The Taste Podcast (ENG)

The Taste Podcast presents an engaging episode featuring our host Robert Strik and his guest Frank Hofman, a food engineer and product developer from Astra Sweets NV in Belgium. With a combined experience of 75 years, they delve into the intricate world of taste and technology. Frank's expertise lies in developing starch-moulded confectionery, with a focus on gelatin replacement, clean label products, and encapsulated ingredients.The conversation explores challenges in the candy industry, par...

Robert Strik and Piet Brink have a long, shared history in the world of taste and flavour, as can be heard in this amusing episode of TheTastePodcast. As they serve up a course of flavour and taste anecdotes, both gentlemen clearly enjoy reminiscing about and sharing their flavour secrets. To the wider public, Piet Brink is known as the man who made thousands of ‘bitterballen’ (typical Dutch bar snacks) at the Holland Heineken House during the Sochi Winter Olympics. Consequently, he knows all...

In this episode of TheTastePodcast, Merel Rijnen, food technologist and owner of Food Dynamics, sits down to chat with Robert Strik. Merel talks about her passion for food development and how she founded her company Food Dynamics. Once upon a time, Merel and Robert had intended to start a company together. They cast their minds back to that plan. Merel also gives listeners a glimpse into her creative process that she calls ‘the art of tinkering’. After all, developing new flavours is a proces...

Behind The Taste Podcast microphone in this episode is Wilco Vermeer, co-founder of Kenyan company NatureLock Foods. This company combats food waste across Africa by preserving fresh produce naturally right at the source, making it tasty, nutritious, and affordable for all. They call it ‘creating food at the source’. This is very important for African farmers: it maximizes the use of their produce, increases their income, and provides a healthy alternative to less healthy food. Wilco explains...

Get ready to Discover the secret of Tanzanian vanilla!Robert Strik chats with Ronald ter Veer, entrepreneur at Ronald ter Veer Human Development and Juan Guardado, co-founder and managing director of Natural Extracts Industries ltd in Moshi, Tanzania. Under Juan’s inspiring leadership, a number of farmers and women’s groups produce vanilla around Mount Kilimanjaro – experts such as Ronald say it’s the tastiest around. The projects NEI ltd initiates and facilitates provide work, income, and qu...