Page 28 - FMT_March

Ingredients

Tastes Differ in a Global Industry

With strategically located regional development centers, BeneO focuses on customer proximity and ensures that new
product ideas convince with taste and market relevance
B uzzwords like “glocalization” to sour and bitter flavors. But it is BeneO FOcuses On regIOnal

exPerTIse
and
only when infants start eating adult
“think
phrases
like
locally”
act
globally,
are
of functional ingredients, BENEO
omnipresent. Indeed, one of the foods that they develop their own As one of the leading manufacturers
particular preferences in terms of the
most widely asked questions of our taste, texture and appearance of food. understands how important sensory
time is: How can regional identities Social, cultural and psychological fine-tuning is in determining the
and cultural characteristics be influences in particular determine success of a product. In 2011, the
preserved in a globalized world? In what, when and how food is eaten company established the BENEO-
answering this, the food industry later in life. It is difficult to change Technology Center to support
faces the challenge of combining this imprint retrospectively. Maggots customers in the development
global business activities with the as a source of protein, chicken’s feet of products with technological
right feel for differing regional or fermented herring? To the palate or nutritional benefits. First and
needs and customs. To master of the average Brit, for example, foremost, the company’s application
this challenge, BENEO focuses on these dishes do not appeal. technologists in Tienen, Belgium,
regional product development. At and Offstein, Germany, ensure that
multiple sites around the world, food Certain principles also apply to the everything from sugar-free chocolate
technologists work together with finer sensory nuances of globally and high-fiber crackers to meat-free
customers and partners on tailor- popular products: Texture, salt Bolognese sauce and low-fat yoghurt
made concepts in the style of the content, flavor combinations and are equal or even superior to their
region that meet the tastes of local sweetness profile – all of these traditional alternatives in terms of
consumers. variables can determine the success taste, appearance and texture. To
or failure of one and the same basic ensure that regional product and
TasTe – a VarIaBle WITH Many product in different regions. From taste preferences are taken into
FaceTs their own personal travels, most account wherever possible, BENEO
People’s taste preferences are being people know that strawberry ice has opened further development
developed during the course of their cream or chocolate taste different centers around the world in recent
lifetime and are directly related in the USA or Asia to how they do years.
to their personal environment. in Europe. In addition, there are
There are some universal genetic regulatory requirements that define Rudy Wouters, Vice President
predispositions in babies, such as a whether and how various ingredients BENEO- Technology Center, recalls:
preference for sweet and an aversion can be used in individual cases. “The idea developed in the USA,

Food Marketing & Technology 28 March 2020