Fresh Thinking
Blogs & Resources
Untapped Product Story™: A Practical Guide for R&D
A clear Product Story provides the thread that holds the innovation together. It helps R&D, Marketing and commercial teams understand the user problem being solved, the role the technology plays in solving it and the experience the product is ultimately designed to create. When the Product Story is developed early,…
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Accelerating Speed to Market by Reducing Innovation Ambiguity
The conversation around innovation has become increasingly dominated by speed. Every organisation is looking for ways to shorten development timelines, reduce time to market and increase the return on every pound invested in innovation. Consumer expectations continue to evolve, retailers…
3 Things a Software Guy and an FMCG Scientist Agree On
Dr. Chad McAllister and I do not come from the same world. He has spent his career in software and product management, and hosts the Product Mastery Now podcast. I have spent mine in FMCG, working inside R&D teams developing…
The Future of Beverage R&D: Six Innovation Priorities That Will Shape the Next Five Years
The beverage industry is being fundamentally reshaped. Consumers no longer expect drinks simply to refresh them. They increasingly expect beverages to hydrate, energise, calm, support digestion, provide protein, replace alcohol or fit a healthier lifestyle. Taste remains essential, but function…
What AI, Ecosystems and Product Stories Have in Common
After two inspiring days at ISPIM and the Innovation Conference Board in Granada, I returned with fresh ideas, new connections and renewed confidence in the future of innovation.
A clear theme emerged: innovation isn’t just about technology. It’s about understanding people,…
Protect the Product, Protect the Margin: 10 Reformulation Lessons for R&D Teams
Reformulation is one of the most constant and commercially loaded challenges in CPG R&D. Raw material costs shift, regulations evolve, packaging components are discontinued, and through all of it the expectation remains the same: consumers must continue to love the product and the business…
Quirks London 2026: AI: Possibilities and Pragmatism for Research & Insights
It was great to spend time at the Quirk’s Media Event in London this week, immersing in the latest thinking and case studies from the research and insights industry. There was only really one topic of conversation …. AI and…
How to reformulate without losing customers, protecting brand and margin
Reformulation can feel frustratingly inefficient, with functional teams pulling in different directions, costly iterations, and uncertainty around what really matters to consumers. Untapped’s Ideal Product Model Blueprint addresses this by giving R&D a clear, evidence-based framework to focus on what…
the beauty evolution: from appearance correction to systemic longevity
In-Cosmetics 2026 reveals a major shift from surface-level beauty to biology-driven longevity.
Discover the trends shaping the future of skincare, wellness, and innovation for R&D.
How R&D Teams Can Avoid the Rabbit Hole of Polarised Niche Trends
In today’s fragmented, AI-driven market, innovation teams risk chasing amplified micro-trends instead of real human needs. This article explores how R&D teams can cut through cultural noise, avoid the “rabbit hole” of niche trends, and refocus on meaningful, need-led innovation.
What FMCG R&D Leaders Can Learn From The Beauty Industry’s Legal Minds
At the Beauty & Wellness Law Summit in London, legal experts revealed how regulation, claims, and consumer trust are reshaping innovation in beauty. For FMCG R&D leaders, the message was clear: the future of product development goes far beyond formulation.
R&D’s Role in ‘theatre’
As FMCG and healthcare giants streamline and refocus, retailers are investing in immersive, experience-led “retail theatre.” But without insight-driven R&D, even the most dazzling store concepts risk becoming generic. This frontline perspective explores how R&D can elevate product stories, shape…
The Future of Packaging: What R&D Can learn from Empak 2026
At Empak 26, experts across R&D, data and branding explored how consumer-first packaging is evolving beyond protection and compliance to deliver emotional connection, trust and smarter digital experiences. From QR-enabled simplification to behaviour-led design and luxury brand equity, the discussion…
