Episodes

  • #11 How To Know When Your Product Is Actually Ready To Launch?
    Feb 9 2026

    You've done the trials. The product is really good. But you're not launching. Because what if it could be better? What if it's not perfect yet?

    Here's the truth: it will never be perfect.


    And waiting for perfection is keeping your product off shelves while your competitors are building their customer base.


    In this episode:

    1. Real client story: When personal preference nearly killed a launch
    2. Why "perfect" is costing you thousands in lost revenue
    3. The 5-question readiness checklist to know if you should launch
    4. Launch and learn: Why you'll need to tweak after launch anyway (and that's okay)
    5. How to tell the difference between "not ready" and "not perfect"


    💌 Want to dive deeper?

    Read the full ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠transcript of this episode here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    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. 🙏

    ________________________________________________


    👋 Hi, I'm Manon Galizzi, a food scientist and flavour expert with over 10 years in the food industry.


    If your food or drink product sales are dropping, reviews keep saying the taste isn't right, or you're launching something plant-based or functional but can't figure out which flavours will actually work, you are not alone! I see this all the time with the brands I work with.


    That's why I help established food and drink brands create products from scratch, choose the right flavour direction, or fix flavours that just aren't performing.


    And here's the thing: unlike most flavour houses or co-man that just throw samples at you and disappear, I actually guide you through the entire process. I stay with you, tweak on the day, and help you understand what's really happening in your product.


    Because here's the truth research keeps showing year after year: flavour is the number one driver of repeat purchase.


    Get it right, and your customers keep coming back. Get it wrong, and they buy once and never return.


    In each episode, I share what I've learned from helping food and drink brands like yours, turning confused tastings into confident decisions, and underperforming products into ones that actually sell.

    👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • #10 The Supply Chain Change That Destroyed A Product
    Feb 2 2026

    Your product was perfect. Then suddenly it doesn't taste the same anymore. What happened?

    Nine times out of ten, someone in your supply chain switched suppliers without telling your R&D team. Because "it's the same ingredient on paper." Except it's not.

    In this episode:

    - Real client story: How a cocoa powder switch undid 6 months of development work in weeks

    - Why "same ingredient on paper" ≠ same in your product

    - The hidden costs of switching suppliers without testing

    - How to protect your product from procurement decisions that destroy taste

    - The one diagnostic question to ask when your product changes

    💌 Want to dive deeper?

    Read the full ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠transcript of this episode here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    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. 🙏

    ________________________________________________


    👋 Hi, I'm Manon Galizzi, a food scientist and flavour expert with over 10 years in the food industry.


    If your food or drink product sales are dropping, reviews keep saying the taste isn't right, or you're launching something plant-based or functional but can't figure out which flavours will actually work, you are not alone! I see this all the time with the brands I work with.

    That's why I help established food and drink brands create products from scratch, choose the right flavour direction, or fix flavours that just aren't performing.

    And here's the thing: unlike most flavour houses or co-man that just throw samples at you and disappear, I actually guide you through the entire process. I stay with you, tweak on the day, and help you understand what's really happening in your product.

    Because here's the truth research keeps showing year after year: flavour is the number one driver of repeat purchase.

    Get it right, and your customers keep coming back. Get it wrong, and they buy once and never return.

    In each episode, I share what I've learned from helping food and drink brands like yours, turning confused tastings into confident decisions, and underperforming products into ones that actually sell.

    👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Show More Show Less
    12 mins
  • #9 Why "Free" Flavour Development Is Costing You Thousands
    Jan 26 2026

    That "free flavour development" from your flavour house or contract manufacturer? It might be the most expensive decision you make.

    After working inside a flavour house, I'm sharing what really happens when smaller brands rely on free development, and why it often ends up costing thousands in wasted time, delayed launches, and underperforming products.

    In this episode:

    - The 5 hidden costs of free flavour development nobody tells you about

    - Why 6 months of "free" samples can cost more than strategic guidance upfront

    - When free development makes sense (and when it absolutely doesn't)

    - The IP trap that leaves brands stuck with their co-manufacturer

    - Real cost comparison: free vs strategic flavour work


    📄Want some help with my French accent?

    Read the full ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠transcript of this episode here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    💌If you never want to miss an episode, and want weekly tips around flavour profile and food and drink product development, subscribe to my Newsletter.


    And 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. 🙏

    ________________________________________________


    👋 Hi, I'm Manon Galizzi, a food scientist and flavour expert with over 10 years in the food industry.


    If your food or drink product sales are dropping, reviews keep saying the taste isn't right, or you're launching something plant-based or functional but can't figure out which flavours will actually work, you are not alone! I see this all the time with the brands I work with.


    That's why I help established food and drink brands create products from scratch, choose the right flavour direction, or fix flavours that just aren't performing.


