Evidence-Based Product Innovation
From Scientific Insight to Product Concepts with Proven Relevance
Many innovation projects start with promising ingredients or technologies, but without a clear link between scientific evidence, health benefit, and product concept. We help innovation teams translate emerging science into concrete, defensible nutrition concepts that are relevant to real consumer needs.
This includes assessing biological plausibility, mechanism of action, and existing evidence to determine whether a proposed benefit can realistically be delivered via a food, beverage, or supplement format. For example, we have supported the development of new plant-based nutritional drinks by guiding R&D teams in aligning ingredient selection, health benefit positioning, and scientific substantiation. In this context, we contributed to the preparation of a GRAS dossier, supported the design of a human intervention study to assess effects on blood glucose control and gut health, and helped ensure that the final product concept was scientifically coherent and future-proof.
By embedding scientific thinking early, we help avoid late-stage reformulation, weak substantiation, or claims limitations.
Supporting Innovation in Functional Foods, Beverages, and Future Nutrition
Our product innovation work spans functional foods, nutritional drinks, supplements, and future-oriented nutrition concepts. We support both established companies and start-ups in identifying which technologies and ingredients truly address tomorrow’s consumer challenges.
This perspective is strengthened by our active involvement in innovation ecosystems, including the Food Ingredients Europe Startup Innovation Challenge. Since its inception, we have helped shape this initiative and participated as a jury member, evaluating dozens of early-stage innovations each year. This gives us continuous insight into emerging technologies, new bio-actives, and disruptive nutrition concepts, as well as a realistic view of what is scientifically robust versus conceptually attractive but immature.
Clients benefit from this broad innovation exposure when exploring new product categories, reformulating existing products, or assessing future food and beverage opportunities. We help innovation teams position their concepts in a way that is both forward-looking and scientifically grounded.
Accelerating Innovation Through Expert Networks and Evidence-Based Selection
Innovation often requires access to specialized expertise that is not available in-house. Through our extensive network in academia and industry, we connect companies with leading nutrition scientists, food technologists, and domain experts to address complex innovation challenges.
Typical client questions include: Which biotic or bioactive is currently best supported by scientific evidence for functional beverages? or Which ingredient class shows the strongest clinical substantiation today? In such cases, we conduct structured literature reviews, assess clinical and preclinical evidence, and evaluate the strength, limitations, and relevance of different options.
By combining expert input with rigorous evidence assessment, we help clients make well-informed innovation choices rather than following trends. This approach has been applied successfully across multiple projects, supporting companies in selecting ingredients, defining innovation pathways, and building product concepts that can be substantiated, differentiated, and scaled.
Facilitating Innovation Through Scientific Advisory Boards and Expert Round Tables
In addition to concept development and evidence assessment, we support innovation by organizing and moderating scientific advisory meetings and expert round tables. These sessions are designed to involve the right external stakeholders early in the innovation process, including clinicians, academic researchers, and subject-matter experts.
This approach is particularly important in sensitive and highly scrutinised categories, such as infant formula and medical nutrition, where scientific acceptance and academic endorsement play a critical role in long-term success. By engaging independent experts at an early stage, companies can test scientific assumptions, challenge innovation hypotheses, and refine product concepts before large-scale development or clinical investment.
These advisory interactions help ensure that innovation concepts are aligned with current scientific thinking, address real unmet needs, and are positioned in a way that resonates with the broader scientific community. As a result, products are more likely to be well received by academics, healthcare professionals, and regulators once they reach the market.
This form of expert-driven innovation support is frequently used by companies developing infant formulas, medical nutrition products, and advanced functional foods.
What Clients Gain
- Product concepts grounded in scientific and physiological relevance
- Reduced risk of innovation failure or late-stage repositioning
- Clear evidence-based rationale for ingredient and benefit selection
Typical Deliverables
- Science-based product and ingredient concept frameworks
- Literature reviews and evidence assessments
- Innovation and substantiation roadmaps
- Expert connection and advisory support
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Evidence-based product innovation means developing food, beverage, or nutrition products based on scientific evidence, physiological relevance, and regulatory feasibility, rather than trends alone. It ensures that ingredients, health benefits, and product formats are aligned from the start and can be substantiated later.
Standard product development often focuses on formulation and sensory aspects. Evidence-based product innovation focuses earlier in the process on why a product should exist, which health benefit is realistic, and whether there is sufficient scientific and clinical evidence to support it before large R&D investments are made.
Yes. We frequently support innovation in functional and plant-based beverages, including ingredient selection, health benefit positioning, scientific substantiation strategies, and alignment with regulatory frameworks such as GRAS or health claims.
Absolutely. We assess bio-actives, biotics, and other functional food ingredients through structured literature reviews and evidence evaluation, helping clients select options that are best supported by current scientific and clinical data.
Yes. We work with start-ups, scale-ups, and established food and nutrition companies, supporting early-stage concept development, innovation strategy, and scientific decision-making.
Yes. Most projects focus on early innovation, before significant R&D or commercial investment.
Absolutely. We frequently support future-oriented and emerging nutrition technologies.