The Monk Fruit Squeeze
Why the Price of V25, V40, and V50 Keep Climbing – and How to Keep it From Murdering Your COGs Summary Monk fruit extract prices are climbing steadily across the grade spectrum, from V25 to V40 to V50, putting real Read more…
Panned Confections Without the Sugar Hangover
A Formulator’s Field Guide to Maltitol, Isomalt, and Erythritol Summary Panned confections may look simple on the outside, but the glossy shell that defines them is the result of careful ingredient strategy and processing control. As sugar reduction becomes a Read more…
Sweetness Decay Rate
The Part Everyone Tastes, but Few Talk About A formulator’s field guide to why sweetness timing matters, what goes wrong, and how to fix it Summary Sweetness isn’t just about how strong it is. It’s about how it behaves over Read more…
Thaumatin vs. Brazzein: A Formulator’s Comparative
A Guide to Sweet Protein – Taste Receptor Interactions – and How Not to Screw Them Up Summary The era of brute-force sugar reduction is over. Sweet proteins are here, and they demand a smarter hand. In this white paper, Read more…
Fibermaxxing, Fermentation, and the Metabolites Running the Show
Summary Most formulation strategies still focus on sweetness curves, macros, and label claims. But the real metabolic story begins after digestion, in the colon, where microbial fermentation determines whether your product drives short-chain fatty acids or neurotoxic byproducts. In this Read more…
Sweetener Breakups Are Hard:
Sweetener Breakups Are Hard: Why the Industry Is Quietly Moving on from Erythritol (and What to Do Instead) Summary Erythritol hasn’t been banned, and it hasn’t stopped functioning. What’s changed is risk. Once a quiet, reliable workhorse in sugar reduction, Read more…
Mission Control for Modern Formulation
How Icon Foods Steers Brands Through the New Nutrition Frontier At SCIFTS and again at EXPOWest, the food and beverage industry won’t just be trading samples and business cards—they’ll be navigating the tectonic shift that’s reshaping how products get made, labeled, and loved. Read more…
The Erythritol Reckoning, Part II
Trade Policy Just Changed the Formulation Playbook (Again) Summary In The Erythritol Reckoning, Part II, Thom King moves beyond last week’s science debate and into the economic earthquake now reshaping formulation strategy. With final antidumping and countervailing duties of up to Read more…
Sugar, Science, and Strategy:
Why the New U.S. Dietary Guidelines Will Reshape Better-For-You Food Innovation, and How You Can Lead the Charge Summary The upcoming 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans signal a decisive shift in federal nutrition policy, placing added sugar and highly processed Read more…
RTD Coffee Has Entered Its Second Act
Summary RTD coffee has moved beyond convenience and into its second act: function-first formulation. Today’s bottled brews are expected to deliver protein for satiety, fiber for balance, adaptogens for focus, and low sugar without sacrificing drinkability. But coffee is a Read more…