Beverage Formulation

• Co-creation from stakeholders and community input: Stop the guesswork !. Our prototype concepts come from science/evidence-based research conducted by our researchers, sensory research from panellists, competitors and product market research, and inputs from consumers through focus groups, interviews, regional-focused consumer journey mapping, and many more. Get information that allows you to make crystal clear decisions.
• Ingredient Focus: We build our prototype with the use of real, clean, fresh and authentic ingredients (such as free from an allergen, no pesticide/chemicals/toxins, non-GMO, organic, vegetarian, gluten-free, and minimally processed) without compromising on sensory appeal.
• Clean Label: No complex labelling disgusting ingredients in the formulation. We offer clean labelling with maximum transparency around any health claims by replacing fewer desirable ingredients with label-friendly ingredients.
• Sensory and Shelf Life: Our prototype meets your sensory within the sphere of physical and scientific possibility by using a unique combination of ingredients without negatively affecting their colour, taste, texture and shelf life.
• Regulatory: A prototype that meets the regulatory requirement that governs food processing, including those established by the local and international regulations (e.g., FDA and EU regulations )
• Science-Based Nutrition: An evidence-based prototype that specifically meets the targeted consumer base's nutritional requirements as per the recommended dietary allowances. This includes reduced sugar content (e.g., use of Stevia and erythritol) and low calories with added functional benefits.
• Health Claim: Functional and Health claims as per the regulatory norms (e.g., no added artificial colours or flavours, and low in sugar)

We develop organic or conventional-based soft drinks products keeping the standard recipe formula, but we revamp the ingredients and flavours. We use fresh and clean ingredients and new exotic flavours that are 100% natural as preferred by today’s consumers. Our prototype ensures green, clean, plant-based, vegan-friendly, additive-free and minimally processed as per the requirements set by your marketing and R&D team.

Our team also add nutritional and health benefits to the product for people concerned about their health and wellness. We can come up with natural energy drinks, BCAA & EAA Fortified beverages, functional juice shots, vitality drinks and near water, and reduced-calorie beverages. For instance, we replace sugar with natural alternative sweeteners, cold-pressed juices, and fortifications while at the same retaining its natural flavours. We can formulate soft drinks with a wide range of flavours such as orange-vanilla, blueberry acai, strawberry guava flavours, and salt-and-sweety or sweet and savoury flavours (e.g., Fanta’s Salted Watermelon). We source both plant and animal-based ingredients to formulate soft drink juices . Depending on the type of application, we research and incorporate different types of flavours and sugar alternatives, add dietary fibre, and modify its structure and textural property through different processing methods.

New to World: We help you with an innovative beverage product (new to the world) which is entirely unique and different to pre-existing products. Example new technologies include genetically modified foods, extrusion, 3D printing, new ingredients etc.

Line Extension or addition to existing product lines:  We help you with line extension of your current beverage SKU to meet consumer needs and increase market share or to reposition your existing beverage products in a way to attract different kinds of consumers or significant improvement. The processing and formulation are similar to a current product. We change the product considering the diet-related factors (e.g., low fat, high fibre, salt-reduced, special dietary requirements that is gluten-free or dairy-free, packing size, or features, health, colour and flavour. We can also work on cost reduction of your existing product and repositioning.

Me too Products:  We help to copy existing products as processing methods are well known and ingredients already available.

We work to uncover key industry insights and develop products that have a competitive edge in their respective industries while at the same time meeting the consumer expectations for flavour, shelf life, functionality, quality, convenience, and costs.

You have an excellent beverage concept for a product that isn’t already available. But how can you determine if your idea is practical on a business level? How do you know it can be mass-produced and distributed to hundreds or thousands? This is where choosing the viability of your proposal becomes critical. If you want to be successful, you must assess the viability of your beverage concept.

• Are you at the idea generation stage? We help you conduct consumer and market research trends through shopping habits, cooking habits, local cooking, eating habits, and generate ideas. We conduct surveys, questionnaires, mystery shopping and interviews
• Is a proof of concept (POC) ready? Then we help you shortlist new product ideas using SWOT and TOWS with specific reference to the size, shape, shelf life, weight, sensory characteristics, costs, and ingredients of your competitor’s /benchmark product
• Are you in the concept development and testing stage? We help you to categorise the product (e.g., Refrigerated or shelf-stable, acid, acidified, or low acid, high moisture or dry, organic, natural etc.), delineate ingredients and their functionality (e.g., ingredients – form, source, manufacturing info, quantity, sequence of the use, process – steps, time), their type, components, quantities, nutritional information, functionality, quality, pre-processing information, specifications) and develop a theoretical prototype. If it's a Me-too product or line extension, we help you to shortlist initial ideas that best meet the design specification. We further conduct testing through sensory analysis of selected benchmark products. We use Ranking and rating tests based on the product. During this stage, we also help you identify the right packaging option (e.g., the clip packet, single-serving food, non-PBA, pizza box type etc.)
• Prototype development and sensory testing? We help you to develop a prototype of the product which is further modified or rejected. The manufacturer may request more than one prototype at this stage. Prototype development follows stringent Quality Control and Assurance checks that guarantees that food product meets a clear and consistent set of standards such as GMP, HACCP and other regulatory requirements.
• Product testing: through our dedicated sensory in-house lab, we offer sensory testing. We conduct sensory with trained, untrained panels and a consumer based on the product and the requirement of the stakeholders. The sensory analysis can provide initial guidance during the bench-top stage, and it plays a vital role in measuring production at the plant, ensuring product consistency and acceptability. We also conduct nutritional, physical, chemical and stability tests.

