Posts Tagged ‘News’

Celebrating International Women’s Day

Written on March 7, 2022.

When we heard about this year’s International Women’s Day theme, #BreakTheBias, we knew exactly the group of women who perfectly illustrate it – our lab team. In recognition of the all the women of Flavorman, we want to highlight our women-led lab team and hear their thoughts on the inclusion of girls and women into the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Monica Horn, Associate Beverage Architect
Meet Monica Horn – an Associate Beverage Architect at Flavorman in charge of making beverages that meet our clients’ visions. Monica got her start in science and technology after graduating from Michigan State University, where she worked in biomedical laboratories in the health care industry. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, she wanted to make a change and joined us at Flavorman. She said she applied to work at our company because she could show other people that women should have roles in STEM.

“I knew I was going to enjoy working for a company that allows women from different backgrounds to be themselves.”

Monica hopes to inspire women and girls to consider a career in science and technology because it has “endless routes to fulfill whatever your desire is.”

She says the most important advice to remember is to “create your career, don’t let society make that choice for you, and go for it.”

Kristen Wemer, Director of Technical Services
Kristen has been on our team for more than 10 years and oversees all technical services for our clients. She’s even had a client take their product onto “Shark Tank” and successfully get a deal, which was a dream come true for her. She says she has always been passionate about food and science, and once she knew this passion could turn into a career, she was on the fast track to success. She says it’s essential for women to

“have the opportunity to have any role they want, and by seeing other women in these roles, it helps others visualize themselves in that position.”

As a leader at Flavorman, she hopes to inspire women and girls about the careers they can have and to chase their dreams, and looks forward to the day when women are recognized daily for all that they do. We couldn’t agree more!

Kadeja Davis, Associate Beverage Architect
Jack-of-all-trades Kadeja Davis serves as an Associate Beverage Architect, Vendor Coordinator, Beverage Developer, and Inventory Associate at Flavorman. Kadeja plays an integral role in the success of our company – right down to the specific ingredients we need to create the perfect beverage for our clients. Her duties at Flavorman require a lot of teamwork and collaboration with other departments. She says she finds empowerment and joy in working with her teammates because “we teach one another every step of the way.” As someone who is constantly willing to lead and learn from others, Kadeja cannot stress the importance of asking people questions and collaborating.

“I would encourage young girls to be eager to learn from whoever you can, ask as many questions as you can and never lose your desire to learn. One of my supervisors once told me ‘knowledge is power,’ and that helps me every day with my desire to learn.”

Kadeja’s dedication to learning keeps our entire team motivated daily!

Dorian Joseph, Assistant Beverage Architect
As an Assistant Beverage Architect at Flavorman, Dorian Joseph helps develop samples for clients, updates ingredients to make the product even better and executes new ideas they may have. Dorian started as a temporary employee and was both fascinated and motivated to learn more about the process. She has worked her way up in our company and although she’s thriving in her current role, Dorian says she would have been inspired at a younger age if she saw people like herself in more science and technology roles.

“I believe representation matters, especially to young Black girls. If I had a science teacher who looked like me, it would’ve pushed me to keep going and ask more questions.”

She says seeing women like herself in the STEM field is a great feeling, and she hopes to see more Black women join the industry. Dorian believes women’s accomplishments should be recognized daily. “Beyonce said it best, ‘who runs the world? Girls!’”

Cristene Gilbert, Beverage Architect
Cristene Gilbert, a Beverage Architect at Flavorman, focuses on reading formulations, gathering ingredients, and combining them in an order that allows the best and tastiest blend. After working in animal research for seven years, Cristene switched to join us at Flavorman less than a year ago. As someone who finds empowerment from the women before her, she is proud to be that role model for other women and girls and help pave a path for them in STEM.

“The importance to have women in roles like this is undeniably the key for future young women. To know that another strong woman has walked the path that I am on now and having a support system that understands me as a female in the workforce is a true privilege.”

Cristine says people would be surprised to know that the company helps to develop some of their favorite drinks, and she’s proud to play a part in this work with her teammates.
“It a true privilege to say the least,” Cristine says.

