In an industry as fast-moving as food, understanding consumer tastes is not just a strategic advantage—it’s a necessity. As global palates evolve and new dietary demands emerge, companies are leaning into more sophisticated methods to predict, interpret, and act on ingredient trends. One method gaining traction is the implicit-explicit approach, a hybrid model that combines conscious consumer feedback with subconscious behavior analysis. The result? A clearer picture of what people truly want on their plates—or in many cases, in their chocolate bars.
The food industry’s data dilemma
Food brands have long relied on explicit feedback mechanisms—surveys, focus groups, social media polls—to gauge customer preferences. While helpful, these tools only reveal the surface of consumer sentiment. A growing body of research suggests that many food choices are driven by unconscious biases, emotional associations, and instinctive reactions that people can’t always articulate. This is where the implicit-explicit approach changes the game.
The implicit-explicit framework blends traditional direct questioning (explicit data) with methods that reveal unconscious attitudes (implicit data). These can include biometric responses, eye-tracking, reaction time tests, and other neuromarketing techniques. Together, they help brands uncover hidden affinities toward specific ingredients, textures, and even origins of food products.
Cracking the code on cocoa: ofi’s innovative approach
In the complex world of cocoa production, where flavor, sustainability, and ethical sourcing converge, ofi (Olam Food Ingredients) stands out as a leader in leveraging advanced methodologies to decode consumer preferences. By integrating both implicit and explicit data analysis, ofi gains a comprehensive understanding of what consumers desire—even when those preferences are not consciously articulated.
Cocoa ingredients providers like ofi employ artificial intelligence to analyze vast datasets, including online recipes, restaurant menus, and e-commerce trends, to predict emerging cocoa flavor profiles. This AI-driven approach has uncovered a growing fusion of Eastern and Western influences—such as the rise of dragon fruit, yuzu, and matcha in Western markets, alongside salted caramel and marshmallow gaining ground in Asia.
Moreover, ofi’s commitment to sustainability is deeply embedded in its operations. Through its Cocoa Compass initiative, the company has enhanced traceability across its supply chain using AI-powered deforestation mapping and carbon measurement tools. As of 2022, over 30,000 farmers in its supply chain earned a living income, with a target to grow that number fivefold by 2030. This approach aligns with a growing consumer desire for ethically sourced products—an aspect where implicit testing reveals emotional connections often more powerful than price or packaging alone.
Staying ahead of the curve
Food companies that embrace this dual-pronged method often find themselves several steps ahead of the curve. Nestlé, for instance, has used implicit testing to fine-tune the texture and flavor profile of their plant-based offerings. Their in-house team partnered with cognitive scientists to evaluate not only what consumers say they prefer in alternative meat and dairy products—but also what their brain patterns suggest they actually crave.
Similarly, Danone has utilized implicit analysis to better understand regional preferences for fermented ingredients, especially in their dairy lines. By identifying subconscious preferences in texture and acidity, Danone was able to adjust product formulations ahead of major launches in Asia and Latin America.
These insights aren’t just about taste. Implicit testing has also helped food brands align with evolving attitudes toward health, sustainability, and even geopolitics. A recent study by FMCG Gurus found that while 65% of consumers explicitly state that “ethically sourced” ingredients are important, only 40% change buying behavior when presented with that information at the shelf. Implicit analysis helps brands bridge that gap by understanding what emotional triggers actually drive behavior.
Tech-enabled taste
Advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning are enhancing how implicit-explicit analysis is conducted. Algorithms now process vast amounts of sensory data, from the speed of a consumer’s click during an online taste test to the dilation of their pupils while watching a product video. AI can then correlate this data with explicit preferences to produce hyper-granular customer profiles. Food tech startups are particularly agile in this space. Israeli startup Tastewise uses AI to analyze implicit signals from over a billion online food interactions every month, predicting flavor trends months before they appear on supermarket shelves. Meanwhile, San Francisco–based Spoonshot incorporates neuroscience models to help food innovators decode how consumers truly feel about ingredients like cardamom, umami enhancers, or even lesser-known cocoa derivatives.
The ethical ingredient movement
As the conversation around ethical ingredients grows, so does the need to distinguish between performative marketing and genuine alignment with consumer values. This is especially true in cocoa production, where labor practices and sustainability are under increasing scrutiny.
The implicit-explicit model helps companies ensure that their messaging resonates authentically. For example, when consumers are shown two similar chocolate bars—one labeled “organic” and another “fair trade”—their explicit preference may lean toward the one they consider healthier. But implicit responses often favor the product that aligns with social justice or environmental stewardship.
This dual insight allows brands to craft marketing campaigns and packaging that connect with consumers both intellectually and emotionally. It’s not just about slapping a certification on a wrapper—it’s about knowing which certifications and narratives genuinely matter to your audience.
From trendspotting to trendsetting
Ultimately, the implicit-explicit approach is not just reactive; it’s predictive. It allows companies to sense shifts in ingredient perception before they become full-blown trends. In the cocoa sector, this might mean investing in regenerative farming communities before consumer pressure forces the issue. In the broader food industry, it could involve identifying novel ingredients like yacon syrup or tiger nuts as emerging stars, based not just on chatter but on subconscious resonance.
For large corporations and niche brands alike, this technique offers a valuable blueprint for staying relevant in a volatile marketplace. When you understand not just what consumers say—but what they feel, often without realizing—it becomes much easier to create products they will reach for again and again.
Looking ahead
As consumers grow savvier and expectations continue to rise, the food industry must evolve from merely reacting to demands to anticipating desires. By integrating implicit-explicit methodologies into their innovation pipelines, food companies aren’t just following trends—they’re shaping them. And when it comes to cocoa, the world’s most emotionally charged ingredient, there’s no better place to put these insights to the test. After all, in the delicate dance between taste, ethics, and storytelling, it’s what lies beneath the surface that often makes the biggest impact.
