AI + Food

Written By: Anna Braun

Do you know what you’re having for dinner tonight? Do you know where you’d like to go out to lunch for that birthday celebration coming up in February? How about what new and exciting menu item you might venture out on a limb to try at a restaurant next summer? I honestly can’t answer a single one of these questions and of course, that’s not really the point. What matters is that our hyper-personal flavor preferences are changing at a rapid rate and food manufacturers could benefit from understanding not just what they are today, but to have some indicators of what they might be in the future. That is just one of many – slightly unexpected – ways that artificial intelligence (AI) may come into play in the industry.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

We recently heard from Jason Cohen, the founder of Gastrograph AI, about how artificial intelligence can not only uncover, but also predict consumer preferences when it comes to flavor, aroma, and texture.1 An AI platform driven by consumer data, it analyzes individual’s sensitivities and biases to different flavors and informs how those flavors may need to be tweaked based on age, ethnicity and gender of a target audience.

AI is making its way into the food industry in a number of ways. While this industry is not always on the forefront when it comes to technology, the solutions coming forward address areas of tension like labor, supply chain, food safety, and food production.2

WHAT WE THINK

AI has the potential to aid manufacturers and retailers in not only understanding but predicting human behavior when it comes to their flavor preferences. Resources like Gastrograph AI could have real, immediate impact on business decisions like new product development and launch plans.1

The reality is that AI doesn’t take the human out of the equation, though. In fact, in ways, it puts more onus on decision-makers to effectively understand and use it to positively impact business.

WHAT’S NEXT

This is just the start. We know that consumers expect more from the food industry when it comes to transparency and personalization. Couple that with significant gaps when it comes to food management (both production and waste) and it’s clear why testing and adoption of these technologies is increasing. We’ll keep our finger on the pulse as success stories and learnings come forward.

[1] “52 Things We Learned & Experienced at Foodscape 2.” Datassential. Datassential: Issue 57. September 2018.
[2] “6 Examples of Artificial Intelligence in the Food Industry.” Garver, Krista. Food Industry Executive. April 2018.

Global Insights to Share

Written By: Anna Braun

On our recent trip to Paris for SIAL 2018, the largest international food and beverage innovation show, we had the chance to sit in on a few very compelling seminars. A global study of consumers’ behaviors, attitudes and expectations regarding their food were the focus of “Food 360”, a breakout led by Kantar TNS and conducted exclusively for SIAL.1

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Led by Kantar TNS, one of the world’s largest research agencies with experts in over 80 countries, the 2018 multi-country market report represents a wide range of geographies: the UK and the USA, Russia, China, Middle Eastern countries, Southeast Asian countries and a range of countries in the EU.1

With the intention of understanding what most motivates consumers around the globe when it comes to food choices, three key factors emerged: Taste, Truth, and Meaning.1 Right off the bat, those sound “right on”, don’t they? Interestingly enough, how those words translate varies by region. This illustrates how important it is to really dig in to understand the ever-changing nuances in what matters to consumers and how they define those when it comes to food products.

HOW DOES IT TRANSLATE?

Taste: As defined by the quality of food products – flavor does matter! In fact, it is #1 across the globe when it comes to consumers’ expectations and behavior. But taste encompasses more than just flavor – it spans a broader definition that implies a holistic experience with taste. In this study, different regions prioritized the below factors when defining “taste”:

  • Varying Meals and Flavors
  • Balanced Diet
  • Good Quality Foods

Truth: Transparency. This is clearly articulated in different ways based on the region and the variation may be based on consumer and food supply sophistication. Regardless, it’s clear that consumers want more sightline into the food products they choose. When it comes to “truth”, different regions prioritized these factors:

  • Origin (including Ingredients List!)
  • Farming / Breeding Conditions
  • Food Safety
Terra Creta Olive Oil (42 varieties identified)
Terra Creta Olive Oil (42 varieties identified)

Meaning: Food choices that align with personal values is becoming more important. As with personal values, the range of what encompasses values broadens at the global scale. The topics / issues remain in the same realm but the actions to support (or negate) them requires a closer finger on the pulse of the people and culture. As defined by different geographies, the factors that align with “meaning” are:

  • Biodegradable / Less Packaging
  • Farmers + Breeders Compensation
  • Animal Well-Being

WHAT WE THINK

The intuitiveness and familiarity of the results shared do not diminish their importance. In fact, it further supports the significance that food choices play in a consumers’ life and that these choices are becoming not only more integrated but also more personal. While Taste, Truth and Meaning are rather familiar based on trends in this industry, they are not simple “factors” and should encourage us all to stay curious about how consumers think and feel about choices when it comes to food products.

WHAT’S NEXT

Spending a day in the life of a farmer sheds light on the incredibly complex and dynamic business we know as agriculture. The next generation has new, steep challenges ahead that will lean on innovative thinking and a purpose-driven approach.

[1] “Food 360: 2018.” Kantar TNS. Kantar TNS: SIAL, Paris. October 2018.

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