Katie Clark, Director of Research and Development
As Director of Research and Development at Flavorman, Katie Clark is our fearless leader of all things process improvements and project guidance. Katie says she earned her ranks through “blood, sweat, tears, the combination of an ‘old-fashioned farmgirl’ work ethic and a timely opportunity from Flavorman’s success.” She says that working with so many incredible women daily has made her “both proud and humbled.”

“Every woman brings certain strengths, and it’s important that we acknowledge and embrace those unique strengths. There’s still work to do in clearing a fair path for women to succeed professionally, but I think it starts with women embracing other women’s strengths and letting that intention be louder than any weakness. To me, that’s empowerment.”

Claire Oslund, Associate Beverage Architect
Claire Oslund is an Associate Beverage Architect who focuses on precisely completing recipes created by our team and ensuring they reach our clients efficiently. She says that finding a place where she feels supported and successful has been “the most exciting part of this job,” and “to have a working environment so open about its values, that does so much for the community, and really works hard to take care of its employees is a beautiful thing in this day and age.”
When it comes to inspiring other women to get involved in STEM roles, Claire says that biases in society have improved, but there’s still a ways to go.

“Too long have women been restricted or held back because of prejudice and outdated societal expectations about their abilities, intelligence, or value. More representation of women in science and technology is not just important to current women in STEM and their success, but also to the generations that come after us and the intrinsic quality of what they help create.”

She hopes all women and girls will advocate for themselves and remember how valued and important they are because their “happiness, safety and dreams are valid.”

Thank you all for your powerful stories that are helping to change the stigma behind women in STEM and inspiring women and girls across the world that they can be whatever they want to be. Cheers to your accomplishments, your empowerment, and for each of you being the change we all want to see!

ABOUT FLAVORMAN: Founded by David Dafoe in 1992, Flavorman is a custom beverage development company located in the heart of Bourbon country. Flavorman works with companies and entrepreneurs— big and small —to develop everything from energy drinks to flavored spirits and more. With 30 years in the industry and almost 75,000 beverage formulations, Flavorman has helped create thousands of household staples and iconic brands that have defined generations – and changed what the world is drinking. For more information, visit www.flavorman.com

The Beverage of 2021 “Nada Colada”

Written on January 6, 2022.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (January 06, 2022) Flavorman, a leading custom beverage development company, has announced a new drink flavor to sum up 2021 – “Nada Colada.”

Flavorman made headlines in 2020 when it created a drink flavor coined “Dumpster Fire,” which helped sum up the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The flavor fittingly incorporated spicy, smoky ginger hints alongside bittersweet grapefruit to coincide with the sentiment that the year resembled flaming trash.

The Flavorman team is back at it again, and for 2021, has crafted another beverage flavor to sum up another challenging and, frankly, lackluster year. The year was filled with slow starts and sudden stops, spinning wheels with little traction and a sense of getting nothing meaningful accomplished. We waited for the tide to turn and as we took two steps forward and took one or two back. The Flavorman team has dubbed 2021’s flavor “Nada Colada,” which, if it was a drink, would include no flavor at all, no color, no sweetness or sour – it would be a bland beverage that tastes like nothing, nada.

“When you think of a ‘nothing’ flavor, you think of flat carbonation or a soft drink without syrup. Or, a glass of slightly infused water left stagnant overnight,” said David Dafoe, Founder and CEO of Flavorman. “We thought 2021 would be a positive year but it just felt like a slow-motion continuation of 2020 with unfulfilled hope of a return to normal, so we are naming the beverage and flavor ‘Nada Colada’ and hoping next year’s flavor will be much more exciting for us all. The positive is that 2022’s flavor should be much more enticing since we’re starting from nothing.”

The Flavorman team will create a flavor annually to represent the year.

2022 Beverage Trends

Written on December 2, 2021.

Experts at the Louisville, KY-based beverage development company, Flavorman, have announced the drink trends to watch for in 2022. Driven by the long-term effects of an ongoing pandemic, this year’s forecast is shaping up to focus on celebrating life’s simple pleasures while striving for balance.

