Autocrat launches food industry R&D lab, consumer research site

AUTOCRAT LLC'S new R&D lab, part of its new Food and Beverage Solutions Center that also includes a consumer research site with a dedicated moderator. The Lincoln-based ingredients supplier said it designed the center to help its customers develop and launch breakthrough products. / COURTESY AUTOCRAT NATURAL INGREDIENTS LLC
AUTOCRAT LLC'S new R&D lab, part of its new Food and Beverage Solutions Center that also includes a consumer research site with a dedicated moderator. The Lincoln-based ingredients supplier said it designed the center to help its customers develop and launch breakthrough products. / COURTESY AUTOCRAT NATURAL INGREDIENTS LLC

LINCOLN – Autocrat LLC, a Lincoln-based supplier of extracts and natural ingredients to food industry businesses, has launched a new Food and Beverage Solutions Center designed to help its customers develop new products.

“The goal of creating our new center is to enable us to do the best possible job of developing and commercializing new product solutions for our customers in the dairy, food processing and food service industry,” said Patrick Holmes, Autocrat CEO, in a release on Oct. 15. “By launching the new center, we are sending a message to our customers that Autocrat is willing to put skin into the game to help them develop and launch breakthrough new food and beverage products.”

Autocrat’s new center comprises two facilities, a research and development lab and a consumer research site, both located in the greater Boston area.

The 1,300-square-foot R&D lab features a staff of six, including trained sensory experts, Autocrat said. The lab is fully equipped for technical development of new food and beverage products and certified by the Safe Quality Foods Institute, the Rainforest Alliance, the Fair Trade Federation, the Organic Trade Association, the American Halal Association and OU Kosher.

- Advertisement -

Caroline Vogel, director of quality and R&D for Autocrat, has taken over leadership of the R&D lab.

Autocrat’s consumer research site serves as a consumer interviewing facility with a dedicated moderator and kitchen space to support preparation of samples for consumer taste-testing. The consumer research site is supervised by Kim Cipriano, Autocrat’s director of marketing.

“The idea is that our customers can come here, their technical team can work with our team in the lab, then the ideas can be taken to the consumer research site for consumer feedback and optimization,” said Steve Olyha, chief operations officer at Autocrat. “The objective is to have everything in one place to support joint innovation and new product development.”

An Autocrat spokesperson was not immediately available to provide information about the cost of its Food and Beverage Solutions Center or whether Autocrat has hired additional staff for the new facilities.

No posts to display