The Food Lab

#23 Gen Z's palate is MORE complex than you think (the 5 flavour trends food and drink brands need in 2026)

Most food and drink brands spend thousands making their product look TikTokable for Gen Z. But they forget one thing: Gen-Z palate is far more complex than you think. In this episode, I walk you through the 5 Gen Z flavour trends that matter right now, the 3 mistakes that are getting products delisted, and how to build a flavour strategy that actually speaks to this generation. In this episode: ▪️ Why your safe flavours are costing you Gen Z consumers ▪️ Who Gen Z really are as food and drink consumers ▪️ Trend 1: Asian flavours 3.0 and comfort-led fusion ▪️ Trend 2: Complex spice (sweet heat, salty heat, zingy heat) ▪️ Trend 3: Street food energy in packaged products ▪️ Trend 4: Unexpected combinations that just work ▪️ Trend 5: The big shift happening in drinks right now ▪️ The 3 mistakes that will get your product delisted ▪️ How to build your Gen Z flavour brief from scratch 🎯 If you are developing a food or drink product for Gen Z and want to work through your flavour strategy, drop a comment below or head to my website to find out how we can work together. 👉 www.epicsi.co.uk ▶️ Companion episode to watch next: How to research your target consumer's palate → #22 📱 STAY CONNECTED▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicsi.uk▪️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manon-galizzi-94700666/ 👋 If this is your first time here, I'm Manon Galizzi, food and drink flavour consultant and founder of EPICSI. My mission is to help food and drink founders develop products that taste great, sell well and stay on retailer shelves. On this podcast you will find: ▪️ Practical flavour strategy for food and drink founders ▪️ Behind the scenes of real product development ▪️ Honest conversations about what it really takes to build a food or drink brand Follow the Food Lab Podcast for weekly episodes! The Food Lab is the go-to podcast for food and drink founders who want to develop products with a clear flavour strategy, understand their target consumer's palate, and build brands that achieve repeat purchase and grow market share. Whether you are just starting out, scaling up or reformulating an existing product, this is the place to get honest, practical and expert guidance on all things flavour.

#22 Why Trying to Please Everyone With Your Flavour Will DESTROY Your Brand

If you've ever said "we want to appeal to everyone" about your food or drink product, this episode is going to hit home. Because trying to please everyone with your flavour strategy is one of the most common mistakes I see food and drink founders make. And it's also the fastest way to end up with a product that resonates with no one and gets pulled from shelf. In this episode, I share real examples from my time at McVities, a brilliant case study from Condimentum's next generation mustard, and what happened when a marine collagen client assumed they knew what their target consumers wanted. Spoiler: they didn't. ▪️ Why you cannot please boomers AND Gen Z with the same product ▪️ The Condimentum mustard story (and what they got brilliantly right) ▪️ The familiarity principle and why your brain thinks kimchi is dangerous ▪️ How to actually research your target consumer's palate ▪️ Why you must understand your product base BEFORE your consumer ▪️ The 4 flavour mistakes that are costing food brands their shelf space 🎯 Want to stop guessing and start making smarter flavour decisions for your food or drink brand? Head to my website to explore how I help founders develop products their target consumers actually want to buy again. 👉 https://www.epicsi.co.uk/ 📱 STAY CONNECTED ▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicsi.uk ▪️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manon-galizzi-94700666/ 👋 If this is your first time here, I'm Manon Galizzi, a food scientist and flavour expert and the founder of EPICSI. My mission is simple: to help food and drink founders create products that taste incredible and keep consumers coming back for more. The Food Lab is the podcast for food and drink founders who want to make smarter flavour decisions, avoid costly product development mistakes, and launch products that actually sell. Whether you are developing your first product or reformulating an existing one, I'll give you the food science knowledge you need in a way that actually makes sense. No jargon, no overwhelm. Just practical, honest advice from someone who has worked with food and drink brands of all sizes. Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss a new episode! 🔔

#21 The BRUTAL truth about clean label product development (and why 186 trials is actually okay)

186 trials. That is what it took to develop this plant-based barista drink from scratch. A clean label brief, no allergens, no seed oils, no stabilisers, and a client who knew exactly what she wanted. In this episode, I am pulling back the curtain on the entire journey. The technical challenges, the mistakes I made, the partners who completely let us down, and the intellectual property lesson every food founder needs to know before signing anything with a contract manufacturer. If you are thinking about developing a drink product right now, or you are already in the process, this episode could save you months of work and a lot of money. In this episode: ▪️ Why 186 trials is actually okay ▪️ The brief: clean label, no allergens, no stabilisers ▪️ Tasting 12 plant-based barista drinks in a London coffee shop ▪️ The flavour pairing challenge (and why buttery was an immediate no-go) ▪️ The foam disaster (it looked like a bubble bath) ▪️ How to stop your proteins curdling in coffee ▪️ The MOQ mistake that cost me 6 months of work ▪️ The pilot plant that turned out to be a complete scam ▪️ Why additives are NOT always the solution (a food science myth) ▪️ The intellectual property trap: what I have seen happen to food founders ▪️The 4 questions you must ask your contract manufacturer before signing anything 🔗 ⁠⁠⁠Book your Flavour MOT today⁠⁠ [https://www.epicsi.co.uk/flavour-MOT]⁠ If you found this episode helpful, leave me a comment and follow The Food Lab Podcast!💌 ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ [https://www.epicsi.co.uk/newsletter]to receive every week directly in your inbox the biggest challenges in food and drink product development and how to solve them. 👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram (@⁠epicsi.uk) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn (Manon Galizzi)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or via my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ I'm Manon Galizzi, a flavour expert and food scientist with 10+ years in the industry, including training at a flavour house and working with iconic brands like McVitie's, Yeo Valley, Burger King, and Jacob's. I founded EPICSI to help UK food and drink brands nail their flavour strategy and choose the best flavour profile, especially for challenging formulations. If your sales are declining due to taste complaints, I diagnose what's wrong and rebuild your flavour profile. If you're launching functional or plant-based products struggling with bitter, fishy, or earthy notes from marine collagen, plant proteins, or adaptogens, I help you choose flavours that actually mask or complement those notes. I specialise in clean-label, additives-free, plant-based, and functional food product development. Research shows flavour is the #1 driver of repeat purchase. Get it right, customers return. Get it wrong, they don't.

