Alon Chen is the CEO and Co-Founding father of Tastewise, a number one client intelligence platform powered by knowledge and generative AI. Underneath his management, Tastewise is remodeling how meals and beverage manufacturers develop tasty, wholesome, and sustainable merchandise by unlocking real-time client insights. Trusted by world giants comparable to Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Kraft Heinz, the platform helps corporations speed up product innovation, streamline advertising, and increase retail and foodservice efficiency by way of AI-driven workflows. With a mission to empower smarter decision-making throughout the meals ecosystem, Chen is on the forefront of leveraging AI to form the way forward for what we eat and drink.
Tastewise was impressed by your mom’s Shabbat dinner. Are you able to share extra about that second and the way it sparked the thought for the corporate?
At one level, I observed that everybody in my household had completely different diets, vitamin plans, and meals preferences. For my mom — who all the time prepares unbelievable Shabbat dinners and invitations the entire household — this turned an actual problem. She needed to maintain monitor of everybody’s evolving dietary wants whereas nonetheless making a meal that introduced us all collectively.
One week, she’d put together a conventional dish with rooster, solely to understand there have been vegetarians on the desk. One other time, she’d serve rice, forgetting that a few of us had been following a keto weight-reduction plan. The frustration of making an attempt to accommodate everybody began to take a toll.
That’s when it struck me—this wasn’t only a problem for house cooks; it was a a lot greater difficulty for the complete meals and beverage trade. If even a home-cooked meal required a lot adaptation, how may companies successfully sustain with ever-changing client preferences? That realization was the spark that led to Tastewise.
How did you identify that the meals and beverage trade was prepared for an AI-powered insights platform like Tastewise?
After we launched Tastewise in 2018, AI was nonetheless uncharted territory. Many companies – and even our buyers – had been unsure about its potential and the way it may remodel industries. However one factor was clear: the meals and beverage trade desperately wanted innovation.
On the time, 90% of latest product launches had been failing, largely because of outdated, handbook processes like client surveys and focus teams. These strategies had been sluggish, pricey, and sometimes didn’t seize real-time client preferences. It wasn’t simply that the trade was prepared for AI-driven insights—it wanted them.
Tastewise was constructed to bridge that hole. We leverage AI to assist manufacturers streamline product growth and market methods and this primarily frees groups from doing tedious handbook work and allows them to somewhat give attention to creativity, technique, and significant innovation.
How did your expertise at Google as CMO for Greece and Israel put together you for launching Tastewise?
My time at Google was instrumental in getting ready me to launch Tastewise. As CMO for Greece and Israel, I constructed a $2 billion on-line enterprise, which gave me invaluable expertise in scaling B2B operations, driving market share, and understanding the nuances of digital progress.
There, I discovered firsthand tips on how to leverage data-driven decision-making, innovation, and expertise to resolve advanced enterprise challenges — expertise that turned the inspiration for Tastewise. That have positively helped me acknowledge the ability of AI in uncovering client insights and shaping the way forward for the meals and beverage trade.
Tastewise leverages generative AI for client insights. How does the expertise work, and what units it other than opponents within the area?
Tastewise’s generative AI is particularly crafted for the meals and beverage trade, leveraging seven years of specialised knowledge to supply real-time insights into what, why, and the way individuals eat.
Our AI analyzes an enormous array of knowledge – spanning 75 billion social media posts, 1 trillion on-line recipes, 160 million critiques, over 4 million eating places (each chains and independents), and 600,000 grocery gadgets. This permits us not solely to trace present client consuming habits but additionally to foretell rising meals and beverage developments with excessive accuracy, giving manufacturers a aggressive edge in staying forward of trade shifts.
This mentioned intelligence is nothing with out motion. What units Tastewise aside is our capacity to remodel these insights into actionable income alternatives. Our merchandise streamline workflows, making certain environment friendly execution. For instance, the platform’s Innovation Dashboard simplifies development discovery, whereas TasteGPT will immediately generate AI-powered concepts for brand new merchandise primarily based in your targets.
One other instance is one thing like our Content material Company which converts these insights into high-performing advertising campaigns. Collectively, these instruments allow manufacturers to capitalize on progress alternatives by enhancing shelf presence, increasing menu choices, or boosting product utilization—empowered by AI-driven execution.
How do you make sure the accuracy and relevance of AI-generated insights, and what challenges have you ever confronted in coaching fashions for such a distinct segment trade?
