remember that massive tasting at the flavour house when vegan became popular, sweet and savoury products everywhere. And at the end? We all had the same conversation: every single product was trying to copy something that already existed. Vegan steak, vegan ham, vegan chicken, vegan pudding - all trying to replicate the exact same taste and texture. And guess what? They all failed. The texture was wrong, the flavours were wrong, it was just very unpleasant.And it's EXACTLY the same problem with non-HFSS products. And here's the kicker: these are treat products! They're pick-me-ups, they fulfil an emotional and mental need. But these reformulated versions just leave you with an unsatisfying taste compared to the original.In this episode, you'll discover:Why trying to replicate existing products with vegan or non-HFSS versions is scientifically impossibleThe shocking truth about some plant-based products that everyone thought were "healthy", were full of additives, fat, and sugar just to make them palatableWhy big food brands lost MILLIONS on non-HFSS productsThe real reason consumers are going back to eating meat after giving up on plant-based substitutesWhat you should be doing instead: creating something NEW, nutritious, and interesting rather than a disappointing copyIf you're a food and drink business struggling with non-HFSS or if you're a plant-based brand trying to mimic meat or dairy, this episode will show you why that strategy is setting you up to fail, and what to do instead to actually succeed. 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.

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products."Can you send me a few vanilla flavours?" If this is how you're briefing your flavour house, you're doing it wrong, and I'm telling you from experience because I've worked on both sides of this mess.I've seen this exact problem again and again: when I worked in a flavour house, in the corporate food industry and now with my own clients. Food and drink businesses ask for generic flavours with some iterations, but there's NO indication of flavour profile. They let all the responsibility fall on the flavour house to decide which flavour profile is best for their product. And guess what? It doesn't work. It creates hundreds of back and forth emails until you either give up, pick a flavour just because you have to, or completely cancel the product because you can't get the flavour right.In this episode, you'll discover:What a flavour house actually is (and why flavourings are your friends)Why you lose SO much flavour through processingThe real problem: when I worked in a flavour house, I'd receive requests for "strawberry flavour" and have to choose from hundreds of options in the flavour library - and that decision should NOT have been mine to makeWhy letting the flavour house decide your flavour profile is setting your product up to fail The exact information you need to give your flavour house to stop the endless back and forth (I'll tell you what to include in your spreadsheet) How this connects to my CREATE, CHOOSE, and FIX packages and why taking ownership of your flavour profile is non-negotiableIf you're working with flavour houses or contract manufacturers and getting nowhere with your product development, this episode will show you exactly how to brief them properly and take control of your flavour strategy. 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.

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. Got an Instagram question: "I'm creating a vegan product using rice protein and pea protein, which flavour do you think will work best?" Perfect! Because this is exactly what I help my clients with in my CHOOSE package, and I'm sharing the process with you today.Here's the thing: most plant-based products using pea and rice protein have nutty, earthy, roasted, and beany notes (and I'm not talking about lovely vanilla bean - I mean kidney beans, black beans... not exactly pleasant). So if you just throw in trendy flavours without understanding your product base first, you're going to end up with something that tastes like play doh. Yep, I said it.In this episode, you'll discover:Why you need to understand your product's flavour profile WITHOUT any flavours first (this is the game-changer most brands skip)Which flavour notes you want to enhance vs. mask in pea and rice protein productsThe specific flavours that work brilliantly with plant-based proteins (and the ones you should avoid at any cost - berries and vanilla, I'm looking at you)Why "caramel" or "chocolate" is never enough - you need to go deeper into the flavour profile (milky and buttery vs. dark and bitter makes ALL the difference)How to get creative by mixing flavours together to create unique profiles for your productThe questions you need to ask about your target consumers before making your final decision (are they Gen Z adventurous or boomers wanting nostalgia?)If you're developing plant-based products and struggling to find the right flavour direction, this episode will show you exactly how to choose flavours that complement your base, mask the unpleasant notes, and create something your target consumers will actually want to buy again and again. 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.

