AKA Foods secures multi-year TDC partnership for Africa
Technology Driven Concepts has signed a multi-year agreement to implement AKA Studio, the AI-ready platform for food research and development created by AKA Foods B.V. The South Africa-based ingredients company becomes one of the first globally to formalise a long-term strategy for AI-enabled product development.
Left to Right: David Sack – Founder & CEO at AKA Foods; Chris Botha – R&D Director at TDC; and Saul Abrahams – VP of Business Development at AKA Foods.
Platform addresses R&D efficiency challenges
The partnership addresses persistent challenges in food science workflows, where scattered spreadsheets and isolated formulation files typically slow decision-making and create repeated work. AKA Studio consolidates formulations, experiments, sensory learnings, costing insights and tacit product knowledge into a unified environment.
TDC, which serves major consumer packaged goods companies, retailers and a global fast food chain, selected the platform to improve customer responsiveness, cross-category innovation and decision-making capabilities. The company had previously acted as an early design partner for AKA Studio, testing the system against real R&D requirements.
Chris Botha, R&D director at TDC, stated that the platform “gives our developers something we have never had before – the ability to see and use all of our knowledge in one place”. He added that the system would enable teams to “retrieve relevant past work instantly, reduce duplication, and deliver stronger customer responses with greater confidence”.
Structured data foundation for emerging AI capabilities
The platform organises formulations, processes, sensory outcomes, cost drivers and historical project patterns in a structured format designed for food-specific applications. Unlike generic tools, the system maintains confidentiality through a fully siloed, private cloud environment whilst preparing datasets for future AI capabilities as they mature.
According to Saul Abrahams, vice president of business development at AKA Foods, most R&D teams continue to rely on unstructured project histories that impede efficiency. He described TDC as “a fast-moving, multi-category innovator” whose commitment validates the platform’s approach to building digital foundations ahead of broader AI adoption.
Multi-category application across African markets
TDC operates certified production facilities in Cape Town and Johannesburg, with specialist teams covering dairy, plant-based products, sauces, beverages, bakery and ingredient systems. The company delivers product development from concept to commercialisation across African markets.
Botha stated that the centralised knowledge system would “future-fit TDC for the next decade of product development” and provide “a solid foundation to activate AI capabilities as they mature within the platform”.
AKA Studio received the 2025 Fi Europe Future Foodtech Innovation Award. The platform combines artificial intelligence with human sensory data to accelerate development across taste, texture and aroma parameters.
- For more information, visit: aka-food.com