At first look, AI for the meals and beverage trade may appear area of interest, however in actuality, it’s centered on a $10 trillion world market that touches each facet of our day by day lives. Digitalization has amplified its attain, with food-related content material, comparable to Instagram posts about meals, now constituting 20% of all on-line content material—underscoring that meals isn’t just a market, however a central a part of the digital dialog.
After we began seven years in the past, we relied on conventional AI fashions lengthy earlier than generative AI turned mainstream. The insights we gathered over time from these fashions offered a robust basis for validating the accuracy and relevance of our generative AI outputs.
By cross-referencing new insights with established knowledge, we guarantee a excessive stage of reliability in our outcomes. Whereas no AI system is ideal, this strategy permits us to take care of accuracy and refine our fashions successfully.
Tastewise processes huge quantities of knowledge from menus, social media, and client habits. What particular machine studying fashions or strategies does your platform use to generate actionable insights?
At Tastewise, we leverage a mixture of superior machine studying strategies to remodel huge quantities of knowledge into actionable insights. Analogizers, sometimes used for unsupervised studying, assist us cluster knowledge primarily based on related patterns, even when these patterns aren’t predefined. As an example, we use Analogizers to categorise (or group) retailer chains.
Connectionist fashions, like neural networks, enable us to categorise demographics and behavioral teams, which we consult with as audiences. In the meantime, Symbolyst’s tree and forest fashions are used for entity matching—connecting completely different supply platforms to the identical Tastewise entity. On this course of, we depend on a constant set of options (comparable to identify, handle, and telephone quantity) and apply comparatively inflexible guidelines to make sure correct matching throughout platforms.
Collectively, these fashions allow us to supply companies with exact, data-driven insights that not solely inform strategic selections but additionally anticipate future food and drinks developments.
TasteGPT has recognized progress in distinctive dessert preparation strategies, comparable to infusing and grilling. What different culinary improvements are on the horizon?
Tastewise’s newest insights reveal an interesting evolution in how shoppers strategy dessert and meals preparation. Whereas strategies like infusing and grilling proceed to realize traction, different distinctive strategies are additionally rising in reputation, reflecting shifts in texture preferences, eating experiences, and even portion sizes.
Probably the most notable developments is soaking, which has seen a 30% year-over-year improve. Soaking entails submerging elements in liquid to boost texture, taste, or dietary properties. Historically related to in a single day oats, this methodology is increasing into new territory, comparable to infused grains and pre-soaked nuts for various dairy merchandise.
One other method gaining consideration is tenderizing, up 25% YoY. Tenderizing is the method of breaking down muscle fibers in meat or altering the feel of plant-based elements to create a softer chew. The rise in curiosity could point out a rising client desire for extra refined, melt-in-your-mouth textures throughout numerous cuisines.
On the experiential aspect, hibachi cooking has grown by 18% YoY, signaling a heightened curiosity in high-heat, interactive eating. Hibachi is a Japanese grilling type the place elements are cooked at excessive temperatures on an open grill, usually in a theatrical, partaking method. Whether or not at eating places or in house kitchens, this development displays the enchantment of immersive cooking experiences that carry each leisure and daring flavors to the desk.
Lastly, the idea of miniaturization can be on the rise, with a 14% YoY improve. Miniaturization entails creating smaller, bite-sized variations of conventional dishes or desserts, usually emphasizing portion management and aesthetic enchantment. The demand for connoisseur small plates, petite pastries, and individually portioned treats suggests that customers are searching for indulgence in a extra balanced and customizable method.
What are a few of the most stunning developments or insights Tastewise has uncovered not too long ago within the meals and beverage area?
In Fall 2024, we continued our custom of releasing the Taste Traits Report, highlighting essentially the most disruptive meals and beverage developments shaping 2025
Probably the most placing developments is the rise of Center Jap flavors, significantly Yemeni spices like hawaij and black lime. As shoppers hunt down daring, warming flavors, hawaij – a wealthy mix of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves – is rising as the following huge factor in drinks, poised to problem the long-reigning pumpkin spice.
Whereas taste exploration is on the rise, financial realities are shaping how youthful generations strategy meals. With affordability in thoughts, Gen Z is gravitating towards Filipino delicacies, drawn to its wealthy, umami-packed flavors that don’t compromise on style or value.
