International Taste Institute
The International Taste Institute is a Belgium-based B2B sensory-evaluation and certification body that runs the Superior Taste Award program for food and beverage producers worldwide. Founded in 2005, it blind-tests products through a 250-strong jury of chefs and sommeliers across 20+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersEvere, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What International Taste Institute does
The International Taste Institute, headquartered in Brussels/Evere, Belgium, was founded in 2005 as a for-profit sensory-evaluation and taste-certification body serving food and beverage producers worldwide. Its core offering is the Superior Taste Award — a three-tier certification (one-star at 70–80%, two-star at 80–90%, three-star at 90–100%) granted after blind, in-silence evaluation by a jury of more than 250 professional chefs and sommeliers from over 20 countries, scored on five proprietary International Hedonic Sensory Analysis criteria (first impression, vision, olfaction, taste, texture/final sensation).
The firm's revenue model rests on two streams: per-product sensory evaluation services (a professional-services fee for blind tasting and detailed feedback) and Superior Taste Award certification, where awarded producers are licensed to display the award label in marketing, packaging, and trade-fair engagement. Pricing is published on a dedicated website section, described as a subscription/multi-year contract model with a free introductory tier for prospective producers. Distribution is direct B2B via the company-facing website (taste-institute.com) with registrations managed centrally; marketing is content-led across blog, ebooks, and customer-success content supported by social channels.
The company is privately held with no disclosed funding, no parent, no M&A history, and no public management roster. It operates with 11–50 employees from a single Belgian headquarters, has evaluated thousands of products from over 100 countries since inception, and is currently taking registrations for 2027 evaluations while marking its 20th anniversary. Named enterprise clients include Diageo India (Godawan whisky, Triple Gold), Oriental Brewery (Hanmac, sixth consecutive three-star), Zinzino (BalanceOil+), Pacari (Ecuador), and Kaohsiung Meinong (Taiwan).
International Taste Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- International Taste Institute
- Legal name
- International Taste Institute
- Website
- https://taste-institute.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The International Taste Institute is a Belgium-based B2B sensory-evaluation and certification body that runs the Superior Taste Award program for food and beverage producers worldwide. Founded in 2005, it blind-tests products through a 250-strong jury of chefs and sommeliers across 20+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
International Taste Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sensory Evaluation & Taste Certification
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sensory/Taint & Odor Transfer Testing (organoleptic evaluation) (AFALAIAM)
Keywords
Where International Taste Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Evere
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
International Taste Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Sensory Evaluation Services: Professional taste assessment services for food and drink products. Companies submit their products for blind tasting by top chefs and sommeliers to receive professional feedback and scoring on taste quality.
- Superior Taste Award Certification: Products scoring above 70% receive the Superior Taste Award - a recognized symbol of excellence in taste. Award-winning products can use the certification label for marketing purposes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Product evaluation and tasting certification services for food and drink companies |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
International Taste Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The International Taste Institute provides professional sensory evaluation services and the Superior Taste Award certification for food and beverage products. Products are blind-tested by a jury of more than 250 professional chefs and sommeliers from over 20 countries using the proprietary International Hedonic Sensory Analysis methodology covering five criteria (vision, olfaction, taste, texture, and final sensation). Products achieving an average score above 70% receive the three-tier Superior Taste Award (one-star 70-80%, two-star 80-90%, three-star 90-100%).
Product overview
The International Taste Institute offers the Superior Taste Award, a prestigious taste certification for food and drink products evaluated by over 250 world-class chefs and sommeliers. The core offerings include the Superior Taste Award certification (with three tiers: one-star, two-star, and three-star based on scores of 70-100%) and professional Sensory Evaluation services. The institute also provides supporting resources including a professional jury network, educational content via blog articles and ebooks covering taste development and brand growth, and customer case studies. Since 2005, they have evaluated thousands of products from over 100 countries, making it the most recognized taste certification in the Food & Beverage industry.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Superior Taste Award A prestigious taste certification granted to food and drink products that undergo blind sensory evaluation by a panel of over 250 world-class chefs and sommeliers and achieve an average score above 70%. The certification is offered in three tiers (one-star, two-star, three-star) and serves as a marketing endorsement for award-winning producers.
