Takasago
- FY2025 sales: ¥225.092 billion
- Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
Can you give a brief overview of some key highlights of milestones the company reached over the last 12 months?
Masumura: In 2025, we have seen steady business growth, especially in developing regions. We have opened Takasago India Taste Innovation Center (TITIC) in Bengaluru, India, for deeper engagement with our customers. Internally, we have implemented various initiatives to further improve resilience of our supply chains, recognizing that this is a major expectation from our customers. Also, Takasago has been successfully offering flavor solutions for challenges related to depletion of natural resources, and flavor innovations to improve taste and aroma in food and beverages.
How is your company adapting to global changes in dietary habits and flavor expectations?
Masumura: We continuously monitor consumer trends and translate them into innovative technologies that meet shifting demands. As consumers increasingly seek taste authenticity and flavors that are true to nature, we have advanced our Vivid Technology program with new approaches such as Retroma and Freeze Grind Technology. These innovations enable us to deliver natural, authentic flavors that not only align with modern dietary preferences but also exceed consumer expectations.
What emerging flavor trends are you seeing in your key markets, and how quickly can your company adapt to these changes?
Masumura: A major emerging trend across our key markets is what we call Taste Mosaic—the growing demand for flavor exploration through new fruits, botanicals, herbs, and spices. Consumers are seeking diverse, health‑forward profiles that offer both novelty and a sense of well‑being. Takasago stays ahead of this shift by rapidly developing a broad portfolio of these emerging flavors, all designed to meet global and local regulatory requirements and perform effectively across a wide range of applications.
How do you balance innovation with consumer familiarity when developing new flavor profiles?
Masumura: We visualize unprecedented flavors and consumer-preferred taste characteristics based on sensory evaluation data of commercial products. By leveraging various analytical techniques, we express the flavor profiles of our proprietary flavors in a human-interpretable form, paving the way for the creation of new flavors.
Through these efforts, we aim to strike a balance between delivering innovative taste experiences and maintaining familiarity. Furthermore, by integrating new technologies into existing popular flavors, we promote product development that provides consumers with a sense of reassurance while offering new surprises and discoveries.
Can you describe how your R&D process has evolved to better anticipate shifting consumer preferences?
Masumura: Takasago’s CIMR team uses Global Pulse TrendSeeds, social media analytics, and consumer research to identify trends and accelerate product development tailored to regional needs. Through customer engagement and industry participation, we build an agile R&D process that responds quickly to evolving markets.
Which ingredient technologies are you most excited about, and how are they transforming your product offerings?
Masumura: Our company is actively working to utilize underutilized resources such as by-products generated during citrus juice production as new flavor ingredients. By adding new functionalities and repurposing by-products that were traditionally used as animal feed or discarded, we aim to reduce environmental impact and strengthen sustainability, while creating new value for conventional flavors.
How is artificial intelligence or machine learning being integrated into your flavor development process?
Masumura: Takasago is integrating artificial intelligence into our flavor development process through Ai-T-Aroma, a deep learning-based generative AI platform designed as a new strategic tool for flavor creation. This technology enables us to efficiently and cost-effectively design optimal flavor profiles that align with evolving consumer demands and expectations. While still a work in progress, Ai-T-Aroma is being continuously enhanced by combining our technical expertise in flavor creation with extensive consumer insights and market trend analysis. This integration allows us to accelerate innovation and deliver flavors that are both scientifically optimized and deeply relevant to global consumer preferences.
How are you leveraging biotechnology or fermentation processes to create new flavor solutions?
Masumura: Takasago is advancing sustainable flavor and fragrance solutions through biotransformation and precision fermentation. Since 2020, we’ve partnered with NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) on bio-production projects, and in 2023 joined a new initiative to upcycle unused organic residues into valuable aroma ingredients. Guided by Vision 2040 and NGP-2, from FY2024 we will accelerate R&D in upcycling and bioproduction to support the bioeconomy and a circular society under our slogan: “Symbiosis with Nature.”
What role do you see sustainable sourcing playing in the future of the flavor industry, and how are you preparing for potential supply chain disruptions?
Masumura: We believe that sustainable sourcing will play an increasingly important role in the flavor industry by supporting not only environmental and social responsibility but also long-term quality and supply stability. At Takasago, we promote long-term raw material security through "TaSuKI", an initiative focused on co-creation with sourcing regions and addressing social and environmental challenges at origin. In addition, we strengthen transparency and risk management across our supply chain through TakaSource to better respond to volatility and uncertainty.
What key consumer trends do you believe will shape the future of flavor preferences and development?
Masumura: Health and well-being will remain the defining macro trend shaping the future of flavor preferences and development. Within this, two key drivers—Empower Wellness and Emotional Journey—are expected to lead the way through 2026 and beyond. Consumers increasingly seek food and beverage products that support both physical and emotional well-being, favoring options with reduced or no sugar, salt, and fat, yet unwilling to compromise on taste.
Looking ahead 3-5 years, what strategic initiatives will be critical for maintaining competitive advantage in the flavor industry?
Masumura: Looking ahead, Takasago’s “Technology for the Future” will drive innovation and strengthen our position in the flavor industry. This platform focuses on five key areas: Basic Taste & Nutrition (delicious products with less sugar, salt, and fat), Health & Well-being (functional and emotional benefits), Plant-Based & Animal-Free (sustainable alternatives), Sustainability (renewable flavor solutions and reduced environmental impact), and Technological Innovation (breakthrough advancements). Together, these pillars enable us to shape healthier, more sustainable, and inspiring products for the future.
