Something very sweet is happening right now in Lenexa. Hostess just opened its new innovation lab.If it’s possible to improve on a Twinkie or Ding Dong, that’s where it will happen.When you think of Hostess, you tend to think of all those tempting treats on store shelves. All that sweetness is developed right here in the metro.Hostess designed a new lab to attract some of the best food scientists out there to experiment and find the next go-to snack.”We want to look at perhaps new ingredients, right, that are more cost effective, or they may actually provide a slight twist in terms of a flavor profile, or we’re looking at line extensions of the existing Twinkie,” said Darryl Riley, senior vice president at Hostess.Everything is very precise and ready for duplication when it’s just right. The lab also tests packaging; it has to be easy to open but airtight.In the sensory kitchen, focus groups or taste testers get their say.”‘So hey, tell me a little bit about that flavor. Like, why did you particularly like that? What did you dislike about it? How can we improve it?'” Riley said.The lab is designed to bring new products to market more quickly. The company already has some of the most popular snacks out there but there’s always room for one more.”And if the consumers want a better Twinkie, we will provide them a better Twinkie,” Riley said.If you’re interested in being a taste tester, look on the packaging of any Hostess product. There is an 800 number and an email address. That’s how you get into the database for a focus group.
Something very sweet is happening right now in Lenexa. Hostess just opened its new innovation lab.
If it’s possible to improve on a Twinkie or Ding Dong, that’s where it will happen.
When you think of Hostess, you tend to think of all those tempting treats on store shelves. All that sweetness is developed right here in the metro.
Hostess designed a new lab to attract some of the best food scientists out there to experiment and find the next go-to snack.
“We want to look at perhaps new ingredients, right, that are more cost effective, or they may actually provide a slight twist in terms of a flavor profile, or we’re looking at line extensions of the existing Twinkie,” said Darryl Riley, senior vice president at Hostess.
Everything is very precise and ready for duplication when it’s just right. The lab also tests packaging; it has to be easy to open but airtight.
In the sensory kitchen, focus groups or taste testers get their say.
“‘So hey, tell me a little bit about that flavor. Like, why did you particularly like that? What did you dislike about it? How can we improve it?'” Riley said.
The lab is designed to bring new products to market more quickly. The company already has some of the most popular snacks out there but there’s always room for one more.
“And if the consumers want a better Twinkie, we will provide them a better Twinkie,” Riley said.
If you’re interested in being a taste tester, look on the packaging of any Hostess product. There is an 800 number and an email address. That’s how you get into the database for a focus group.