Past style and affordability, sustainability stays a key driver of client decisions, particularly in drinks. Sustainable wine is gaining traction, as eco-conscious drinkers prioritize manufacturers that apply regenerative agriculture and embrace lower-carbon manufacturing strategies.
On the similar time, the well being and wellness motion is evolving within the wake of GLP-1 weight-loss medicine. Shoppers are more and more searching for personalised vitamin options that align with their particular person wants, from hormone steadiness to hydration.
Collectively, these developments level to a future the place shoppers aren’t solely in search of thrilling flavors and cost-conscious meals but additionally making aware decisions that align with their well being and sustainability targets.
What’s your imaginative and prescient for Tastewise within the subsequent 5 to 10 years, and the way do you see AI evolving within the meals and beverage trade?
AI is already a elementary a part of the meals and beverage trade construction and client habits. Shoppers’ consuming habits are already, in some ways, already affected by AI-supported algorithms on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. In the meantime, the trade is awash with AI instruments revolutionizing demand prediction and general productiveness.
The trade is continually taking part in catch-up with client calls for, resulting in an over 90% failure price for brand new meals and beverage merchandise. Based on the World Financial Discussion board, the meals and beverage trade prices over $19 trillion because of environmental injury and food-related well being points, virtually double what the trade itself is value.
I really feel that within the subsequent 5-10 years, corporations utilizing AI instruments will begin the shift towards a larger equilibrium, the place manufacturers aren’t solely staying on high of developments however having a far larger understanding of them and may transfer quickly from ideation to shelf.
Because of this the 90% failure price will come quickly down, maybe even to zero, which I discover extra fascinating. We’re already seeing manufacturers like KraftHeinz, Givaudan, Pepsico, and Waitrose pushing new boundaries with their merchandise and advertising due to their use of AI instruments and platforms.
This shift causes us to ask: What if all innovation succeeds? What if all connects on to your meant viewers? What if each product goes to the proper place?
AI will primarily turn out to be an extension of the human staff—quicker, extra exact, and always-on. I imagine we’ll see a shift from a “useful software” to a “core collaborator.” And what which means for us at Tastewise is profound.
Our imaginative and prescient is evident: Tastewise would be the working system of meals and beverage innovation. We’re not simply constructing a knowledge platform—we’re constructing the go-to surroundings the place manufacturers dream, check, validate, and execute, multi function place. That’s what will get me excited.
We’ve already laid the groundwork by pairing actual client habits with GenAI to automate what used to take groups weeks or months. Our aim now could be to proceed embedding ourselves deeper into the precise workflows of entrepreneurs, R&D groups, and strategists. Consider immediate solutions to advanced questions, built-in throughout the instruments you already use, accessible anytime.
And right here’s why that issues: after we get this proper, we don’t simply assist manufacturers transfer quicker—we reduce down on meals waste, shield backside strains, and contribute to a more healthy, extra responsive meals system. It’s higher for enterprise, higher for individuals, and higher for the planet. That’s the longer term we’re constructing collectively.
What recommendation would you give aspiring entrepreneurs who want to disrupt conventional industries with AI?
Disrupting a conventional trade with AI isn’t nearly having nice expertise—it’s about fixing an actual, urgent downside. Too usually, corporations get caught up within the hype of AI and not using a clear goal. The secret’s to start out with the trade’s largest ache factors and ask: How can AI make this smarter, quicker, or extra worthwhile?
In conventional industries, change doesn’t occur in a single day. Many decision-makers are skeptical, counting on legacy techniques and acquainted processes. That’s why schooling is simply as vital as innovation. You need to present, not simply inform—use knowledge and real-world success tales to show AI’s worth in a method that resonates together with your viewers.
On the similar time, flexibility is essential. AI is evolving at an unbelievable tempo, and what works at the moment won’t be related tomorrow. Probably the most profitable entrepreneurs on this area aren’t simply tech visionaries—they’re adaptable, all the time refining their strategy primarily based on market wants.
Above all, success comes from assembling the proper staff. AI alone received’t disrupt an trade—individuals will. Encompass your self with consultants who perceive not solely the expertise but additionally the trade you’re making an attempt to remodel. With the right combination of innovation, schooling, and agility, AI can go from being a buzzword to an actual game-changer.
Thanks for the good interview, readers who want to study extra ought to go to Tastewise.
