Meet Anastasia Roberts
“Once you’ve worked in the flavour industry, you get hooked by it.”
Job Title: Trainee Flavourist
Company: ICG Flavours
Degree: MChem Chemistry, University of York
From Geography to Chemistry
At school, Ana initially imagined a future in geography.
“I liked both the scientific side and the human side of geography.”
But alongside that interest was a growing love of science, particularly chemistry. A placement at pharmaceutical company Redx Pharma when she was 17 cemented that passion.
“I loved being in the lab, especially the chemistry lab. That’s when I realised this was what I wanted to do.”
For Ana, laboratory work offered the perfect balance of science and teamwork.
“Labs are actually really social spaces”.
That experience led her to study Chemistry at the University of York, with plans to eventually work in pharmaceuticals.
Discovering the Flavour Industry
Like many chemistry students, Ana originally assumed her career would lead into pharma.
But during her degree, she came across an internship opportunity at Sensient in the botanical extracts team.
“I’d never really heard of the flavour industry before. It’s not something universities focus on much.”
Still, the combination of science and food appealed to her.
“I thought, well, I love food, I love science… let’s give it a go.”
That placement completely changed her career direction.
“Once I’d worked in flavour, that was it. Pharma was forgotten about.”
What stood out most was the creativity involved.
“It’s not about whether one flavour is better than another, it’s about creating the right flavour for the right application.”
Finding Her Way Back to Flavour
After her internship, Ana stayed with Sensient, moving into analytical work focused on flavour matching and working closely with flavourists.
Later, personal circumstances meant relocating back to the north west, where flavour industry opportunities were more limited.
She continued working in analytical chemistry, specialising in food and beverage packaging analysis, but something was missing.
“I really missed the flavour industry.”
After several years searching for the right opportunity, she joined ICG Flavours as a Trainee Flavourist in 2025.
“It’s been a fantastic opportunity. I’m really loving being back in the industry.”
What Does a Trainee Flavourist Do?
Ana’s role combines science, sensory work and creativity.
A large part of her time is dedicated to flavour training, learning about raw materials and how they behave in different applications.
“To become a flavourist, you need to understand the raw materials, how they smell, taste and behave at different concentrations.”
Her role includes:
- Assisting with flavour creation
- Flavour matching
- Raw material training
- Running GC-MS analysis
- Customer visits and tasting sessions
- Internal auditing for BRC standards (British Retail Consortium food standards)
Her analytical background means she can manage the flavour matching process from start to finish.
“I can do the analysis, interpret the data and then apply it to the flavour work.”
Working Closely with Customers
Customer collaboration is an important part of Ana’s role.
At ICG’s new laboratory facility, customers regularly visit to taste and develop products together with the team.
“We can work through flavour options there and then, which speeds development up massively.”
That might involve refining a strawberry profile to make it:
- Juicier
- Fresher
- Greener
- More confectionery-style
“It’s really rewarding when you later see those products on the shelf and know you had a hand in them.”
No Two Days Are the Same
Ana describes her role as incredibly varied.
Each morning begins with a team discussion about projects, challenges and priorities before moving into a mix of:
- Sensory analysis
- Flavour development
- Raw material training
- Analytical work
- Customer support
“Every day is different and every day there’s something new to learn.”
That constant change is one of the things she enjoys most about the job.
Science Meets Creativity
For Ana, the flavour industry offers something unique: a balance between technical science and creativity.
“Science can sometimes feel restrictive or repetitive. Flavour gives you the creativity alongside it.”
She enjoys seeing flavour trends emerge and evolve, from development in the lab to products appearing on supermarket shelves.
One current trend she highlights is the rise of ube flavours – often described as a nutty vanilla-like profile associated with purple yam desserts.
“You start seeing trends in development long before they hit the shelves properly.”
Using Analytical Skills in Flavour
Ana’s background in analytical chemistry gives her a strong technical foundation.
Working with GC-MS has helped her understand flavour chemistry at a deeper level, while her current role focuses more on how ingredients smell, taste and interact.
“It’s about marrying the science with the organoleptic side.”
As she progresses further into flavour creation, she hopes to move more towards the creative side of the role while continuing to use her analytical expertise to support the team.
Developing Sensory Skills
Working in flavour has transformed the way Ana experiences food and drink.
“You start critically analysing everything you taste and smell.”
Her sensory vocabulary has also developed significantly.
Part of flavourist training involves learning the industry language used to describe flavours and raw materials precisely.
“It’s not enough to just say something tastes nice, you need to explain exactly why.”
Career Progression
Ana’s long-term goal is to become a Senior Flavourist.
Her progression pathway currently looks like:
- Trainee Flavourist
- Junior Flavourist
- Flavourist
- Senior Flavourist
But she also highlights how flexible the industry can be.
“There are lots of opportunities to move across into areas like analysis, regulatory or technical sales.”
Skills for Success
Ana believes a strong scientific foundation is valuable, but equally important are curiosity and sensory awareness.
Key skills include:
- Chemistry and analytical understanding
- Sensory evaluation
- Communication skills
- Creativity
- Attention to detail
- Food safety and quality knowledge
Her role as a BRCGS (Brand Reputation through Compliance Global Standards) internal auditor has also expanded her understanding of food manufacturing, hygiene and quality systems.
Advice for Aspiring Flavour Professionals
Ana recommends immersing yourself in the industry as much as possible.
Her advice includes:
- Attend flavour industry events and lectures
- Research flavour companies and different roles
- Apply for internships and placements
- Explore sensory science
- Learn about raw materials and flavour profiles
- Try new foods and drinks whenever possible
“The fun part is trying all the different products.”
For Ana, her internship was the key turning point.
“That was definitely the best thing I could have done.”
Final Thoughts
Ana’s story shows how unexpected career paths can lead to exciting opportunities.
What started as an interest in pharmaceutical chemistry evolved into a career combining science, creativity and flavour innovation.
“It’s such an interesting industry that once you’re in it, it’s hard to imagine doing anything else.”
Could Flavour Be Your Future?
Ana’s journey highlights the wide range of opportunities within the flavour industry. Whether your strengths lie in chemistry, analysis, sensory science or creativity, flavour offers a career where science and imagination work side by side.