Cargill
Sweetness

Cargill are probably the largest company you’ve never heard about. The biggest food company in the World; they produce all the eggs that America eats in McDonald’s. IDEO has a strategic relationship with them to make them more innovative and bring them closer to the consumer (very few of their brands are consumer-facing).

I took part in several workshops with their senior managers from across the globe. I also led a research endeavour that looked the role of sweetness in the family across Europe. I directed observational research in France, Germany, Italy and the UK, visiting homes in each country and creating an understanding of sweetness – its role in cooking, the powerful emotions associated with it, both positive and negative, and the cultural nuances regarding its consumption.

This research culminated in three day workshop that created a framework of understanding and many ideas for new formulations.