Diageo buys flavour-matching AI tech company Vivanda

Source: Supplied

Vivanda created the technology behind the drinks company's 'What’s Your Whisky' platform, and through the acquisition, Diageo intends to expand the FlavorPrint tech to other categories. Diageo added that the deal will also will support the continued development of its advanced analytics and digital marketing capabilities, "providing a deeper understanding of consumer taste preferences and helping to unlock further opportunities in innovation and personalised consumer experiences".

Category exploration and personalised recommendations

Powered by artificial intelligence, FlavorPrint technology, through a series of simple questions, analyses and maps consumers’ flavour preferences against a large proprietary sensory database of foods and aromas, to generate a digital representation of their unique ‘flavour print’. It then recommends brands and variants whose flavour profiles consumers are most likely to enjoy.

The technology breaks down traditional barriers to category exploration, supporting broader consumer engagement through more personalised recommendations and helping to ensure brands stand out at every point along consumers’ paths to purchase.

Launched in 2019, ‘What’s Your Whisky’ has been rolled out across 21 markets and is available in 16 languages. It has been integrated into the physical stores and e-commerce platforms of a number of our key customers in Europe and North America, as well as across Diageo's direct-to-consumer channels such as malts.com to enable purchase recommendations.

The technology also underpins the immersive Journey of Flavour experience at Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh, tailoring the drinks that visitors enjoy during their 90-minute tour to their palates. There are more than 800 flavour combinations available in Diageo's dispense systems, meaning a consumer could visit every day for more than two years and not have the same experience twice.

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Leadership

Vivanda’s team will join Diageo and its founders, CEO Oli Fuchs and CTO Matt Corish, will provide ongoing consultancy services to continue building on the success of the FlavorPrint technology.

Cristina Diezhandino, chief marketing officer at Diageo, commented: “We know consumers are looking for more personalised, interactive experiences and that they are increasingly engaging with our brands digitally as well as in person. We’re delighted to welcome Vivanda to Diageo and we are looking forward to working together to connect with consumers in more innovative ways that help shape the future of how we socialise in person and virtually.”

Oli Fuchs, cofounder and CEO, Vivanda, said: “We are very excited to join Diageo. Vivanda set out to create innovative technology which connects consumers with products through sensory insight. We are proud of the excellent engagement we have received from consumers and are looking forward to connecting millions more people with their new favourite beverage and creating the digital standard for taste.”