- Sensory Evaluation A professional taste assessment service in which products are blind tasted and scored by top chefs and sommeliers to evaluate taste quality. Evaluations follow a methodology based on the 5 International Hedonic Sensory Analysis criteria: first impression, vision, olfaction, taste, final sensation, and texture.
Quantifiable outcome
- How the Superior Taste Award increased fair engagement by 30% for confectionery company
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use International Taste Institute
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
International Taste Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
International Taste Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
International Taste Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Monde Selection: International quality award body (HQ Brussels) that evaluates food and beverages via expert juries, awarding 1- to 3-Gold-Star distinctions. Overlaps directly with ITI on the B2B taste/quality certification model and target customer base of producers.
- Great Taste Awards: UK-based food and drink awards program run by the Guild of Fine Food, blind-judged by experts and widely recognized in the specialty food industry. Directly comparable as an independent third-party taste recognition scheme for producers.
- Beverage Testing Institute: Specializes in blind-tasting evaluations and ratings of beverages including beer, wine, and spirits. Operates a similar jury-driven rating and certification model serving producers seeking validation and marketing differentiation.
- International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC): Long-running global competition awarding wines and spirits via blind expert judging panels. Directly comparable as an internationally recognized beverage evaluation authority that helps producers market awards.
- Decanter World Wine Awards: Premier wine competition with globally recognized medals awarded by expert judges. Comparable as a producer-facing taste/quality awards system with international recognition and significant brand marketing value.
- San Francisco World Spirits Competition: Leading spirits competition running blind expert judging and awarding medals/whisky/rum/specialty categories. Overlaps with ITI's spirits-related client base (e.g., Diageo India, House of Lords) and category positioning.
Broad incumbents
- DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft): Germany-based agricultural society that runs extensive food quality testing and award programs (e.g. DLG Gold awards). Wider scope than ITI but directly comparable on the model of blind-tested, jury-awarded quality certifications for food and beverage producers.
- Michelin Guide: Globally recognized fine-dining and (in select markets) hotel rating brand. Operates adjacent sensory/judgment-driven evaluation services for the food world and brings far stronger consumer brand recognition, making it both a comparable and potential competitive force for quality-endorsement brands.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
International Taste Institute social profiles
Digital presenceInternational Taste Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
International Taste Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
International Taste Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
International Taste Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about International Taste Institute
What does International Taste Institute do?
The International Taste Institute provides professional sensory evaluation services and the Superior Taste Award certification for food and beverage products. Products are blind-tested by a jury of more than 250 professional chefs and sommeliers from over 20 countries using the proprietary International Hedonic Sensory Analysis methodology covering five criteria (vision, olfaction, taste, texture, and final sensation). Products achieving an average score above 70% receive the three-tier Superior Taste Award (one-star 70-80%, two-star 80-90%, three-star 90-100%).
Is International Taste Institute a public or private company?
International Taste Institute is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was International Taste Institute founded?
International Taste Institute was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is International Taste Institute based?
International Taste Institute is headquartered in Evere, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does International Taste Institute make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Sensory Evaluation Services are the primary driver. The others are superior Taste Award Certification.
Who are International Taste Institute's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Monde Selection, Great Taste Awards, Beverage Testing Institute, International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), Decanter World Wine Awards and San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Broad incumbents are DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft) and Michelin Guide.
Does International Taste Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for International Taste Institute.
What industry is International Taste Institute in?
International Taste Institute's product category is Sensory Evaluation & Taste Certification. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALAIAM, Sensory/Taint & Odor Transfer Testing (organoleptic evaluation).