I strive every day to pursue true flavors and create high palatability.
What do you do in Ogawa group?
I work as a flavorist, developing flavors for foods, especially for beverages. I choose the right material and manufacturing process out of many options, and design the recipe considering the appropriate intensity of the taste, the timing of its expression, and its persistence to create the required flavor. The compounded flavors are made into applications that are much like final products, which are repeatedly tasted and assessed. Compounding and assessments are repeated with the aim of developing high quality flavors. We make a hypothesis of what is "good taste," and strive every day to pursue true flavor and create high palatability.
What do you think about Ogawa group?
I think, in Ogawa group, there are many employees who are sincerely engaged in their work. At Maihama Research Center, where I work, there are many employees who have strong interests and preferences for foods, and an inquiring mind towards "good taste." In my work environment, I can talk freely to many people about many topics, and sometimes I get hints for fragrance developments. Also, I feel that the environment and personnel systems are organized to achieve a balance between work and child-raising. The company has a good understanding of and consideration for child-raising, and also has the flexibility to deal with each employee's situation. So we can feel safe working and child-raising at the same time.
When do you feel the most satisfied in your job?
I feel very satisfied when I finally succeed in producing a flavor that is almost ideal, after facing difficult challenges and repeated trial and error. I feel more satisfied when the flavor is accepted by many customers. Moreover, I feel ecstatic when I see products that use flavors that I developed on display in stores.
What challenges do you want to take on in the future in Ogawa group?
I want to continue developing flavors with a commitment to "good taste." I hope to produce a flavor that will stay in people's memories throughout their lives. Also, there's nothing more satisfying for a flavorist than if the flavor is something that will be favored by many people for a long time.
"Food" is fundamental to life, and it is the most important and familiar factor of human development. I understood the importance of food education after I experienced child-raising. So I want to convey the attractive natural resources of Japan, the rich food culture of Japan, and nature's delicious blessings.