Beverage and Food Gurus
Noticed a new product on the supermarket shelf? Chances are the team at Beverage and Food Gurus (BFG) knows all about it.
Sam, Sarah and John of BFG
This NZ-based company works with those keen to develop a product that will end up on supermarket shelves, amongst other places. The assistance offered involves services spanning from concept development to successful commercialisation for a whole host of customers. Or, as BFG’s executive director and founder John Evans likes to say: the company’s breadth is “from idea to shelf”. Few can offer such a full suite in the food tech space. Of immediate note BFG: is an independent company (not a government or university research organisation); has its own fully equipped Auckland laboratory for product development of beverages, food, and pet food; employs solely food scientists or food technologists.
The company, which is three this month, has grown a solid reputation for its comprehensive food technology solutions - specifically customised solutions in product development, business advice, and technical consulting leading to commercial outcomes for its many customers. As John and his team can attest, a lot of product is developed every year within the beverage, food, and pet food industries. People coming up with those product ideas are increasingly appreciating being able to turn to team BFG for guidance. “We are very focused on commercial outcomes for our customers. We are involved in ensuring the new product is safe, is regulation compliant, tastes good, has a good shelf life, is priced right and is suitable for the NZ and Australian markets,” John tells. While most clients are from throughout NZ, the BFG team has Australian clients too (food rules are the same in both countries), and works for customers with product going to export.
There are various ways that customers can benefit from the talent on board at BFG.
Virtual food tech service
BFG acts as a virtual food technologist too, especially in the medium-sized business sector. “Our food techs check ingredients are suitable and this is a valuable service for businesses that don’t have full-time food technologists. “We are at the end of the phone to help,” John explains. This service is of value to a sizeable number as about 30-40 per cent of BFG’s customer base fall into the Small to Medium Enterprise (SMES) category. (A further 30 per cent are “true entrepreneurial start-ups”; and large multinationals are in the mix too).
New offering
Hot off the press! Team BFG has welcomed another string to its bow – a training one. Just introduced is a webinar series called Jump Start that has been put together by BFG in collaboration with the NZ Food Innovation Network.
Jump Start provides a training series specifically for start-ups in the food and beverage space. The module, John explains, helps with commercialisation, moving thorough various developmental stages. “Google ‘how to start a food and beverage business’ and the results would not have been great until now,” John says. “Our on-line course provides a great resource that’s of benefit to the industry. We are very flexible in terms of what people may needs us for. Clients can just dip in.” Jump Start includes learnings around significant things like…what’s important when pitching to supermarkets!
What’s trending
There’s not too much same-same on the work front at BFG. As John explains, a lot of work is done in the “functional space” and things are constantly changing. “For example, while people have been taking supplements for decades, now the demand sees us taking food and supplementing it. “We are working a lot with food supplemented through protein, electrolytes and amino acids, for example. There’s a desire for the development of these kinds or products,” John explains. Also in demand are products like smoothie and hydration powders – powders that include electrolytes, proteins, vitamins and minerals… And there’s a keenness for low sugar products (that, importantly, still taste good). “There’s been a migration from people saying ‘here, take a pill’ to, ‘here, take this food’. We see a lot of action in this area and are spending an increasing amount of time working within that space,” John tells.
Energy drinks remain a big category but there too changes have been noted. The demand is not just for drinks that help with energy, but with muscle mass development too.
Societal change also impacts. An example is how people talk about menopause more freely these days, and about sleeplessness too. So, there’s a focus on products that can help with those. It’s not unusual for customers to say: ‘I want to develop a drink that will help with sleep, or focus, or energy, or menopause’, John explains. Take sleep for example; magnesium is a classic in this space, and you could also include botanical, herbal remedies, like the inclusion of passionflower. John, emphasises, however, that his beverage and food gurus are not herbalists, nutritionists or pharmacists. They are, however, highly experienced in their field.
The BFG team
The company has three development technologists on board, and three principals. The principals are:
· John, as Commercial Director, armed with a degree in MTech (Food Science) (Hons) and PG Diploma in Business Admin
· Innovation Director Sarah Walter BSc (Food Science) (1st class Hons)
· Managing Director Sam Borgfeldt BTech (Food Technology) (Hons) and PG Dip Business Admin (Management).
Amongst the BFG’s three principals is a vast range of experience in running factories, product development, consulting, and experience working with clients ranging from start-ups to large multi-nationals. Product development, packaging, and working with flavour houses is all part of their experienced repertoire.
(November 2024 Supermarket News)