IFF unveils AI-powered CONCEPT MUSE to fast-track food and beverage innovation

IFF has launched CONCEPT MUSE, a proprietary artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform designed to help food and beverage manufacturers accelerate product innovation. The tool combines consumer insights, market intelligence and flavor expertise to identify emerging opportunities and transform ideas into product concepts within minutes.

Developed to address the growing demand for faster and more targeted innovation, CONCEPT MUSE uses simple prompts to generate differentiated food and beverage concepts, complete with product narratives, visual mockups and suggested technologies. The platform enables manufacturers to explore new ideas while considering evolving consumer preferences and market trends.

“Food and beverage innovation has always been a balance of art and science. Now digital transformation is adding a powerful new dimension to that equation,” said Benjamin Mattei, vice president of intelligence and digital transformation for IFF Taste.

According to IFF, the platform is designed to complement rather than replace human expertise. Its effectiveness depends on how specialists define innovation challenges, evaluate AI-generated suggestions and refine concepts to meet specific brand and market requirements.

“AI expands the range of possibilities, while human intelligence provides the relevance, credibility and direction,” said Mimi Sherlock, vice president of global human futures for IFF Taste.

IFF recently demonstrated CONCEPT MUSE at its FirsTaste customer event, where experts collaborated with customers to develop product concepts, tailor ideas to different markets and explore opportunities using proprietary trend intelligence.

The launch forms part of IFF's broader digital transformation strategy, which also includes KALEIDO Immersive Spaces, a collaborative environment that allows customers to explore product ideas through visual storytelling, taste, aroma and other sensory experiences.

By integrating AI-driven concept generation with technical and sensory expertise, IFF aims to help food and beverage companies shorten early-stage development timelines and respond more effectively to changing consumer demands.