With years of experience in new food product research and development, Food Research Lab help customers from concept to launch. We aim to help our clients overcome market problems and meet consumer demands.

The food industry is witnessing a new form of consumption. Keeping that in mind, we can formulate the products in the form of ready-to-drink, ready-to-mix, and ready-to-serve beverage products. We use ingredients that offer an added value to the development and improve its indulgence and sustainability in terms of its functional ingredients, plant-based food dyes, and natural preservatives with a clean label

We offer research and development solutions to a range of products, including carbonated, non-carbonated energy drinks, fermented drinks, flavour-based drinks, fruit-based drinks, functional drinks such as low sugar natural prebiotics, cold-pressed juices, drinks filled with live cultures, organic acids, antioxidants crafted with adaptogens, nootropics, and functional botanical-infused CBD drinks, and many more. For instance, fortification of seltzer, soda and juice with vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc remains an extremely popular avenue for innovation

With our dedicated contract in-house R&D lab, you can trial new varieties and roll our new formulations, which stretch from goodness all the way through to indulgence, and at the same time from budget to premium and personalization, along with from naturalness through to functional benefits. FRL scientific food & nutraceutical expertise partners to create winning products that meet the above requirements.

Having a well-designed program backed by flawless data is essential for maintaining control over your product’s quality from start to end. We perform quality assurance testing through our full-service laboratory, The Food Research Lab, to assist you in verifying that your beverage’s consistent quality is an advantage to your business. Microbiology analysis, nutritional analysis, and diverse food chemistry analyses are some of the services we provide to our clients.

We deliver products for sensory and master data records of product, process and packaging information. This includes raw material specifications (type/subtype), metal testing, nutritional analysis, physical/chemical data, kosher/Halal information, GMO Status, microbiological status, supplier information, vendor ingredient line declarations, vendor warrants and guarantees, cost data, certificate analysis of requirement, regulatory data, test methods, allergen data, shipping and handling info, safety document (MSDS or SDS), proprietary info, sensory and quality information.

We have a list of vendors who can supply us with the product required for an R&D. All our vendors have been scrutinised based on the stringent quality criteria in terms of certificates they hold and the experience they have in the product line. We ensure 99% consistency in all the ingredients and will share the final list of ingredients and the vendor lists as part of our SOP. We consider more than one supplier of the same product to test quality and cost-effectiveness. If more than one supplier is used, tight product specifications will be followed. However, all ingredients will undergo basic testing before it moves to the product development phase.

Our sensory examination leads to the precise formulation and recipe recommendations. We develop data-driven design models based on sensory research and customer insights. The fact-based design methodology used by FRL reduces risk and gives our clients market confidence while cutting development time in half. With our dedicated sensory lab facility, our team takes satisfaction in creating and optimizing successful products in the marketplace, generating a favourable return on investment, and developing brand advocates

We have an in-house dedicated multidisciplinary team with expertise in food science, consumer and sensory science research, microbiology, ingredient development, biochemistry, culinary arts, regulatory, and manufacturing design. As such, we can deliver a high-calibre product with the expertise of emerging and cutting-edge technologies (e.g. technologies in food preservation - High Hydrostatic pressure methodology HHP, dielectric heating, pulsed light, bacteriocins; extractive emerging technologies: ultrasound-assisted extraction, ohmic heating, high pressure, supercritical fluid extraction and microwave-assisted extraction) and suitable facilities to conduct scientific and technical tests. Our experts are very facile around new food product development with vast categories of product lines.

We follow quality measures to ensure the products are safe from both the supplier and the buyer's perspectives. We carry out Marker Chemistry (e.g., HPLC, GC etc.), Microbiology tests (e.g., Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Escherichia Coli), heavy metal analysis (e.g., lead, arsenic, cadmium kept below the regulatory limits), Contamination (e.g., metal flakes from machinery), physical characteristics (e.g., powders for tablets must have low moisture content) and stability (e.g., the time for a product from initial production). We use compendium methods (USP and European) for an extensive validation process.

Food Research Lab can help you outsource your beverage bottling and production management, which gives you access to our industry knowledge and skills and saves you time and money. You'll be able to focus your attention and resources on your critical sales and marketing strategy when you work with Food Research Lab.

We collaborate with beverage makers worldwide to identify the best and most cost-effective solutions for your beverage production.

Let us know what you're looking for, and we'll come up with the finest solution for your drinks.

• There's no need to hire more people to help with sourcing.
• Eliminate the need for extra wages, taxes, foreign phone calls, and travel expenses to save money.
• Outsource to a team of industry professionals to have the upper hand in the negotiation process.
• Enjoy peace of mind by relying on industry experts' comprehensive assistance and knowledge.

There are several options in almost every product area in today’s market, and the difficulty is in coming up with unique items that stand out and connect with customers. FRL Food Research Lab (FRL) takes a holistic approach to creating food and beverage products. We define, demographically target, and build effective goods through a sequential process for category selection and comprehension.

Our team of beverage experts works on producing the recipe for your drink after the concept has been validated. During this time, we will:

• Conduct a pricing study, acquire ingredients, look for cost-cutting options, and conduct product analysis.
• Initial samples are created, laboratory stability testing is performed, reformulation is performed as needed, the formula is optimised, and examples are delivered to test and evaluate.
• Produce final samples and give your final commercial formula, including the anticipated end price for product components and compound costs.

Our food and beverage development service may help you transform your drink concept into a commercially viable product. We have a team of beverage development specialists who will collaborate with you to design a drink that is documented to industry standards and in which you own the intellectual property. Our food scientists will transform your drink recipe concept into a reality.