Flavor University Podcast

Join Mya Daniel, Associate Product Manager, and Erika James, Innovation Scientist to explore how bold flavors can combine familiar favorites, unexpected pairings, and indulgent twists. Tune in to learn how consumer trends and memories connect with flavor development to create complex products.

Topics include:

• Elevating classic flavors with layered notes
• Creating craveable mashups
• Using experience-inspired concepts to bring flavors to life

In this episode, Andy Mohar, Principal Flavorist, and Gina Walter, Associate Product Manager, explore the surprisingly complex world of vanilla. From farm to flavor, vanilla has a rich story to tell. We’ll uncover everything from its labor-intensive cultivation and curing process to the compounds that contribute to its distinctive taste and aroma, our guests reveal why this familiar favorite is anything but ordinary.

Tune in to learn:

• How origin influences vanilla's sensory profile
• The versatility of vanilla in product development
• How to select the right vanilla solution for your application

In this episode, join Tom Cavers, Consumer Market Insights Director, Pamela Oscarson, Consumer Market Insights Senior Manager, and Dr. Lindsey Szymczak, Principal Scientist - Flavor Innovation Technology to learn about GLP-1 and flavor. Explore how GLP-1's are changing the way some consumers approach appetite, eating occasions, and flavor, creating new considerations for food and beverage innovation.

• How GLP-1 may influence flavor preferences and eating behaviors
• Why smaller portions can make flavor even more important
• What this means across food and beverage categories
• How flavor technologies can help translate insights into innovation

What does a flavorist really do? In this episode, Flavorist Katie Beaver reveals how flavors move from concept to authentic consumer experience. Through the lens of cinnamon, she explores how terroir, sourcing, and cultural understanding shape formulation decisions. Learn how customization can go far beyond just selecting from a flavor library.

In this episode:

• A behind-the-scenes look at the training and craft behind the flavorist profession

• Learn how regional differences in cinnamon influence taste

• Understand why sharing context leads to stronger, more authentic flavor solutions

In this episode, Talia D’Adamo, Innovation & Scale Manager II, and Tiffany Fiore, Senior Product Manager, explore First in Flavor—McCormick’s data-led approach to identifying emerging flavors poised for mainstream adoption.

Tune in to discover how to:

• Track trend acceleration, not just appearance
• Validate trends before retail saturation
• Turn insight into commercial action

This episode reveals how timing—not just trend spotting—drives successful innovation.

In this episode, experts Hadar Cohen Aviram, Maddie Cahill, and Ross Romero go behind the scenes of the McCormick 2026 Flavor Forecast and explore how trends become tangible product concepts. Our guests share how cross-functional teams translate global insights into the 2026 Flavor of the Year while navigating sourcing, development, and commercialization realities.

Key highlights:

• How Flavor Forecast guides innovation
• The journey from trend to Flavor of the Year
• Why collaboration drives successful launches

Join McCormick Flavor Solution experts Jordan Carfagno, Sarah Malphrus, and Gina Walter to celebrate 3.14 and explore the history, evolution, and potential of pie in this special Pi(e) Day episode. The team connects nostalgia, consumer insights, and technical strategy to show how pie continues to inspire cross-category innovation.

Tune in to discover:

1. The origins of pie and the true definition
2. Top pie flavors, regional trends, and nostalgic insights
3. Translating pie flavors into cross-category applications
4. Pie recipes and technical flavor development tips

In this episode, host Randee Donovan is joined by Product Manager, Carrie Rock and Associate Scientist, Hannah Subgrunski for a hands‑on flavor adventure inspired by McCormick’s Fresh Fruit Flavors Deep Dive Guide. Discover why “wild,” “regional,” and blended fruits are redefining familiarity, and how science and creativity combine to spark the next innovation in food and beverage.

Tune in to learn:

1. How consumer interest in fruit flavor trends are evolving from global exotics to hyper‑regional favorites
2. A broad variety of compelling fruit profiles
3. The science behind flavor swaps and sympathetic compounds
4. Inspiration for new fruit‑forward flavors in all applications

In this episode we explore how flavor and enjoyment play a critical role in building sustainable wellness routines. Regulatory Affairs Manager, Courtney Wachtel and Associate Product Manager, Angelo David share personal and professional stories on balance, motivation, and mindfulness to reveal why healthy habits are likely to last longer when they taste good. Discover the emotional power of flavor in Health & Nutrition product development and beyond, and uncover what it really means to make wellness both consistent and satisfying.

Podcast Episode 53: The Secret Sauce: Driving Flavor Innovation

In this episode, host Randee Donovan explores the flavorful world of sauces, dressings, dips, and spreads with Product Development Scientist Erika James, and Senior Product Manager Roger Lane. They uncover how these everyday condiments drive innovation and identity. Join us as we reveal the secret sauce that keeps consumers coming back for more.

Tune in to learn:

1. How sauces are true “flavor powerhouses”
2. How LTOs fuel excitement and brand loyalty
3. Global flavor influences shaping 2026 and beyond
4. What your favorite condiment says about you