THE SHORT ANSWER
Flavour development cost depends on the agreed scope, sample work, evaluation and supply terms. Compare concentrate cost in the finished product as well as price per kilogram, and use actual quotations rather than assumed standard fees or minimum order quantities.
What can a flavour-development quote include?
A quote might concern a supplied flavour, development work, sample rounds, application support or a combination of tasks. Ask what is included and what sits outside the scope. The same headline price can describe very different working arrangements.
Make your assumptions visible. If you expect a particular number of revisions, a specific document package or support with an application, put that into the conversation. Do not wait until a promising sample arrives to discover that two teams have been pricing different jobs.
What does cost-in-use mean?
Cost-in-use considers the cost contributed by a material at the amount used in the finished product. It helps put concentrate prices into context. Compare equivalent units and an application that has actually been assessed for the intended decision.
For an illustrative arithmetic example only, a concentrate at £20 per kilogram used at 0.5% by weight contributes £0.10 per kilogram of finished product: £20 multiplied by 0.005. A £15 concentrate used at 1% contributes £0.15. These are fictional numbers, not FÜNK prices or recommended inclusion levels, and they exclude other costs.
Which other costs should we make visible?
Separate development and sample work from purchasing and manufacturing costs. Record which figures are quotations, estimates or unknowns. Include only items relevant to your project; this worksheet is not a statement of FÜNK charges.
| Cost area | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Development | What work and revisions are included? |
| Samples | What preparation or shipping charges apply? |
| Material | What price and quantity basis is quoted? |
| Use | What amount applies to the assessed product version? |
| Supply | What minimum quantity, lead time and carriage terms apply? |
| Change | What happens if the base or scope changes? |
Can a small launch still have a useful brief?
Yes. State the expected launch quantity, the uncertainty in the forecast and the longer-term ambition separately. Those numbers help a supplier assess a commercial fit. They do not mean that a small batch, low minimum quantity or a particular scale-up route is available.
Ask for the actual terms relevant to the selected material. If a minimum order does not fit the launch plan, discuss that directly. It is better to understand the constraint before development than to discover it when the formula is ready for a commercial decision.
How do sample rounds affect scope?
A round should answer an agreed question. Several rounds may be useful when the target becomes clearer through evaluation, while a changing base can create a different piece of work. Ask how revisions, changed requirements and additional testing are handled under the proposal.
Consolidated feedback helps the next round have a clear purpose. Keep the sample code, preparation and requested change together. Our sample-evaluation guide gives a practical way to make those notes useful, without suggesting that better notes remove all development uncertainty.
What should we send for a commercial discussion?
Bring a flavour brief with the application, target, expected quantities and cost constraints. Say which figures are firm and which are working estimates. Explore flavour development before assuming the same scope suits every project.
Start a project to discuss the actual brief and commercial fit. A useful conversation starts with the numbers you have, including the ones that still need work.
General guidance for project planning. Technical requirements depend on the actual formulation, intended use and market.
