Customer sucess story

Nestlé

Development of a plant-based cheese for Mac n Cheese

Nestlé, based in Solon, USA, is a pioneering and innovative R&D center in the plant-based milk and cheese industry. The Nestlé marketing and product development teams aimed to understand which types of seeds are favored by consumers for specific sensory attributes, particularly in Mac n Cheese.

Challenge

Non Dairy Mac n Cheese concept development

Identify the optimal plant seed for developing Mac n Cheese in USA, while preserving the sensory attributes of real cheese

?
What role do spices play in compensating for the dairy flavor? What vegetable and spice pairings can be used to create an unforgettable recipe? Which combinations can fill the white space in the non-dairy cheese market?
Leverage consumer data and existing products to understand the best seeds for achieving cheese with the sensory qualities vegans expect.

Challenge

Non Dairy Mac n Cheese concept development

Identify the optimal plant seed for developing Mac n Cheese in USA, while preserving the sensory attributes of real cheese

?

What role do spices play in compensating for the dairy flavor? What vegetable and spice pairings can be used to create an unforgettable recipe? Which combinations can fill the white space in the non-dairy cheese market?

Leverage consumer data and existing products to understand the best seeds for achieving cheese with the sensory qualities vegans expect.

Result

OVERWHELMING SUCCESS

2 WEEKS

We provided insights to the marketing teams and chefs within 2 weeks, offering a very fine granularity on the sensory perception of both vegan and non-vegan consumers by type of cheese (hard, soft, tender) and type of dish (sandwiches, cooked dishes, salads, etc.)

2 LAUNCH

Two products - pizza and Mac n Cheese - were launched in the following months.

Solution

Vegan expectations & Food pairing

INSIGHTS � NOVEL INGREDIENTS

Ingredient trend insights provide a comprehensive view of ingredient status and macro trends. While trend data is consistently considered for the trial model, this phase also benefits from defining intriguing flavor camps and exploring novel ingredients."

INGREDIENT PAIRING

Starting from existing dairy recipes and the vegan sensory perception of non-dairy cheese, identify opportunities for food pairing. Understand the sensory profile matching with vegan consumer expectations for each proposition

Solution

Vegan expectations & Food pairing

INSIGHTS � NOVEL INGREDIENTS

Ingredient trend insights provide a comprehensive view of ingredient status and macro trends. While trend data is consistently considered for the trial model, this phase also benefits from defining intriguing flavor camps and exploring novel ingredients."

INGREDIENT PAIRING

Starting from existing dairy recipes and the vegan sensory perception of non-dairy cheese, identify opportunities for food pairing. Understand the sensory profile matching with vegan consumer expectations for each proposition

Results

OVERWHELMING SUCCESS

2 WEEKS

We provided insights to the marketing teams and chefs within 2 weeks, offering a very fine granularity on the sensory perception of both vegan and non-vegan consumers by type of cheese (hard, soft, tender) and type of dish (sandwiches, cooked dishes, salads, etc.)

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