Mondelez, the parent company of Oreo, is leveraging a proprietary AI tool to speed up the development of new snacks. This tool allows food scientists to generate optimal recipes by specifying desired characteristics such as flavor, aroma, and appearance. Mondelez began developing this system in 2019 with the goal of optimizing ingredient combinations to achieve ideal taste and visual appeal.
While early versions of the AI tool made some impractical suggestions (like using excessive amounts of inexpensive but poorly tasting baking soda), improvements have been made. The current AI system now better understands the "essence" of products, ensuring that new formulas align with consumer expectations. All generated recipes still undergo taste testing.
Mondelez reports that using AI technology has reduced the time from concept to production trials by 4 to 5 times, significantly boosting research and development efficiency and enabling the company to respond more quickly to market demands.