Expanding flavor innovation through an NSF-supported project

Situation

Seeking new approaches to protect flavor integrity

Edlong, a leader in authentic dairy and plant-based flavor solutions, has a long history of advancing taste experiences for the food industry. With nearly 20 years of expertise in sensory science, Julie Drainville, Global Director of Sensory and Innovation at Edlong, helps guide the company’s three-year innovation pipeline and identifies opportunities to bring new technologies to market that solve real customer challenges.

One of those challenges centers on volatile flavor protection. Flavors, by nature, contain delicate volatile compounds that can break down under heat, compromising the taste of finished food products.

We’ve done some work with partners in this space before, but we weren’t seeing the results we wanted. So we decided to put it out more broadly, see what else was possible, and learn from approaches we hadn’t yet considered.

Although Edlong usually carries out R&D in-house or with established partners, this was not its first collaboration with universities. The company saw it as an opportunity to explore new ideas, expand its network, and test innovative methods beyond traditional encapsulation technologies.

As part of this pilot effort, Edlong’s opportunity was made available exclusively to U.S. universities participating in Emerge, Halo’s project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). These institutions, largely made up of under-the-radar universities with growing research capabilities, represented exactly the type of partners Edlong was eager to discover but unlikely to find on their own.

Action

Partnering with universities through Halo’s innovation partnership platform

Edlong turned to Halo to help build new external research connections, particularly with academic teams working on heat stability for flavor applications.

Halo made it so easy for us. It’s very user-friendly. I hadn’t created a request like this before, and it was very straightforward. I especially liked that all the proposals were organized in one place, which made it simple to review and compare.

Through Halo, Edlong quickly connected with multiple universities— many of which would not have been on their radar otherwise.

Most of these universities we probably would have never connected with. It could take years to find the right people, but with Halo everyone comes to you. And as a SME company, it’s nice to work with universities that may not already be tied up with the larger food companies.

After evaluating proposals, Edlong advanced five universities to conversations, ultimately narrowing down to three that will continue into deeper collaboration. One proposal even introduced a novel release mechanism, which Edlong hadn’t considered but now sees potential in exploring further.

I was very impressed with the Halo team’s technical understanding. They gave me ideas that went beyond just submitting a proposal. It really felt like they understood the science and what we were trying to achieve.

Beyond the platform itself, Edlong viewed Halo as more than just a software tool. From shaping the brief to helping interpret proposals, Halo’s team acted as a strategic partner, ensuring Edlong could focus on scientific fit and long-term potential rather than logistics.

All of the proposals came from smaller universities through Halo’s NSF-funded Emerge project. Most of them we would have never connected with on our own. It could take years to find the right people, but with Halo everyone comes to you.

Results

Unlocking new collaboration pathways and strengthening the pipeline

Within its first project on Halo, Edlong successfully built new connections with universities and identified three promising partners to carry forward into research collaborations aligned with its 2027 innovation pipeline.

The process not only expanded Edlong’s access to new ideas but also helped refine its own approach to external partnerships.

It was very helpful to have this opportunity. For us, being able to connect with smaller universities was a great fit, and I’ve already recommended Halo to others who are looking for this kind of support.

For Edlong, Halo has not only unlocked new avenues for innovation but has also strengthened its commitment to building collaborative, mutually beneficial partnerships.

As a SME company, it could take years to find these connections on our own. Halo made it easy, streamlined, and productive. It’s been a wonderful experience.