Alon Chen is the CEO and Co-Founding father of Tastewise, a number one consumer intelligence platform powered by data and generative AI. Under his leadership, Tastewise is transforming how food and beverage brands develop tasty, healthy, and sustainable products by unlocking real-time consumer insights. Trusted by global giants akin to Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Kraft Heinz, the platform helps corporations speed up product innovation, streamline marketing, and boost retail and foodservice performance through AI-driven workflows. With a mission to empower smarter decision-making across the food ecosystem, Chen is on the forefront of leveraging AI to shape the long run of what we eat and drink.
Tastewise was inspired by your mother’s Shabbat dinner. Are you able to share more about that moment and the way it sparked the concept for the corporate?
At one point, I noticed that everybody in my family had different diets, nutrition plans, and food preferences. For my mother — who at all times prepares incredible Shabbat dinners and invites the entire family — this became an actual challenge. She had to maintain track of everyone’s evolving dietary needs while still making a meal that brought us all together.
One week, she’d prepare a standard dish with chicken, only to understand there have been vegetarians on the table. One other time, she’d serve rice, forgetting that a few of us were following a keto food plan. The frustration of attempting to accommodate everyone began to take a toll.
That’s when it struck me—this wasn’t only a challenge for home cooks; it was a much greater issue for the complete food and beverage industry. If even a home-cooked meal required a lot adaptation, how could businesses effectively sustain with ever-changing consumer preferences? That realization was the spark that led to Tastewise.
How did you identify that the food and beverage industry was ready for an AI-powered insights platform like Tastewise?
Once we launched Tastewise in 2018, AI was still uncharted territory. Many businesses – and even our investors – were uncertain about its potential and the way it could transform industries. But one thing was clear: the food and beverage industry desperately needed innovation.
On the time, 90% of recent product launches were failing, largely as a consequence of outdated, manual processes like consumer surveys and focus groups. These methods were slow, costly, and infrequently didn’t capture real-time consumer preferences. It wasn’t just that the industry was ready for AI-driven insights—it needed them.
Tastewise was built to bridge that gap. We leverage AI to assist brands streamline product development and market strategies and this essentially frees teams from doing tedious manual work and enables them to somewhat deal with creativity, strategy, and meaningful innovation.
How did your experience at Google as CMO for Greece and Israel prepare you for launching Tastewise?
My time at Google was instrumental in preparing me to launch Tastewise. As CMO for Greece and Israel, I built a $2 billion online business, which gave me invaluable experience in scaling B2B operations, driving market share, and understanding the nuances of digital growth.
There, I learned firsthand methods to leverage data-driven decision-making, innovation, and technology to resolve complex business challenges — skills that became the inspiration for Tastewise. That have definitely helped me recognize the facility of AI in uncovering consumer insights and shaping the long run of the food and beverage industry.
Tastewise leverages generative AI for consumer insights. How does the technology work, and what sets it other than competitors within the space?
Tastewise’s generative AI is specifically crafted for the food and beverage industry, leveraging seven years of specialised data to supply real-time insights into what, why, and the way people eat.
Our AI analyzes an unlimited array of knowledge – spanning 75 billion social media posts, 1 trillion online recipes, 160 million reviews, over 4 million restaurants (each chains and independents), and 600,000 grocery items. This permits us not only to trace current consumer eating habits but in addition to predict emerging food and beverage trends with high accuracy, giving brands a competitive edge in staying ahead of industry shifts.
This said intelligence is nothing without motion. What sets Tastewise apart is our ability to remodel these insights into actionable revenue opportunities. Our products streamline workflows, ensuring efficient execution. For instance, the platform’s Innovation Dashboard simplifies trend discovery, while TasteGPT will immediately generate AI-powered ideas for brand new products based in your goals.
One other example is something like our Content Agency which converts these insights into high-performing marketing campaigns. Together, these tools enable brands to capitalize on growth opportunities by enhancing shelf presence, expanding menu offerings, or boosting product usage—empowered by AI-driven execution.