Going Big & Bold: As evidenced by the seltzer boom of the last few years, drinks with subtle displays of flavor have previously taken center stage, but that is likely to change in 2022. With the seltzer market beginning to saturate, beverage makers are now seeking ways to differentiate from the competition, opting for bigger and bolder profiles.

“Client requests have taken a 180-degree turn on flavor, especially where seltzers and sparkling waters are concerned,” said Tom Gibson, Flavorman’s Chief Flavorist. “Whereas before, clients would be looking for a gentler spritz of nuanced flavors in their drink, we are now seeing more clients ask for loud and proud, single-note flavors.”

In the wake of COVID-19 – a virus that is notorious for attacking a person’s taste and smell – it makes sense that drinks with prominently featured and straightforward flavors may provide reassurance to consumers still recovering from sensory loss related to the virus, or those who are just concerned with changes to their senses in general.

In 2022, expect beverage makers to continue emphasizing the presence of familiar flavors in drinks across categories. Childhood favorites like watermelon, strawberry, cherry, apple and grape will see a resurgence as consumers reach for those immediately recognizable and nostalgic profiles.

Guilt-Free Indulgence: As the world becomes more accustomed to the challenges of an ongoing pandemic, consumers are learning to strive for balance in all aspects of their life. Rather than sacrificing on indulgent experiences, consumers are embracing them with some slight modifications.

Citrus flavors have been a cornerstone for the drinks industry, but consumer tastes are now evolving towards botanical-forward beverages—particularly in the premium sector. Floral profiles like hibiscus, lavender and elderflower are becoming more mainstream and making way for the earthier, more herbal flavors of turmeric, anise and rosemary.

“Many of the ingredients you would find in your kitchen spice cabinet can introduce an extra element to a drink, providing new dimensions of flavor or functionality,” said Katie Clark, Flavorman’s Lab Manager. “Consumers tend to react to these twists with greater expectations—an insight that brands can leverage in premium beverage offers.”

Because premium is also so often associated with quality, ingredients like juice and full sugar are also becoming more popular in beverages marketed as high-end. Consumers indulging in these drinks aren’t as concerned with calorie restrictions or sugar because they recognize that they are treating themselves to a unique experience. The same can be observed in the spirits and beverage alcohol sectors.

“In the spirits world, amaro, absinthe and other botanical spirits are seeing a renaissance,” said Colin Blake, Director of Spirits Education at Moonshine University, the sister company of the Flavorman Beverage Campus. “These drinks tend to have a distinctive quality due to their balance of bitter and sweet, and they are consumed in very particular ways, usually before or directly following a meal. Consumers in the premium sector have embraced the ritual involved as another way of replicating a bar experience.”

A Return to Simplicity: Simplicity provides a source of comfort during a time when life feels like it has become much more complicated. In fact, the ongoing “clean label” trend shows us how the quality of ingredients, not quantity, is shaping consumer perceptions of the value of a beverage. It also explains why drinks with simple ingredient statements continue to be consumer favorites.

“Transparency has, time and time again, proven to be important to consumers,” said Clark. “Many clients seeking compliance with Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and other ‘better-for-you’ food and beverage retailers have simply opted to do away with sweeteners or added colors instead of combing through the accepted ingredient lists. Consumers don’t seem to mind.”

With health and wellness continuing to drive trends as we move into 2022, beverage brands will opt for simplicity in beverage formulations across the board. In the spirits sector, simplicity takes the form of moderation.

“Going low- or no-alcohol is a lifestyle choice that some consumers are rallying behind as a way to achieve holistic health goals,” said Clark. “This trend has fueled explosive growth in non-alcoholic spirits and ready-to-drink mocktails—as well as lower ABV wine-based cocktails—that we expect to continue into the New Year.”

With nearly 30 years in the beverage business and over 70,000 drink formulations, Flavorman compiles this annual trends summary through examination of beverage projects that have passed through its laboratory over the last 12 months.

See how last year’s Flavor Trends compare.

Have a drink idea that you think will excel in 2022? Flavorman can help you bring it to life. Give us a call at (502) 273-5214 or contact our team through this webform.

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