 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. Should your CEO or founder have the final say on your food or drink product? Absolutely not. I've seen projects in big corporate food companies where a dozen multi-skilled people work for a year, do expensive consumer testing that gets approved, the product is ready to launch - and then the CEO tries it, doesn't like it, and boom - straight into the bin. Back to square one. In this episode, I'm sharing why one person should never approve your final product, no matter their title. You have to focus on objectives, not personal preferences. I know it's difficult when it's your baby, maybe it's a family recipe from your grandma - but you have to remove the emotional attachment and be analytical. I'll walk you through how to actually validate your product before launch by relying on data and facts: Is the taste balanced and rounded? Does the flavour profile suit your product base (not just what's trendy)? Does it fit your target consumers' preferences? You need to understand everything about them - what they eat, what social media they use, where they travel in London, what their breakfast looks like. Because if you're not listening to your team and your consumers, your product and potentially your business are going to fail. 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.

 ⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. Why is it so hard to describe what you're tasting? When you try a product, your brain instantly jumps to "I like it" or "I don't like it" instead of actually describing what you taste - and that's completely normal. Your brain is focused on survival only: is it safe to eat? None of us are equipped to describe flavours precisely without training. In this episode, I'm sharing why training your brain to taste properly is crucial for your food and drink business, and how to actually do it. I'll explain how I use bespoke flavour lexicons with my clients (whether we're creating products from scratch, choosing flavours, or fixing underperforming products) so we all speak the same neutral language and remove personal bias. I'll also share practical tips for training your brain: being more mindful when you eat and drink, and even how to practice with your kids so they can appreciate flavours from an early age. Because here's the truth: if you don't train your brain, your tastings will stay stuck at "I like it" or "I don't like it" - and that's useless for product development. 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.

 ⁠⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. Think using a lemon extract or cucumber essence will make your product taste natural? You couldn't be more wrong. This is one of the biggest mistakes I see food and drink brands make - they assume extracts and essences are the holy grail of flavourings because they're "natural." But here's the truth: even the most natural flavourings can taste fake, artificial, cardboardy, or chemical in your product. In this episode, I'm bursting a massive myth about extracts and essences. For instance, a lemon extract will never taste like actual lemon juice or lemon zest. And once you add it to your product? There's no guarantee it'll taste anything like the real fruit after all the ingredient interactions, processing, and shelf life. Plus, there's zero scientific evidence that non-natural flavourings damage your health, but extracts and essences? They absolutely damage the planet. If you're choosing extracts just for marketing reasons to look "natural" on pack, but your product tastes rubbish - it's time to rethink your strategy. Focus on making your product taste great first. Because repeat purchases come through taste and flavours, not through what looks good on your packaging. 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.

