September 19, 2012 • Qualitative consumer research study in four European countries
• Explores food and drink pleasure by engaging consumer dialogue
• Complements consumer understanding within taste for life® platform

Symrise presents findings from its "Pure Pleasure" consumer study. The cross-category consumer research explores consumer preferences in four European countries. Symrise is using the findings to develop ideas for new delightful products together with its customers.

Food and drink experiences enrich and nourish our enjoyment of life itself. There are certain things that are considered pleasurable across national borders, while others are more regionally defined. In order to examine this more closely, Symrise conducted a qualitative consumer study and cracked the pleasure DNA for eating and drinking.

Food pleasure - a mix of universal dimensions, moments and consumer types

The study involved pleasure diaries being kept by consumers in France, the UK, Germany and Russia. The study found that pleasure is what results from the interplay of all kinds of food delights and social and family occasions - practically anytime and anywhere. Symrise's findings are also corroborated by previously published reports and online community dialogs.

This information provided Symrise with key benchmark data relating to food and drink pleasure. For example, intensity of pleasure is linked to certain key dimensions. On the whole, these dimensions can be clustered within three platforms: My surrounding, Myself and the Product. This brings us neatly back to taste for life®, Symrise's strategic platform which focuses on the consumer and their preferences. In all areas, authentic and natural foods with a real pleasure factor are very popular. "Pure Pleasure" therefore brings to light that the trend of healthy and functional food is continuing to gain momentum.

Pleasure experiences offered to co-create with key customers

Symrise is keen to share its findings with its key customers and is therefore offering a two-stage workshop. During the initial inspiration day, the participants develop immediate pleasure opportunities for existing products. In a second ideation workshop, cross-functional teams develop customized approaches. This can increase the pleasure aspect of existing products and help to develop new pleasurable products by fine-tuning the dimensions, moments and consumer types to specific product categories and countries.

Capturing the power of Pure Pleasure to drive flavor enjoyment

"We delved deeper into specific product categories to more precisely understand the brand DNA of pleasure and to enrich our knowledge of specific pleasure moments in related main flavor areas," explains Sandra Corneau, Sensory & Consumer Insights Director EAME Flavor & Nutrition Symrise. "This allows us to develop innovative products with and for our key customers. In order to go global with the approach and to validate it, we will continue to collect and to enhance our consumer insights."

"'Pure Pleasure' enables us to efficiently identify consumer trends and give our key customers specifically tailored advice. It also demonstrates that Symrise understands food and drink pleasure in all its many facets and that we can therefore provide just the right flavor for each product," adds Hamish Taylor, Vice President Strategic Business Development Symrise. "We want our customers to see us as a partner with expertise when it comes to pleasurable food and drink. For this reason, we offer them flavor visions for the consumer."

Press Contact:

Bernhard Kott  
Phone: +49 (0)5531 90-1721   
E-mail: bernhard.kott@symrise.com   

Christina Witter
+49 (0)5531 90-2182
christina.witter@symrise.com

distributed by