AI and Neuroscience Are Changing the Future of Food
Breaking down silos and testing early helps Alamance Foods bring innovative products to market at scale.
The global food system faces numerous challenges, including war, energy shortages, climate change, and a growing population. However, companies like Alamance Foods are innovating and scaling up to meet the demand. At the heart of their success is a unique business structure that brings together culinary, food science, sensory science, market insights, and product development in a cohesive manner.
This approach allows for early testing and development of new products, eliminating the silos that traditionally slow down the process. Eric Nakata, vice president of culinary innovation at Alamance Foods, emphasized the importance of scalability and flavor in their products. While taste is essential, it is not the only factor. Alamance Foods has partnered with neuroscience company Thimus to understand how humans perceive food and how that influences their behavior.
By eliminating biases such as politeness in taste testing, the company can better gauge consumer preferences. One example is their development of carbon-neutral, non-dairy whipped toppings made from Savor, an ingredient that reduces the carbon footprint of fats and oils by 50% to 98%. While the palm oil-based whipped cream underperformed against Savor-based toppings, the company is still in the process of launching the latter at a major coffee chain.
Ultimately, the company's success hinges on creating products that are not only sustainable and nutritious but also delicious and emotionally appealing to consumers.
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