How do you make sure the accuracy and relevance of AI-generated insights, and what challenges have you ever faced in training models for such a distinct segment industry?
At first glance, AI for the food and beverage industry may appear area of interest, but in point of fact, it’s centered on a $10 trillion global market that touches every aspect of our every day lives. Digitalization has amplified its reach, with food-related content, akin to Instagram posts about food, now constituting 20% of all online content—underscoring that food is just not only a market, but a central a part of the digital conversation.
Once we began seven years ago, we relied on traditional AI models long before generative AI became mainstream. The insights we gathered over time from these models provided a powerful foundation for validating the accuracy and relevance of our generative AI outputs.
By cross-referencing recent insights with established data, we ensure a high level of reliability in our results. While no AI system is ideal, this approach allows us to keep up accuracy and refine our models effectively.
Tastewise processes vast amounts of knowledge from menus, social media, and consumer behavior. What specific machine learning models or techniques does your platform use to generate actionable insights?
At Tastewise, we leverage a mixture of advanced machine learning techniques to remodel vast amounts of knowledge into actionable insights. Analogizers, typically used for unsupervised learning, help us cluster data based on similar patterns, even when those patterns are usually not predefined. For example, we use Analogizers to categorise (or group) store chains.
Connectionist models, like neural networks, allow us to categorise demographics and behavioral groups, which we consult with as audiences. Meanwhile, Symbolyst’s tree and forest models are used for entity matching—connecting different delivery platforms to the identical Tastewise entity. On this process, we depend on a consistent set of features (akin to name, address, and phone number) and apply relatively rigid rules to make sure accurate matching across platforms.
Together, these models enable us to supply businesses with precise, data-driven insights that not only inform strategic decisions but in addition anticipate future food and drinks trends.
TasteGPT has identified growth in unique dessert preparation methods, akin to infusing and grilling. What other culinary innovations are on the horizon?
Tastewise’s latest insights reveal an enchanting evolution in how consumers approach dessert and food preparation. While techniques like infusing and grilling proceed to achieve traction, other unique methods are also rising in popularity, reflecting shifts in texture preferences, dining experiences, and even portion sizes.
Probably the most notable trends is soaking, which has seen a 30% year-over-year increase. Soaking involves submerging ingredients in liquid to boost texture, flavor, or dietary properties. Traditionally related to overnight oats, this method is expanding into recent territory, akin to infused grains and pre-soaked nuts for alternative dairy products.
One other technique gaining attention is tenderizing, up 25% YoY. Tenderizing is the technique of breaking down muscle fibers in meat or altering the feel of plant-based ingredients to create a softer bite. The rise in interest may indicate a growing consumer preference for more refined, melt-in-your-mouth textures across various cuisines.
On the experiential side, hibachi cooking has grown by 18% YoY, signaling a heightened interest in high-heat, interactive dining. Hibachi is a Japanese grilling style where ingredients are cooked at high temperatures on an open grill, often in a theatrical, engaging manner. Whether at restaurants or in home kitchens, this trend reflects the appeal of immersive cooking experiences that bring each entertainment and daring flavors to the table.
Finally, the concept of miniaturization can also be on the rise, with a 14% YoY increase. Miniaturization involves creating smaller, bite-sized versions of traditional dishes or desserts, often emphasizing portion control and aesthetic appeal. The demand for gourmet small plates, petite pastries, and individually portioned treats suggests that buyers are searching for indulgence in a more balanced and customizable way.
What are a few of the most surprising trends or insights Tastewise has uncovered recently within the food and beverage space?
In Fall 2024, we continued our tradition of releasing the Flavor Trends Report, highlighting essentially the most disruptive food and beverage trends shaping 2025
Probably the most striking trends is the rise of Middle Eastern flavors, particularly Yemeni spices like hawaij and black lime. As consumers search out daring, warming flavors, hawaij – a wealthy mix of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves – is emerging as the following big thing in beverages, poised to challenge the long-reigning pumpkin spice.
