Improve Your Cost with the Right Reformulation

A variety of conditions worldwide are putting the pinch on profits for most industries, and food producers are no exception.

Supply chain issues and ingredient shortages continue to create challenges for budgets and timelines.

The cost of ingredients is rising, but the traditional solutions are no longer working. For instance, easy and inexpensive formulation standbys like salt and sugar have come under scrutiny from regulators and consumers alike.

Furthermore, consumers are struggling with inflation that is outpacing wage growth, leading to  increased pressure to avoid raising prices.

The upshot: Food developers are finding new ways to deliver great taste without compromising the economic aspect. One solution could be a product reformulation using flavors to get the best taste and the best return on investment.

Challenges of reformulation

Brands may be hesitant to consider reformulation. Some of the most common concerns we hear from clients include:

• Taste should not be compromised. Consumers are not willing to sacrifice taste for minimal—or sometimes even large—cost differences. And, food developers worry about matching original flavors.

• Quality is quintessential. Your brand has standards you will not compromise, including better-for-me goals.

• Production changes are not ideal. Sometimes a change to your formulation requires time for development and a change to your manufacturing process, which has its own costs in time, equipment and personnel.

This is the crux of the question when it comes to ROI: Will you get a return on the investment involved with reformulation?

The answer could be a resounding YES — if you work with a flavor partner who provides big-picture solutions.

Using flavors to improve sales and profitability

Flavors and taste technologies offer many benefits when it comes to product formulation or reformulation. For example:

• Taste technology can boost the perception of your most important flavor profiles, enabling you to use less of a given ingredient to save costs by stretching those ingredients further.

• Flavors can replace a more expensive ingredient altogether, providing the same level of taste depth and complexity.

• Flavors can be formulated to be easy to source and are used in smaller amounts, reducing overall purchasing volumes and helping to avoid some of the issues with ingredient scarcity or geographic supply chain challenges while ensuring consistent results time after time.

• True-to-taste flavors coupled with masking and enhancing technologies provide full flavor results—and sometimes even fuller flavor than consumers have come to expect.

An experienced flavor partner does more than supply flavors, flavor enhancers and maskers. The scientists at Sensient Flavors & Extracts look at a formulation in its entirety and offer a range of solutions that incorporate the full multi-sensory experience that takes your product from concept to craveable while optimizing the cost.

Consider how reformulation using flavors can provide the return on investment you are looking for to not just survive the current economic environment, but to multiply your margins and thrive in today’s market.