As global supply chain disruptions become increasingly common, consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are turning to innovative solutions to maintain product consistency and profitability. Chilean food-tech startup NotCo is leading this charge with its AI-powered product development platform, Giuseppe.
The Challenge of Supply Chain Disruptions
Supply chain disruptions caused by global pandemics, trade wars, and other factors are forcing CPG companies to rethink their product formulations. NotCo’s platform is designed to help these companies adapt quickly to changing circumstances.
How Giuseppe Works
NotCo developed Giuseppe, its proprietary AI-powered platform, a decade ago. The engine is trained on a vast dataset including industrial food production processes, molecular composition of over 8,000 ingredients, product reviews, and social media insights. This comprehensive training enables Giuseppe to guide product development from concept to exact formulation.
The platform works by allowing R&D teams to input specific constraints such as budget, production requirements, restricted ingredients, desired taste, and texture. Giuseppe then generates five formulations for developers to test in sensory analysis. Feedback from these tests is used to fine-tune ingredient ratios and produce another set of improved formulations.
Successful Applications
NotCo has already seen success with major brands like Kraft and Shake Shack. For Kraft Heinz JV, Giuseppe helped create plant-based cheddar cheese and mac and cheese alternatives that maintained the original flavor while reducing costs. For Shake Shack, NotCo formulated a plant-based version of their custard ice cream, preserving both taste and texture.
These projects demonstrate the platform’s ability to accelerate product development. Traditional development timelines for such projects would have taken 12 to 18 months, but with Giuseppe, the time was cut to less than six months.
Addressing Broader Challenges
NotCo’s rapid and cost-effective R&D capabilities are now being applied to broader challenges such as supply constraints and shifting regulations. The company is working on confidential reformulation projects addressing supply continuity issues and is in initial discussions with clients regarding tariffs.
The Future of Food Innovation
As CPG companies face multiple external pressures including tariffs, sustainability requirements, and profitability demands, innovative solutions like NotCo’s Giuseppe platform are becoming increasingly valuable. By leveraging AI to understand flavor at the molecular level and optimize product formulation, companies can better navigate the complex landscape of modern food production.
The ability to reformulate products quickly and sustainably will be crucial for CPG companies looking to weather future supply chain disruptions. NotCo’s success demonstrates the potential for AI to transform the food industry, enabling brands to maintain product consistency while adapting to changing market conditions.