 ⁠Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. Choosing a co-manufacturer for your food or drink product? Wait before you sign anything, you need to ask these questions or you'll regret it later. I've seen too many food and drink brands make expensive mistakes because they didn't know what to ask upfront. In this episode, I'm sharing the six critical things you need to know before selecting a contract manufacturer. First up: who actually owns the intellectual property of your recipe? I had a client who realized way too late that their recipe didn't belong to them anymore, sounds completely bonkers, right? But it happens more than you think. I'll also walk you through the other essential questions: Can you use your own suppliers, or are you locked into theirs? What are the MOQs and do you have to pay upfront? How long are the lead times when they're busy with other clients? Can they stock your product in-house, or will you end up with pallets in your garage like one of my customers did? And finally, do they handle distribution to retailers, or is that on you too? If you're a food or drink brand looking to scale up and work with a co-manufacturer, these questions will save you from nasty surprises and costly mistakes down the line. Don't jump into manufacturing just because you want to get into retail, think it through first. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. Are your product tastings a complete waste of time? If your team's drinking coffee right before, not cleansing palates between samples, or saying "I like it" instead of actually describing what they're tasting - you're doing it wrong. In this episode, I'm sharing six rules that will transform your tastings from useless guessing games into proper product development tools. You'll learn why you should never hold tastings after lunch, how your personal sensitivity to liquorice or bitterness is messing with your feedback, and why cream crackers are your best friend. I'll also share the story of a client who doesn't even like the product we developed together - but their consumers? They're giving it 4.9 out of 5 stars and the sales are through the roof! Because here's the truth: the product isn't designed for you, it's designed for your target consumers. Whether you're a food or drink brand doing internal tastings or working with a product development team, these six rules will help you stay objective, understand your palate, and build descriptions gradually so you actually get useful insights instead of just opinions. Stop wasting time and batches and start doing tastings properly. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. Ever wondered what a food scientist does all day? In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on my work as a food scientist and flavour expert. I share what goes into creating products from scratch (hello, 182 trials on one plant-based barista milk!), choosing the perfect flavour profiles, and fixing products that aren't selling. You'll discover why product development is 90% failure and 10% success, how I worked with actual baristas to test foam stability, and why rebranding isn't the answer when your product isn't performing, it's usually the flavour. If you're a food or drink brand owner curious about the science behind product development, or you're struggling with a product that's not quite hitting the mark, this episode will give you a behind-the-scenes look at how flavour strategy and food science work together to create products people love and buy again and again. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. When your food or drink product moves from kitchen sample to full production, it’s normal for the flavour, texture, or mouthfeel to change. In this episode of The Food Lab Podcast, I explain why scaling up impacts taste, and how to plan structured tasting sessions with your co-manufacturer to fix issues before launch.Perfect for founders and food entrepreneurs scaling their first product and wanting to keep consistency from kitchen to shelf. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. In this episode of The Food Lab Podcast, I talk about one of the biggest challenges in product development: creating flavours that consumers actually connect with. You’ll learn how to adapt flavour profiles to your audience’s palate without losing authenticity, how to balance brand identity with market expectations, and why understanding your target consumer is key to building products that last. Perfect for founders and food entrepreneurs who want to grow their brand without compromising their flavour story. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. Most founders think they’re running tasting sessions, but they’re actually running opinion polls. In this episode of The Food Lab Podcast, I explain how to structure proper flavour testing and sensory evaluation sessions that give you objective data, not personal preferences. You’ll learn how to taste side by side, describe flavours accurately, and collect insights that help you improve your product faster.Perfect for food and drink founders who want to run better tastings and make smarter, data-driven product decisions. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint⁠, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. In this episode, I break down one of the most common flavour strategy mistakes: naming your product before finalising how it actually tastes. You’ll learn why naming too soon breaks consumer trust, how to align your flavour direction with your brand story.👩‍🔬 Perfect for founders and product developers who want to master flavour direction, naming, and sensory storytelling. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. If your product isn’t selling like it used to, it’s probably not your packaging or your price, it’s your flavour. In this episode, I reveal the five biggest flavour mistakes that stop food and drink products from performing in retail, from weak or flat flavour profiles to mismatched brand identity. Learn how to fix flavour issues, increase repeat purchase, and turn taste into your most powerful sales tool.Ideal for founders and product developers who want to master flavour development and stand out in a crowded market. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. In this episode, I share the story behind leaving corporate R&D to start EPICSI, and why I wanted to bring creativity and purpose back into food product development. You’ll hear what made me lose faith in the system, how the industry shifted from flavour to finance, and what inspired me to help founders create clean-label, flavour-first products that truly make a difference. A reflective story about rediscovering purpose, creativity, and the reason we all fell in love with food in the first place. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. If your flavour brief sounds like “Can you send a few strawberry flavours?”, this episode will change how you work with flavour houses. I share practical tips to help you write a clear, detailed flavour brief, define your flavour direction, and choose the right benchmarks so your supplier can deliver samples that actually fit your product. You’ll save weeks of back-and-forth and get results that align with your brand and consumer expectations.Ideal for founders and food product developers who want to lead their flavour development strategy and collaborate effectively with flavour houses. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. Most tasting sessions collect opinions, not data — and that’s why they don’t help your product improve. In this episode, I explain how to run proper flavour testing sessions that give you clear, objective insights you can actually use. You’ll learn how to describe flavours accurately, record sensory data, and turn feedback into a flavour blueprint you can reuse across reformulations and scale-ups.Perfect for food or drink founders and product developers who want to taste like experts. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. In this episode, I share a true story that still shocks me.When I left the corporate world to help smaller food and drink brands create cleaner, more natural products, other food scientists told me I was crazy — that it was “impossible to work without additives.”They were wrong.If you’re a food or drink founder trying to make your product taste amazing without all the unnecessary additives, this episode is for you. I explain why the industry mindset needs to change, how you can balance clean-label ambitions with functionality, and what it really takes to find the right partners who believe in your vision. 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.

