Product Innovation: Plastic

NutriSystem and ScentSational Deploy Aromatic Packages That Use Tempting Flavor Technology Both Inside and Out

NutriSystem, a diet, vitamin, and nutritional product company in Horsham, Pa., introduced Aquaescents, a powerful new weight loss aid employing ScentSational Technologies' CompelAroma, Encapsulated Aroma Release technology. This technology works in several ways, tempting consumers with aroma brand association on the outside, adding taste released on the inside, and improving taste with the aroma on the outside.

With CompelAroma technology, Aquaescents refillable water bottle and fruit caps, in natural lemon, peach, and berry flavors, enhance a consumer's enjoyment of water without adding calories, sweeteners, or preservatives. Since drinking eight glasses of water each day is an integral part of dieting, Aquaescents helps Nutrisystem's clients consume plain water that has a delicious fruit flavor without any additives.

These FDA-approved food grade flavors are added directly into packaging materials at the time of manufacturing. During the process, the encapsulated flavors and associated aromas become integral parts of the package itself. ScentSational's CompelAroma technology is safe for use with any food or beverages and is compliant with all food-packaging regulations.

Brand-building aromas

CompelAroma technology allows food and beverage marketers to differentiate brands by encapsulating flavors within the structure of plastic packaging, which releases desirable aromas. According to Steven M. Landau, ScentSational Technologies CTO: "In addition to CompelAroma's obvious taste benefits, its brand-building power comes from the fact that aromas travel a direct line to an individual's memory and emotional center and therefore is a key factor in brand preference."

"Up until now, smell has been the sense most neglected in brand marketing strategies," Landau says. "Of the five senses, smell is the only one that has a direct pathway to the brain, and is the only sense that is initially processed in the limbic lobe, the brain's emotional center."

According to Dr. Jay Satz, vice-president of product development for NutriSystem, each Aquaescents fruit cap emits a pleasing aroma that substantially increases the enjoyment of consuming water. "The natural scents are right in the cap," Satz said. "It's water with a kick that livens up a diet with a fun way to stay properly hydrated every day."

Smell is a large part of taste. If you have ever held your nose while eating, you know that the taste of the food is greatly diminished. When you drink from a plastic package infused with CompelAromas, your nose will pick up the added "taste" boost from the top of the bottle.

Controlled release of flavor

The aroma-infused plastics can be manufactured to release the aroma at different stages in the development of the brand building strategy. The plastic may release aroma on the store shelf to accent a product, inside a package to add aroma when a product is opened or cooked, or released into a product gradually to compensate for gradual flavor loss over time.

During microwaving, for example, CompelAroma-enhanced microwaveable containers and trays have proven to broadcast dramatically increased levels of desirable aromas. This advantage returns the sensual pleasure of cooking to quick food preparation and delivers a product performance that compels brand loyalty.

"Invoking positive memories which are tied to the brand is a very powerful marketing tool," says Landau. CompelAroma flavors can also be used to gradually release into the package contents and enhance desirable flavors. Gradual release can protect contents from processing induced dilution and or extend shelf life by adding flavor over time.

The ScentSational technology adds flavor without adding calories, cholesterol, or fat. CompelAroma can even make foods that are good for you more enjoyable for everyone by adding flavor without the consumer's knowledge. A number of the world's leading food and beverage companies are looking towards ScentSational to offer healthy solutions to better flavor. While the experience adds pleasing brand-building memory triggers, the CompelAroma technology does not add undesirable ingredients. (Learn more at www.ScentSationalTechnologies.com.)