Forces ranging from tightened budgets and changing tastes to globalization, regulation and more have disrupted how culinary ideas end up on shelves and menus. This has imposed pressures on product development that many in the industry have never seen before.

In an era of doing more with less, experienced suppliers are parlaying their concept-to-commercialization know-how into customization services that brands can trust. Doing so not only fast-tracks R&D, it makes finished flavors better.

This playbook looks at why it behooves R&D teams to be comfortable developing concepts not just in a physical lab but on distributed, “virtual” networks that connect teams and customers via technology. The playbook also explores: 

• How brands can better manage aspects from product development to ingredient sourcing, applications testing and microbiological testing 
• How third-party services help produce superior results in less time using fewer resources
• What customization is and how it provides value

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