

Imbibe expands SweetSense line to tackle tough beverage formulation challenges
Imbibe, the Niles, Illinois-based flavor specialist, has expanded its SweetSense line as part of a broader push into taste modulation technologies designed to help beverage and food developers overcome some of the sector’s most stubborn formulation challenges.
The new addition, SweetSense PW-4, is engineered to smooth out sharp sweetness peaks, reduce mild bitterness, and minimize lingering aftertastes often associated with high-intensity sweeteners. The ingredient is the latest in Imbibe’s suite of tools aimed at helping brands achieve sugar reduction targets, manage off-notes, and create products that deliver on taste without relying on artificial masking agents.
Lauren Senne, Manager of Applications and Taste Modulation at Imbibe, said demand for these types of solutions has been accelerating. “We’re seeing a surge in demand for clean, high-performance flavor solutions that can keep pace with the growing complexity of formulations,” she explained. “Our expanded taste modulation platform, including the latest SweetSense innovation, empowers product developers to create more enjoyable, craveable products – even with the toughest functional ingredients.”
As consumers gravitate toward beverages with functional benefits, plant-based proteins, and alternative sweeteners, flavor houses are under pressure to support manufacturers in navigating the sensory challenges that often accompany these trends. Imbibe’s answer has been to invest heavily in technologies that modulate taste, rounding out flavor profiles and smoothing sensory inconsistencies.
The company’s SweetSense line is designed to enhance sweetness perception at low to mid use levels, simulating a sugar-like profile without the calories. Its NonSense portfolio, by contrast, focuses on masking, neutralizing the bitterness, astringency, or metallic notes that can arise from ingredients such as caffeine, botanical extracts, stevia, and monk fruit.
Both lines are available in liquid and powder formats, ensuring compatibility across categories that include sports nutrition, functional beverages, alcohol alternatives, dairy alternatives, and children’s nutrition.
According to Imbibe, the expanded platform addresses several of the most common pain points in beverage and food development. These include bitterness and astringency from plant proteins, caffeine, and botanicals; metallic or lingering aftertastes from high-intensity sweeteners; flavor washout in high-nutrient density products; and unbalanced sweetness or lack of mouthfeel in reduced-sugar systems.
By smoothing out these sensory obstacles, the company aims to improve trial and repeat purchase rates for brands operating in highly competitive categories.
“The biggest barrier to repeat purchase is taste,” continued Senne. “Even if a product checks the boxes for functionality, nutrition, or sustainability, it won’t succeed if the flavor isn’t appealing. Our goal is to give developers the tools to meet those expectations without compromise.”
Imbibe brings more than 60 years of experience in flavor design and formulation to its taste modulation work. The company has built a reputation for close collaboration with clients, tailoring solutions not just to technical requirements but also to broader brand positioning and consumer expectations.
The expansion of SweetSense reflects both the growing complexity of the ingredients landscape and the intensifying demand for clean label solutions. With sugar reduction and functional fortification high on the agenda for multinational brands as well as emerging startups, taste modulation is moving from a niche offering to a core capability.
One of the distinguishing features of Imbibe’s approach, the company says, is ensuring its tools perform at scale in real production environments, not just in lab conditions. That means formulations are tested against the realities of manufacturing, distribution, and consumer use.
The company believes this pragmatic approach gives it an edge in a market where consumer expectations are rising and tolerance for sensory flaws is low.
As the beverage industry continues to experiment with novel functional ingredients, alternative proteins, and natural sweeteners, Imbibe’s expanded platform arrives at a timely moment. By tackling the sensory challenges that come with these innovations, the company is positioning itself as a partner for developers seeking to deliver products that balance health, sustainability, and taste.
For Senne and her team, the mission is straightforward. “Taste will always be the deciding factor,” she said. “With our taste modulation solutions, we’re helping brands make sure that factor works in their favor.”
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