#20 9 Food and Drink Trends from Expo West 2026

What happens at Expo West in the US typically arrives in the UK two to three years later. Following the Food & Drink Expo at the NEC Birmingham, I am sharing the nine key trends from Expo West 2026 that will reshape our industry. In this episode, we explore why fibre is moving beyond gut health and how convenience is beginning to outweigh health claims for the busy consumer. We also dive into the "all in one" functional drink shift and the surprising resurgence of dairy and meat. A significant part of this discussion focuses on how GLP-1 medications are changing buying habits in the UK. I look at how brands like Marks & Spencer and Greggs are already adapting with nutrient dense and smaller portion options. Most importantly, I discuss the one thing these trends often overlook, which is the flavour. As a food scientist and flavour expert, I explain why taste remains the number one driver for repeat purchases, regardless of the latest health trend. I am Manon Galizzi. I help food and drink brands solve the flavour problems that are costing them repeat sales. In this episode: • The growth of fibre and the GLP-1 connection • Why convenience is beating health in the US • The "Real" food movement and clean label demands • Why Gen Z is moving away from caffeine • The protein saturation point • Creatine moving into the mainstream for women • The rise of the multi-benefit functional beverage • Why meat and dairy are making a comeback • How to develop products for the GLP-1 consumer 👇 Which of these nine trends surprised you the most? Let me know in the comments. 🔗 ⁠⁠Book your Flavour MOT today⁠ [https://www.epicsi.co.uk/flavour-MOT]⁠ If you found this episode helpful, leave me a comment and follow EPICSI YouTube channel!💌 ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ [https://www.epicsi.co.uk/newsletter]to receive every week directly in your inbox the biggest challenges in food and drink product development and how to solve them. 👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram (@⁠epicsi.uk) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn (Manon Galizzi)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or via my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ I'm Manon Galizzi, a flavour expert and food scientist with 10+ years in the industry, including training at a flavour house and working with iconic brands like McVitie's, Yeo Valley, Burger King, and Jacob's. I founded EPICSI to help UK food and drink brands nail their flavour strategy and choose the best flavour profile, especially for challenging formulations. If your sales are declining due to taste complaints, I diagnose what's wrong and rebuild your flavour profile. If you're launching functional or plant-based products struggling with bitter, fishy, or earthy notes from marine collagen, plant proteins, or adaptogens, I help you choose flavours that actually mask or complement those notes. I specialise in clean-label, additives-free, plant-based, and functional food product development. Research shows flavour is the #1 driver of repeat purchase. Get it right, customers return. Get it wrong, they don't.

#19 How 2 Great Suppliers Cost These Food Brands THOUSANDS

Imagine having a brilliant food or drink product and a genuinely good supplier or contract-manufacturer, yet spending months—and thousands of pounds—stuck in a loop of terrible samples. In this episode, I break down the story of two drink brands (one vegan supplement/protein and one marine collagen) that hit a wall despite doing everything "right." If you feel like you're burning time and money waiting for samples that never hit the mark, this is a must-watch. Inside this episode: • The Shared Wall: Why different brands and different suppliers hit the exact same development trap. • The 3 Root Causes: The hidden reasons you’re stuck in an endless loop of feedback and frustration. • What Flavour Houses Actually Need: The missing piece of information you aren't giving your suppliers. • The "Game-Changer": The one shift in your approach that fixes your flavour profile and gets you to launch. Stop the cycle of wasted samples and start getting the product your brand deserves. 🔗 ⁠Book your Flavour MOT today [https://www.epicsi.co.uk/flavour-MOT]⁠ If you found this episode helpful, leave me a comment and follow EPICSI YouTube channel!💌 ⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to my newsletter⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.epicsi.co.uk/newsletter]to receive every week directly in your inbox the biggest challenges in food and drink product development and how to solve them. 👋 Connect with me directly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram (@⁠epicsi.uk) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn (Manon Galizzi)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or via my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ I'm Manon Galizzi, a flavour expert and food scientist with 10+ years in the industry, including training at a flavour house and working with iconic brands like McVitie's, Yeo Valley, Burger King, and Jacob's. I founded EPICSI to help UK food and drink brands nail their flavour strategy and choose the best flavour profile, especially for challenging formulations. If your sales are declining due to taste complaints, I diagnose what's wrong and rebuild your flavour profile. If you're launching functional or plant-based products struggling with bitter, fishy, or earthy notes from marine collagen, plant proteins, or adaptogens, I help you choose flavours that actually mask or complement those notes. I specialise in clean-label, additives-free, plant-based, and functional food product development. Research shows flavour is the #1 driver of repeat purchase. Get it right, customers return. Get it wrong, they don't.