Price volatility, tightening customs regulations and shifting consumer demand for naturalness and sugar reduction have made resilience a defining challenge for the flavour industry. Takasago, a Japanese flavour house with more than a century of history, has built its response around three principles: Trust, Teamwork, Technology. Ahead of Gulfood Manufacturing, drawing on perspectives from Jürgen Böker, Vice President Sales & Marketing EMEA, Takasago shares how it secures supply, where the flavour market is heading, and what it is bringing to the show.
A Century-Old Philosophy Built For The Long Term
Being Japanese gives Takasago a fundamentally different outlook from many of its competitors. The company values long-term thinking, reliability and relationships that are built to last. Safety and security of supply are not short-term priorities for Takasago; they are part of its philosophy. Wherever strategically important, Takasago pursues vertical integration of key raw materials, giving it greater control over quality, traceability and supply continuity, well ahead of any disruption in the market.
Navigating An Unpredictable Supply Landscape
Securing raw materials, particularly those from natural sources, is one of the industry’s greatest challenges. Price fluctuations, sometimes with unpredictable jumps, together with changing customs regulations and the complexity of global trade, require companies to remain agile while thinking long term. Takasago continuously analyses markets, harvests and product flows to anticipate risks and identify new business opportunities. At the same time, the company closely monitors governmental influences, including sugar taxes and other regulatory limitations, and considers how these developments will shape the future of food and beverage.
Where Naturalness And Sugar Reduction Are Taking The Market
Naturalness and sugar reduction stand out as two of the strongest directions shaping the market. As consumers seek simpler and more natural products while manufacturers work to reduce sugar, flavour has an increasingly important role to play. Taste modulation and other flavour technologies help maintain an enjoyable consumer experience while meeting new nutritional and regulatory expectations, allowing manufacturers to reformulate without compromising on taste.
What Takasago Is Bringing To Gulfood Manufacturing
At Gulfood Manufacturing, Takasago is particularly looking forward to meeting customers, exchanging ideas and engaging in meaningful conversations. The company aims to inspire the market with new flavour concepts across different segments and applications, while exploring together with customers how flavour can help address today’s challenges in food and beverage manufacturing.
“Resilience is ultimately about more than supply chains. It is about trusting our partners, working together and continuously advancing through technology, the principles that have guided us for more than 100 years and will continue to shape our future.”
For further information, visit www.takasago.com and come meet Takasago, stand D8 – 18 at Gulfood Manufacturing, 3 to 5 November 2026, Dubai World Trade Centre.
Register now to be part of the conversation at www.gulfoodmanufacturing.com.
