⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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 different
• The 3 non-negotiable rules for better tastings
• The exact exercise I use with clients to lock in your flavour direction
• How to train your team to separate personal taste from objective tasting
• Why "I like it" doesn't help product development at all

Stop 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 precisely
• The truth about "super tasters"
• How to create a respectful tasting culture in your team
• What flavour lexicons are and how they work (I create bespoke ones for my clients!)
• Using memories and emotions to remember flavours faster
• The mindfulness practice that transforms your palate over time
• Why "I like it" and "I hate it" are useless comments in product development

Stop 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 sample
• The back-and-forth, tastings, and tweaking that go into every successful launch

Stop 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 money
• The 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 ship

This 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 products
• The funnel strategy: lots of one-time buyers vs. fewer loyal repeat customers
• Why taste is the #1 reason for repeat purchase (not trends or marketing)
• How to choose a flavour profile that actually works with your product
• A real example of why vanilla and strawberry were my biggest nightmare

Stop 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-up
• Why you can't just "decrease the sweetness" without consequences
• How to plan for testing and tweaking
• Practical tips to minimize surprises and protect your budget

Don'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 slowly
• The shocking impact of sweetness and saltiness on flavour intensity
• Liquid vs. solid products: completely different tasting experiences
• How to think about your recipe as a balanced system

Stop 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 tastings
• How to create a respectful tasting culture (it starts at the top!)
• Why everyone's palate is different — and that's actually a good thing
• The role of your target consumer in making final decisions
• Practical tips to get objective, useful data from every tasting

Let'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 anymore
• Why having health benefits at the centre of your messaging is not enough for repeat purchases
• The three most common flavour problems killing functional products
• My process for fixing your product

If 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 objective
• The brilliant strategy one Jamaican drink business owner used to target both audiences
• How 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 feedback
• The 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.