Tate & Lyle launches formulation tool for mouthfeel in Asia-Pacific

The Tate & Lyle Sensation™ is a proprietary, precision sensory formulation tool designed to help food and drink producers in the Asia Pacific region accelerate product development, starting with the yogurt category. It maps what consumers want in terms of mouthfeel by category and geography, translating these insights and the language used by consumers into scientific sensory language to then deliver the right ingredient solution for specific desired mouthfeel attributes. By leveraging this agile and accurate tool, formulators can develop superior products with enhanced texture and mouthfeel in a quicker and easier way. 

This launch represents a key step in Tate & Lyle’s leadership in mouthfeel, built on a powerful combination of ingredient breadth, sensory science, and insight-led innovation. Following its combination with CP Kelco, Tate & Lyle now offers the industry’s most complete portfolio of mouthfeel ingredients - spanning starches, fibers, gums, pectins, sweeteners and proteins - providing solutions that meet diverse formulation goals from optimization to innovation.

These capabilities are underpinned by Tate & Lyle Sensation™, a tool which streamlines formulation by translating consumer expectations to tailored sensory and ingredient solutions.

 Faster from consumer insight to tailored solutions

The tool also simplifies the path from consumer expectations to winning product formulation through a unique three-step process:

1. Insight – mapping what consumers want in terms of mouthfeel across geographies and food and beverage categories
2. Translate – converting consumer language into a scientific sensory lexicon
3. Solution – creating a customised toolkit of ingredient solutions to deliver the desired mouthfeel attributes

The Asia-Pacific launch is built on further regional research, including proprietary studies in China, where yogurt is widely viewed as a symbol of wellness and part of a daily self-care ritual. Tate & Lyle’s research identified two key consumption occasions that dominate yogurt use in China: assisted digestion yogurt, typically consumed after meals for its health benefits, and indulgent yogurt, enjoyed during break times for its smooth, creamy, comforting texture.

Forrest Evans, Head of Category Development and Planning, Asia-Pacific, at Tate & Lyle, said: “Asia’s yogurt category is evolving quickly, with consumers looking for healthier, more versatile, and indulgent options – all without compromising on texture.

"With Tate & Lyle Sensation™, we’re bringing precision and speed to a space that has often relied on trial and error. It’s a major step in empowering our customers to deliver winning sensory experiences faster and more accurately than ever.

"In China and across the region, consumers link mouthfeel directly to quality, authenticity, and even functionality. From thick, nutrient-dense formats that reinforce wellness, to smooth and creamy textures that signal comfort, the right mouthfeel attributes play a decisive role in shaping product success.”

Marcia Petit, Global Head of Sensory at Tate & Lyle, said: “Our research shows that mouthfeel is key to creating yogurts people love. In Asian markets consumers are looking for both sensory delight and nutritional value.

“Tate & Lyle Sensation™ helps translate those consumer desires into formulation-ready insights, making it easier to deliver the exact textures people want.”