IFF debuts consumer insights platform for adult beverage development
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) has launched SipScape, an interactive platform aimed at supporting innovation in adult beverage formulation. The digital resource provides technical insights into product design, flavour modulation and sweetness reduction strategies specifically for no- and low-alcohol beverages.
Platform leverages proprietary trend analysis
The platform draws on data from PANOPTIC, IFF’s internal trend and foresight system, which has identified key shifts in consumer behaviour including increased conscious consumption and moderation trends among younger demographics. SipScape translates these findings into five distinct consumer personas, each associated with specific beverage concepts and formulation approaches.
“Understanding how and why people drink today is essential to staying ahead,” said Fernanda De Paula, vice president of global beverages category for IFF Taste. “Consumers are looking for more than a buzz, and drinks are no longer defined solely by their alcohol content.”
Consumer personas guide product development
Two featured personas demonstrate the platform’s approach to consumer segmen-tation. “Eternal Explorer” consumers, characterised as progressive and globally minded, align with concepts such as a 5% ABV cocktail incorporating mezcal and palo santo flavours, and a vitamin-fortified RTD green tea with mango sticky rice flavouring.
The “Good-Time Guru” segment, primarily comprising Generation Alpha and Generation Z consumers, corresponds to products including an 8% ABV hopped pineapple lemonade and a zero-alcohol sparkling energy drink with what IFF describes as “balanced sweetness and a sophisticated flavour profile.”
Technical applications highlighted
The platform emphasises IFF’s capabilities in botanical incorporation, natural colouring systems and functional ingredient integration. These technical elements are positioned as responses to current market demands for enhanced nutritional profiles and clean-label formulations in the adult beverage sector.
De Paula noted that successful products “reflect people’s values, fulfil specific occasions and genuinely resonate with their needs. When done right, beverages can turn fleeting moments into joyful and meaningful experiences.”
The SipScape platform represents
IFF’s systematic approach to translating consumer research into actionable formulation guidelines for beverage manufacturers seeking to develop products in the expanding alcohol-adjacent market segment.
For more information, visit: https://iffapps.com/sipscape
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