Culinology - September 2011 - (Page 22)

FRITO-LAY Keith Nunes knunes@sosland.com Frito-Lay’s culinary insights The salty snack maker uses Culinology gy to create innovative new products 22 I n the food and beverage industry, the key moment in the product development process occurs when a consumer bites into a product for the first time. That first bite determines whether the flavors, sensations and texture are ideal for the product’s target market and price point. That moment is also the culmination of a robust behind-thescenes effort that incorporates the art and science that defines the practice of Culinology. In late August, Frito-Lay North America, a business unit of PepsiCo, Inc., opened the doors to its Frito-Lay Culinary Innovation Center in Plano, Texas, and hosted a regional Research Chefs Association (RCA) event that focused on how Frito-Lay uses the concept of Culinology in the development of salty snacks. Frito-Lay North America is the largest snack food manufacturer in the US, and its product portfolio runs the gamut of salty snack applications such as chips, Cheetos, nuts, seeds and pretzels to Funyuns and dip mixes. The broad product I portfolio provides fers tile ground for culinary ulinary inspiration, but product specifications related to ated convenience, shelf stabilf ity and price point make nt the product development elopment process a challenge. e. The company’s Culinary Innovation Center acts as a hub within the business unit siness that allows associates workates ing within product developct ment, operations and marketing to investigate new product possibilities. “At Frito-Lay product developers are organized by ganized brand and platform, and the rm, culinary team supports all of pports us,” said Carol McCall, R&D senior manager and a certified nd culinary scientist. “[Members . of the culinary team] bring re am] resources to us while the product developers will bring the objective, the problems to be solved, background information and context. “They tell culinary what it is we are trying to deliver. We create a brief so we know what we are going after. Then we create together and identify CULINOLOGY I SEPTEMBER 2011 what we want to target and execute against, and then evaluate whether we are being successful.” While there is a product development structure in place, ideation and inspiration come from innumerable sources. “Our ideas come from our folks in the field,” said Holly Deal Ramage, R&D scientist.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Culinology - September 2011

Culinology - September 2011
PRESIDENT’S LETTER - Seasons in transition
UPCOMING EVENTS
NEWS - What’s hot in condiments and sauces?
NEWS - Bringing down the beverage calorie count naturally
Scarborough’s fare
COOKING OILS - Cooking oils evolution
Frito-Lay’s culinary insights
FLAVOR TRENDS - Discovering new Asian infl uences
PETITS FOURS

Culinology - September 2011