Discover how Rose Cottingham, Director of Innovation at FeverTree, leverages over 16 years of experience to craft high-quality mixers and ingredients that redefine premium beverages. This episode explores the journey of product development from sourcing and flavour profiling to global expansion, providing insight into the art of innovation within the beverage industry.

In this episode:

• Rose shares her background and journey into product innovation at FeverTree.
• The importance of ingredient quality and provenance in flavour development.
• How global trips and supplier relationships influence product story and taste.
• The creative process behind new flavour profiles like blood orange ginger beer.
• The role of regional influences and terroir in sourcing citrus ingredients.
• Collaboration strategies with partners like Angostura and Mirabeau.
• Market trends: shifting consumer habits towards premium, non-alcoholic drinks.
• The significance of branding and packaging, especially in flavour prioritisation.
• Innovation tactics starting from bar trial, iterative tasting, and supplier collaboration.
• Future product directions and the potential role of unique ingredients like bergamot and yuzu.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introducing Rose Cottingham and FeverTree's innovation journey

02:05 - Rose’s background and her role as Director of Innovation

04:12 - How ingredient quality and provenance drive product differentiation

06:45 - The story behind sourcing blood oranges from Mount Etna

08:30 - The significance of terroir and environmental factors in flavour development

10:15 - The process of developing the blood orange ginger beer

12:47 - From bar experiments to market-ready products: the development process

15:32 - The launch and branding strategy for new products like blood orange ginger beer

18:00 - The importance of supplier relationships and regional ingredient sourcing

21:10 - The influence of travel and field trips on flavour discovery

23:00 - Exploring innovative citrus varieties and regional nuances

26:10 - Collaboration with bitters and partners to create distinctive flavours

29:20 - How consumer trends shape product development and branding focus

31:00 - The evolving beverage market: shift towards premium and non-alcoholic options

33:30 - The role of flavour storytelling and ingredient authenticity in branding

35:45 - Quickfire questions: favourite mixer, cocktail, and citrus fruit

38:00 - Wrap-up and future possibilities for FeverTree’s innovation roadmap

Resources & Links:

• FeverTree Official Website
• Angostura bitters
• Mirabeau Wines
• Crowd Farming
• Shrub London
• Todoli Foundation, Valencia, Spain
• Oscar Tintori, Tuscany