    And here's the thing: unlike most flavour houses or co-man that just throw samples at you and disappear, I actually guide you through the entire process. I stay with you, tweak on the day, and help you understand what's really happening in your product.


    Because here's the truth research keeps showing year after year: flavour is the number one driver of repeat purchase.


    Get it right, and your customers keep coming back. Get it wrong, and they buy once and never return.


    In each episode, I share what I've learned from helping food and drink brands like yours, turning confused tastings into confident decisions, and underperforming products into ones that actually sell.

    👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • #7 2026 Flavour & Consumer Trends
    Jan 12 2026

    Pineapple is flavour of the year. Gochujang is trending. Functional ingredients are everywhere. But should you jump on these trends?

    Maybe. But only if they fit YOUR product base, brand, and consumers. Because chasing trends without strategy is how brands waste thousands launching products that flop.


    In this episode:

    • 7 major flavour and consumer trends shaping 2026 (from fermented flavours to healthy ageing)

    • Why "trendy" doesn't mean "right for your product"• The 3-step framework to evaluate if a trend is worth pursuing

    • Real examples: When trends work vs. when they destroy products

    • The critical warning every brand needs before chasing flavour of the year


    💌 Want to dive deeper?

    Read the full ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠transcript of this episode here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    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. 🙏

    _____________________________________________________________


    👋 Hi, I'm Manon Galizzi, a food scientist and flavour expert with over 10 years in the food industry.


    If your food or drink product sales are dropping, reviews keep saying the taste isn't right, or you're launching something plant-based or functional but can't figure out which flavours will actually work, you are not alone! I see this all the time with the brands I work with.


    That's why I help established food and drink brands create products from scratch, choose the right flavour direction, or fix flavours that just aren't performing.


    And here's the thing: unlike most flavour houses or co-man that just throw samples at you and disappear, I actually guide you through the entire process. I stay with you, tweak on the day, and help you understand what's really happening in your product.


    Because here's the truth research keeps showing year after year: flavour is the number one driver of repeat purchase.


    Get it right, and your customers keep coming back. Get it wrong, and they buy once and never return.


    In each episode, I share what I've learned from helping food and drink brands like yours, turning confused tastings into confident decisions, and underperforming products into ones that actually sell.

    👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or via my ⁠⁠

    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
  • #6 What I Learned Fixing Flavours in 2025 | Year-End Reflections & Case Studies
    Dec 30 2025

    2025 has been a year of incredible learning, challenging projects, and some hard-won lessons about what really works when it comes to flavour strategy.


    And if you're a food and drink brand launching something new in 2026 or struggling with a product that's not performing, these insights might just save you months of back and forth.


    This year, I worked on some of the most challenging projects I've ever taken on. A 16-month plant-based barista milk that had to foam properly, stay stable in coffee, and use only clean-label ingredients. Functional products with earthy, bitter, fishy bases that required thinking completely outside the box.


    And I kept hearing the same thing from brands: "I wish I'd found you sooner. We've received a lot of samples from our supplier/co-manufacturer and we're not getting anywhere."


    Here's what I realised. Food and drink brands know they need flavours, but they don't know there's a strategic process for selecting the right flavour profile for their specific base. They think it's just "ask for vanilla" or "add some fruit juice concentrate" and that's it. But a vanilla is not just a vanilla.


    In this episode, I share:

    • Why I simplified from 9 services to 3 (Create, Choose, Fix)
    • The brands I love working with (clean label, plant-based, functional, allergen-free)
    • What I learned from 16 months developing a barista milk from scratch
    • Why brands come to me after wasting hundreds of samples elsewhere
    • The gap in understanding that's costing brands time and money
    • What's coming in 2026 (guest interviews, webinars, and more ways to connect)

    Thank you for being part of this journey. Let's make 2026 even better.

    💌 Want to dive deeper?

    Read the full ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠transcript of this episode here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    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. 🙏



    _____________________________________________________________


    👋 Hi, I'm Manon Galizzi, a food scientist and flavour expert with over 10 years in the food industry.


    If your food or drink product sales are dropping, reviews keep saying the taste isn't right, or you're launching something plant-based or functional but can't figure out which flavours will actually work, you are not alone! I see this all the time with the brands I work with.


    That's why I help established food and drink brands create products from scratch, choose the right flavour direction, or fix flavours that just aren't performing.


    And here's the thing: unlike most flavour houses or co-man that just throw samples at you and disappear, I actually guide you through the entire process. I stay with you, tweak on the day, and help you understand what's really happening in your product.


    Because here's the truth research keeps showing year after year: flavour is the number one driver of repeat purchase.


    Get it right, and your customers keep coming back. Get it wrong, and they buy once and never return.


    In each episode, I share what I've learned from helping food and drink brands like yours, turning confused tastings into confident...

    Show More Show Less
    13 mins