Flavor Matching Services

What is flavor matching?

Flavor matching is how you replace an existing flavor from a new source without changing how your product tastes. You might need it because you're moving to a new supplier, cutting ingredient costs, or replacing something that's no longer available. The goal is simple: your finished product should taste the same to your customer. At Mosaic Flavors, our flavorists work from your benchmark sample and keep revising until the match holds up in your actual production conditions.

Why brands come to us for matching

• You're switching flavor suppliers

  You need a new source, but you can't afford for your product to taste different. Our flavorists work from your existing flavor as a benchmark. We don't need the original formula. We match what we can taste and smell, then confirm it works in your process.

• You need to cut ingredient costs

  If your flavor cost is hurting your margin, we can reformulate to a lower cost-in-use while keeping the sensory profile your customers know. We've done this with vanilla, butter, fruit, and savory profiles. The product stays the same. The cost doesn't.

• Your current flavor got discontinued

  It happens more than people expect. When a supplier pulls a flavor, you need a replacement fast. Our flavorists rebuild the profile from sensory benchmarks. No formula needed. No starting from scratch.

• You're in a bind and can't wait

  Sometimes a supplier stops delivering and your production line is sitting still. We keep near-match options on hand for situations like this. When a manufacturer has been in real trouble, we've gotten samples out overnight and had production flavor ready within a week. It's not our standard timeline, but we've done it.

How our flavorists actually work

Matching a flavor takes time. A good first sample takes up to two weeks, and that's when things go smoothly. Here's why: the benchmark has to be understood before any formulation starts. 

Our flavorists begin by breaking down the target flavor across its sensory layers: top notes, mid notes, body, and finish. For some projects, we also use GC-MS analysis to look at the chemical profile of the benchmark. It's not always necessary, but it's a useful tool when a flavor is complex or when a previous match attempt came close but not close enough. 

The real work is sensory. Our flavorists can detect small changes by taste alone. That skill takes years to build, and it's what keeps a match from being technically close but still wrong. Anyone can get in the same zip code. Getting it to hold up through your specific process is another thing. 

That's also why we ask you to give us two things up front: the benchmark flavor and the base you're using. We need to test the match in your actual product, not just on a strip. A flavor that smells right in isolation can behave completely differently in your formulation. Telling us how you plan to test it also helps. Your evaluation method matters just as much as ours. 

We work out of Chino, California and Montreal, Quebec, so we know North American processing conditions well. When you're in a lab trial or heading into a plant run, our applications scientists can be there with you. Revisions are normal. We put a lot of time into this work. We don't mark a project done until you say it's right.

What we match

We work in liquid and powder formats, natural, N&A, organic-certifiable, and oil-soluble systems. Applications include: 

• Beverages: RTD, functional, seltzer, slushie, tea, juice
• Bakery and confection: cookies, donuts, cakes, pastry, candy
• Dairy and frozen dessert: ice cream, yogurt, creamer, dairy alternatives
• Snack and protein: bars, nut butters, granola, gummies
• Savory: sauces, dressings, soups, seasonings Specialty: organic-certifiable, kosher, allergen-managed 

Don't see your category? Ask anyway. We've probably worked in it.

Recent matching projects

80+ active matching projects in development right now across our two facilities.

Beverage supplier switch, three SKUs

A Canadian beverage brand needed to replace three seltzer flavors after moving away from their previous supplier. We matched all three profiles within a single development cycle: orange, strawberry, and kaffir lime. All three won.

Vanilla cost reduction, bakery

A U.S. bakery brand was paying too much for their vanilla WONF at 18,000 lbs per year. We matched the profile at a lower raw material cost. They moved their supply to Mosaic.

Organic match, three snack bar flavors

An organic snack brand needed chocolate, vanilla, and oatmeal cookie profiles matched at the same time, all USDA organic-certifiable. We built all three in parallel. They're currently in customer lab trial.

Powder matching, four protein flavors

A protein brand needed four flavor matches in powder format: peach, strawberry, watermelon, and one specialty profile. All four samples were developed and shipped within a few weeks of receiving the brief.

What happens when you start a project

Step 1: Send us your brief

Tell us the benchmark flavor, your application, your format, and any requirements like organic or kosher. The more we know about how you plan to evaluate the match, the better. You can start with a sample request form or just a conversation.

Step 2: Send us your base and your benchmark

We need the flavor you're trying to match and the base product you're making it in. We test the match in your formulation, not in isolation. That's how we catch problems before you do.

Step 3: We do the sensory work

Our flavorists break down the benchmark and figure out what actually needs to match, including how your process will affect it. GC-MS analysis is available when it's useful. Most of the work is taste and experience.

Step 4: First samples ship within two weeks

First samples are typically out within two weeks of receiving everything we need.

Step 5: You review, we revise

Tell us what's off. We adjust. This takes time and multiple rounds. That's normal. We put in the hours because getting it right matters.

Step 6: You approve, we supply

The same facility that developed your match produces it. What you approved is what you get.