109: Nourishing our new way of life – how consumer food and drink preferences are evolving

Our world is changing in ways we never imagined. The way we live, work, socialise and entertain ourselves has evolved. During the pandemic, we have collectively experienced life-changing events and circumstances that have caused us to recalibrate and adapt. Whether it’s communicating virtually, working remotely, staying indoors or washing our hands, signs of this new way of life are abundant. Givaudan have conducted in-depth consumer research to find out how their preferences in food and beverages have evolved in recent times – and what this means for our customers. Will these consumer food and drink preferences change for the long-term following the impact of the pandemic? “44% of our Europe, Africa and Middle East consumers have changed their food and beverage consumption since March 2020” This episode of the Table Talk Podcast aims to answer that question, in partnership with Givaudan, the global leader in the creation of flavours and fragrances. A recent Givaudan consumer survey of over 5,000 consumers across Europe, Africa and the Middle East identified four major trends in food and beverage consumption. Safe, secure and sustainable Gourmet experiences at home Balancing health with treating yourself Value for money Find out how consumer attitudes will influence innovation in food and beverages with our panel featuring Basak Oker, Head of Consumer & Sensory Insights Europe, Danielle Van Hees, Category Manager for snacks Europe, Marta Kusnierz, Category Manager for Sweet Goods and Dairy Europe, Nely Vlasblom, Product Manager for Beverages Europe, and Virginie Philippe, Category Manager for Culinary Europe. To find out more about Givaudan’s research, click here About our panel Basak Oker, Head of Consumer Sensory Insights, Europe Basak has 15 years of experience in marketing, innovation, digital business and consumer insight generation. She joined Givaudan in 2015 as the Category Manager for Beverages EAME; she was named Head of Consumer & Sensory Insights EAME in June 2020. Prior to joining Givaudan, she held various marketing and innovation roles in FMCG companies within personal care and toy industries. Basak holds an MBA from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and a BA in Business Administration from Koc University in Istanbul. Danielle van Hees, Category Manager Snacks Europe Danielle joined Givaudan in 2006 working in various marketing roles within the different business units. Danielle is now part of the Regional Innovation team for Snacks. Prior to joining Givaudan, Danielle worked at a number of IT companies before joining the FMCG market. Danielle studied Commercial Economics at the University of Utrecht. When not at work she likes spending time with her family playing LEGO with her kids, she also enjoys running, cycling holidays and reading. She is based in Naarden in the Netherlands. Marta Kusnierz, Category Manager Sweet Goods and Dairy Europe Marta has more than 10 years of experience in sales and marketing in the food and home appliance industry. Marta joined Givaudan in June 2020 and manages the Sweet Goods and Dairy category in Europe. This broad category consists of segments like chocolate, bakery, gum and candies, as well as dairy and plant-based dairy. Marta has a background in sales, marketing and category management and holds a degree in political science and communication. Nely Vlasblom, Product Manager Europe Nely has 15 years of experience in sales, marketing and innovation. In 2017, she joined Givaudan as a Regional Product Manager for the Beverages, Dairy and Sweet Goods. In this role, she ensures market needs are translated into Givaudan’s innovation programmes. Prior to this role, she worked in food and biotechnology for B2B companies. Nely holds an MSc degree from Wageningen University in The Netherland in which she chose a commercial and technical specialisation. Part of the education program was fulfilled at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (USA) and the University of Khon Kaen in Thailand. Virginie Philippe, Category Manager Culinary Virginie joined Givaudan in 2011 as part of the Sweet Goods and Dairy team where her primary focus was on Sweet Goods. In 2018 she added Dairy categories to her expertise for the EAME region. In 2020, she took over responsibility for Culinary applications including ready meals, sauces, soups and more. Virginie holds two Masters degrees, one in International Marketing and another in Marketing applied to Fragrances & Flavours. Prior to joining Givaudan, she worked for other F&F companies including Takasago. Virginie is passionate about food and enjoys tasting new dishes, travelling and spending time with her family.