Givaudan has launched a new innovation platform called Mista in San Francisco to enable start-ups and large food companies to collaborate on new product development. Danone, Mars, and Ingredion will be founding members. Mista will provide facilities for product development, market experts, and access to culinary and food scientists. It aims to help companies with scaling up, partnerships, and distribution. The goal is to address large challenges in food systems through open innovation that no single company can achieve alone.

1. Danone and Mars Join Givaudan’s New
Mista Innovation Platform
Danone, Mars and Ingredion have signed up as founding members of Givaudan’s new innovation
platform for the food industry.
Called Mista, the initiative is said to be more encompassing than an incubator or accelerator and
aims to enable start-ups and established corporations to optimise ideas, products, people and
investments.
Located in San Francisco, Mista will open its physical premises in early 2019. With 7,000 square
feet of space, the Mista Optimisation Centre will provide access to a product development facility,
equipment for pasteurisation and fermentation, experts providing market and leadership
development strategies, as well as input from culinary and food scientists.
Givaudan said that the project will be able to help both large and small companies with scale up,
distribution, building a team and searching for partners.

2. Scott May, vice president of innovation at Givaudan and head of Mista, said: “Mista, which means
‘tasty morsel’ in Sanskrit, is all about the creation of a new business model focused on product
innovation and development for the food industry.”
He added: “Today’s food systems are so complex, and the challenges so large that no single
company can address them alone, and that’s where the concept of Mista really comes to life.”
The Mista team will target 20 start-ups to bring into the platform within the first year, with roughly ten
of those located at its headquarters in San Francisco.
George Graham, vice president of Mars Advanced Research Institute, said: “Collaboration is at the
heart of our innovation approach. As one of Mista’s founding members, we are looking forward to
partnering with the best and brightest to address some of the food system challenges of our time.”
Takoua Debeche, EVP of research and innovation at Danone North America, said: “Food
companies continue to be disrupted at a fast pace with accelerated innovations and changes in the
marketplace. To adapt and stay relevant for its current and future consumers, Danone has made
growth a priority and is exploring new ways to innovate, alongside with building an agile and
creative culture across functions. In such a model, connecting with our communities is a must.
“The Bay Area is without doubt one of the richest ecosystems for food and food tech start-ups and
we see Mista as an important outpost for us to connect with a broad community of entrepreneurs,
and have the ability to test, learn and iterate around new consumer-centric opportunities. We share
the same vision as Mista and we are looking forward to collaborating with innovative partners and
start-ups to contribute to create the food systems of the future: healthier for the people and better
for the planet.”
Tony DeLio, chief innovation officer at Ingredion, added: “The food industry is changing at an
accelerated pace, which brings tremendous opportunities for companies with a technology mindset
to drive innovation and growth. The future is about collaboration and we look forward to actively
engaging with food companies wherever they are in their stage of growth to help meet changing
consumer preferences and market trends. We’re excited to add our expertise in the ingredients

3. space with the capabilities from other leading food companies to pioneer new levels of product
innovation with Mista.”
Source: Foodbev
Author: Contributor
Tips:
* Have brilliant ideas or articles to contribute? Feel free to contact Wilbur Zhu (WeChat
ID:aotokuer)
/ Read More /
o Mondelēz Launches Snack Futures Innovation Hub
o FBIF2019: Gaining New Momentum from Open Innovation
FBIF2019
Food & Beverage Innovation Forum 2019 / FBIF2019 (Click to read more), themed as
“Gaining New Momentum from Open Innovation”, will be held at Hangzhou International
Expo Center from April 23rd to 25th, 2019. The three-day FBIF2019 consists of Plenary

4. Session A，Plenary Session B (CEO Grand Meeting) and two awards ceremonies for
“Marking Awards”and “Hello Foods Prize” on Day One, five sub-forums on Day Two and
Day Three including Product Innovation A (Dairy Products and Beverage), Product
Innovation B (Snacks, HPP Technology, Bottled Water), Marketing Innovation, InnoPack and
Food & Money. At the same time, you cannot miss the highlights of FBIF exhibition area.
From 2014 to 2018, the annual FBIF has been held five times, with the number of
participants increasing from 250+ in 2014 to 2000+ in 2018, almost eight times
growth. Previously, Nestle, PepsiCo, Coca Cola, Mondelez International, Yili Group,
Mengniu Dairy among others participated in FBIF. Industry insiders now praised FBIF
as the “Food Davos”. Please reply "FBIF" at the main menu to find more info.
/ WeChat Groups /
Long Press this QR Code to follow "FBIF". Reply number“3” in the main menu to join the largest
F&B WeChat Group in the world (more than 40,000+ members). WeChat Group
include CEO, Dairy, Beverages, Snacks, FSMP,
Condiments, Marketing, retail, R&D, Packaging, OEM and etc. Follow us and reply "3" in
the menu to get more information.