Click here to download The Flavour Blueprint, a free guide based on the process I use with my clients to fix underperforming food and drink products. Welcome to my 30-Day Podcast Challenge — a short, daily series for food and drink founders who want to create better-tasting, cleaner, and more successful products.Over the next 30 days, I’ll share quick, easy-to-digest episodes on flavour development, product formulation and taste optimisation.You’ll hear real stories from my journey , from working at a flavour house and with brands like McVitie’s to becoming a flavour consultant helping food and drink businesses solve taste challenges and scale products that consumers love.If you’re ready to build flavour-led products that stand out on shelf, hit Follow and join me on this 30-day challenge. 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.

Ever wondered why your launches show up on the shelf... but sales don’t follow? Negative reviews piling up? It might not be the flavouring that’s wrong, it’s the product base.In this episode of The Food Lab Podcast, I’m diving into why your product might taste “not quite right” and how fat, sweetness, saltiness & acidity shape flavour perception.What’s covered in this episode:Why discounting base ingredients leads to flat and muted flavoursHow overloading with fat, sweetness, saltiness or acidity can actually kill flavour profilesReal stories from low‑sugar and non‑HFSS reformulations at a flavour house and big UK brandsThe step‑by‑step process I follow Taste Insight: More flavour ≠ better flavourToo much fat, sweetness, saltiness or acidity can delay flavour release and overpower flavour characteristics.It’s seems counterintuitive — but true: Flavours only shine when the base is locked in first. 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.

You’ve developed a product. You want to say it’s a "Source of Vitamin C" or "Vitamin C contribute to the normal function of the immune system". But the legislation around nutrition and health claims is a minefield, and messing it up can get you in serious trouble. If you're adding vitamins or minerals to your product, there's a right way to make a claim… and a wrong way that could land you with misleading labelling and compliance issues. In this episode of The Food Lab Podcast, I walk you through:The only forms of vitamins and minerals allowed in your recipesHow to calculate the right quantity of vitamin or mineral for nutrition & health claims Real-life examplesThe labelling requirements (yep, it’s not optional)Why shelf-life testing and overages are key to staying compliant  🔗 Useful Links:Great Britain register on the addition of vitamins and mineralsRegulation (EU) No 1169/2011 ANNEX XIII Reference IntakesGreat Britain Nutrition and health claims (NHC) register⁠ ⁠EU Register of Health Claims⁠⁠EU Register of Nutrition Claims  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.

Thinking of adding lion's mane, ashwagandha, turmeric or ginseng to your product? Great! But what can you actually say about their benefits on your label without breaking food law?  In this episode of the Food Lab Podcast, I kick off a new series all about nutrition & health claims. From "high in protein" to the grey zone of "on hold" claims, I unpack what's allowed, where to find the right information, and how to avoid misleading your customers.Perfect for food & drink brands looking to stand out—ethically and legally. Learn the rulesAvoid costly mistakesBuild trust with your customers  Mentioned in this episode:Great Britain Nutrition and health claims (NHC) register Great Britain ‘On hold’ health claims EU Register of Health ClaimsEU Register of Nutrition Claims 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.