A multi-phase sensory innovation journey to create emotional connections through strategic aroma development in premium pet care.
Move beyond nutrition to establish emotional differentiation in premium horse feed.
- Support a leading animal nutrition company in standing out within a rapidly premiumizing U.S. and Mexico horse feed market.
- Assess the role of engineered aroma in strengthening the emotional connection between caregivers and horses to reinforce premium positioning.
- Develop a replicable, insight-driven innovation framework bridging human emotion and animal nutrition.
Multi-phase, in-person sensory innovation rooted in consumer language and emotion.
Phase 1 Exploration: In-person groups across the U.S. and Mexico to uncover authentic language, emotional triggers, and cultural nuances in aroma perception.
Phase 2 Co-Creation: Live collaboration with consumers and flavorists using aroma-dispensing technology, emotional mapping, and real-time iteration.
Phase 3 Evaluation: Sample validation with structured ranking to objectively identify top-performing aroma prototypes.
Aroma validated as a strategic lever for premium differentiation.
- Identified two leading aroma prototypes with strong emotional resonance, memorability, and broad caregiver appeal.
- Confirmed that human sensory perception—especially aroma—is a primary quality signal in horse feed selection.
- Uncovered distinct regional differences, reinforcing the need for localized sensory strategies.
- Established a scalable innovation framework for premium pet and animal nutrition categories.
This case study was presented in partnership with Cargill at the Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium in July 2025.