Soul Kitchen, Belly Dance, FRANK and Three Robins selected for The Taste Academy
We’re excited to announce that Soul Kitchen, Belly Dance, FRANK and Three Robins have been chosen as the brands that will get to develop their new product ideas with the world’s largest flavour and fragrance house, Givaudan.
We recently launched The Taste Academy in partnership with Givaudan, to find four of the hottest challenger brands in the UK. After a huge number of submissions, shortlisted brands were invited to pitch and four exceptional product ideas were selected. The Taste Academy gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop a new product from concept to taste test, or fine‑tune an existing one for greater success, in just 12 weeks - all completely free.
We were blown away by the quality of the applications which were a reminder that challenger brands really are the drivers of innovation in this industry, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible and what the consumer wants. With so many exceptional brands applying to take part it was only the smallest margins that separated those moving forward from those that weren’t chosen this time. We’re excited to see the four products come to life, and launch at our Festival in July and grateful to Givaudan for supporting this unique opportunity.
Soul Kitchen is taking the next step in convenient, nourishing food that challenges the instant meal pot category, with a product that has a nutrient-dense ingredient base and bold, trend-led flavours. Belly Dance is creating a new gut-groovin’ water kefir soda with a bold flavour, putting the FUN in functional and making good gut health accessible to all types of bellies. FRANK is redefining the protein bar, with a bold, savoury combination made with real culinary ingredients. Three Robins will develop a new addition to its Little Smoothies range, with real ingredients, no added sugar and great taste, responding to growing demand for healthier and more functional everyday kids’ snacks.
Sam Billinge, founder of FRANK says “It feels unreal to be part of The Taste Academy. Partnering with Givaudan gives us a unique opportunity to redefine what a protein bar can be. We believe people deserve more choice in the protein bar aisle, and this collaboration will help us deliver it.”
Our four are now working with Givaudan on a 12-week programme that will bring together flavourists, chefs, consumer insights specialists and experienced application scientists to co-create and perfect their products. They will then meet the team at Givaudan’s UK HQ in Milton Keynes, receiving samples of their new products in good time for the showcase at the Bread & Jam Festival on 14th & 15th July.
