Givaudan’s innovation efficiency in beverages at drinktec Munich

At drinktec Munich 2025, global fragrance and beauty and taste and wellbeing major Givaudan put the spotlight on innovation and efficiency in the beverage sector, highlighting solutions that accelerated product development while meeting evolving consumer expectations.

Diego Campos, marketing manager, beverages at Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing, and Celine Castel Desloges, global marketing manager, hydration and refreshment, Taste & Wellbeing, shared insights into the company’s approach to market trends, product innovation, and consumer engagement.

“At drinktec, we were looking forward to engaging with customers around a shared vision for faster, smarter innovation in beverages,” Campos said. “Our goal was to show how Givaudan’s full-service solutions could unlock growth opportunities for both global brands and regional players by making innovation more efficient—from concept to launch. We were eager to connect with partners and explore new collaborations that pushed the boundaries of creativity and agility in the soft drink, tea, and beer categories.”

The company’s theme of ‘innovation efficiency’ reflected its focus on cost-effective, fast-to-market solutions. Campos explained that instead of taking nine or ten months to launch a new product, working with Givaudan could reduce development timelines to just three months. “We had the digital tools, flavor expertise, and full-suite solutions to help transform existing beverages into something entirely new,” he said.

A key driver of this approach was consumer insight. Campos noted that changing tastes among younger generations were reshaping the market. In Europe, traditional beer volumes were declining, yet consumers increasingly sought inventive formats. “They wanted beers that didn’t taste like traditional beer—cocktail-style beers, refreshing blends, or wine-beer hybrids. It all started with understanding what consumers wanted,” he said.

The trend of mindful consumption extended beyond Europe. “Globally, alcoholic beverage volumes were slightly declining, but premiumisation continued to boost value. Younger consumers were questioning when, why, and how much they drank, seeking lower-alcohol options or sophisticated alternatives like ready-to-drink cocktails and tea-based beverages,” Desloges said. Tea, in particular, had seen strong growth, driven by health-conscious choices, hybrid formulations, and the post-Covid focus on wellbeing.

Givaudan’s Tea Time program exemplified its proactive approach to innovation. Campos described two recent concepts: Hoptastic, a sparkling green tea with hop and kumquat citrus, and Bellinissimo, a Bellini-inspired tea beverage combining peach and Sauvignon Blanc flavors. “These concepts were informed by bar tracks, consumer research, and social media listening,” Campos said. “We observed trends globally, validated them locally, and then created concepts that resonated with specific markets.”

Technology played a central role in this innovation. Visitors to Givaudan’s stand C3-359 experienced immersive digital co-creation journeys, including tea innovation explorations with the Myromi device and beer flavour transformation demonstrations using the Virtual Aroma Synthesizer. The company also showcased OnyXen H, a hop extract designed to enhance beer freshness while supporting sustainability.

According to Campos, the market was increasingly seeking modular, scalable innovations that reduced development time, enabled supply resilience, and maintained affordability without compromising experience. “Citrus-free citrus flavours, fermentation-inspired beer building blocks, and cost-optimised sweetening systems were examples of how we helped clients co-create fast, scale smart, and do more with less,” he said.

Since the previous edition of drinktec, Campos noted accelerated demand for agile innovation, particularly in ready-to-drink tea, low-alcohol beer, and functional soft drinks. The lines between categories were blurring, requiring cross-category concepts powered by digital tools and advanced delivery systems. “Customers expected faster cycles, immersive experiences, and data-backed decision-making, making our focus on innovation efficiency more relevant than ever,” he said.

Givaudan maintained a strong operational presence in India, with four manufacturing locations, three of which—Pune, Daman, and Roha—focused on Taste & Wellbeing. This enabled the company to support both local and global clients by connecting insights and trends from across regions.

Campos concluded, “drinktec was an opportunity to inspire customers, demonstrate our full-service capabilities, and show how innovation efficiency could create value. We wanted to help brands meet evolving consumer expectations while driving growth, sustainability, and creativity.”