While flavor exploration is on the rise, economic realities are shaping how younger generations approach food. With affordability in mind, Gen Z is gravitating toward Filipino cuisine, drawn to its wealthy, umami-packed flavors that don’t compromise on taste or cost.
Beyond taste and affordability, sustainability stays a key driver of consumer selections, especially in beverages. Sustainable wine is gaining traction, as eco-conscious drinkers prioritize brands that practice regenerative agriculture and embrace lower-carbon production methods.
At the identical time, the health and wellness movement is evolving within the wake of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Consumers are increasingly searching for personalized nutrition solutions that align with their individual needs, from hormone balance to hydration.
Together, these trends point to a future where consumers are usually not only looking for exciting flavors and cost-conscious meals but in addition making mindful selections that align with their health and sustainability goals.
What’s your vision for Tastewise in the following five to 10 years, and the way do you see AI evolving within the food and beverage industry?
AI is already a fundamental a part of the food and beverage industry structure and consumer behavior. Consumers’ eating habits are already, in some ways, already affected by AI-supported algorithms on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. Meanwhile, the industry is awash with AI tools revolutionizing demand prediction and overall productivity.
The industry is continuously playing catch-up with consumer demands, resulting in an over 90% failure rate for brand new food and beverage products. Based on the World Economic Forum, the food and beverage industry costs over $19 trillion as a consequence of environmental damage and food-related health issues, almost double what the industry itself is price.
I feel that in the following 5-10 years, corporations using AI tools will start the shift toward a greater equilibrium, where brands are usually not only staying on top of trends but having a far greater understanding of them and may move rapidly from ideation to shelf.
Which means the 90% failure rate will come rapidly down, even perhaps to zero, which I find more interesting. We’re already seeing brands like KraftHeinz, Givaudan, Pepsico, and Waitrose pushing recent boundaries with their products and marketing due to their use of AI tools and platforms.
This shift causes us to ask: What if all innovation succeeds? What if all connects on to your intended audience? What if every product goes to the proper place?
AI will essentially turn out to be an extension of the human team—faster, more precise, and always-on. I consider we’ll see a shift from a “helpful tool” to a “core collaborator.” And what meaning for us at Tastewise is profound.
Our vision is evident: Tastewise might be the operating system of food and beverage innovation. We’re not only constructing a knowledge platform—we’re constructing the go-to environment where brands dream, test, validate, and execute, multi functional place. That’s what gets me excited.
We’ve already laid the groundwork by pairing real consumer behavior with GenAI to automate what used to take teams weeks or months. Our goal now’s to proceed embedding ourselves deeper into the actual workflows of marketers, R&D teams, and strategists. Consider quick answers to complex questions, integrated across the tools you already use, accessible anytime.
And here’s why that matters: after we get this right, we don’t just help brands move faster—we cut down on food waste, protect bottom lines, and contribute to a healthier, more responsive food system. It’s higher for business, higher for people, and higher for the planet. That’s the long run we’re constructing together.
What advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs who need to disrupt traditional industries with AI?
Disrupting a standard industry with AI isn’t nearly having great technology—it’s about solving an actual, pressing problem. Too often, corporations get caught up within the hype of AI with no clear purpose. The secret’s to start out with the industry’s biggest pain points and ask: How can AI make this smarter, faster, or more profitable?
In traditional industries, change doesn’t occur overnight. Many decision-makers are skeptical, counting on legacy systems and familiar processes. That’s why education is just as necessary as innovation. You have got to point out, not only tell—use data and real-world success stories to prove AI’s value in a way that resonates together with your audience.
At the identical time, flexibility is crucial. AI is evolving at an incredible pace, and what works today won’t be relevant tomorrow. Probably the most successful entrepreneurs on this space aren’t just tech visionaries—they’re adaptable, at all times refining their approach based on market needs.
Above all, success comes from assembling the proper team. AI alone won’t disrupt an industry—people will. Surround yourself with experts who understand not only the technology but in addition the industry you’re trying to remodel. With the proper mixture of innovation, education, and agility, AI can go from being a buzzword to an actual game-changer.
