In this interview series, HSWT presents startups that are part of the Food Startup Incubator Weihenstephan (FSIWS) . The series presents the companies, their product ideas and how they work.
A rainbow series with many colors and flavors - that's exactly what the startup Color Up Your Taste . The syrups, for example, turn drinks and sweet pastries into colorful eye-catchers. HSWT alumna Linda Sartorius gives insights into her young company in an interview.
HSWT: Linda, how did you start your startup?
When I was at school, I was fascinated by the variety of colorful foods. After graduating from high school, I decided to study food biotechnology, followed by further studies in the field of food management. After that I worked at “Eat Happy” and then at a flavor manufacturer. After my parental leave, I completed a master's degree in food quality with a focus on product development at HSWT. With a modified idea from my master's thesis, I completed the FSIWS' one-year startup program. At the beginning of last year I founded the company and started producing my colorful range of syrups.
Where can your syrups be used?
Thanks to the easy dosing option and the increased concentration of colors and flavors, the syrups can be used anywhere in the kitchen where a little color and a little flavor go well. Since the syrups are sugar-based, they naturally go well with sweet foods and drinks. The syrups were developed for coffee specialties such as cappuccino and latte macchiato. They therefore tend to taste creamy or nutty: for example, like coconut, ube, pistachio, chocolate and poppy seeds, or seasonal and experimental varieties such as pumpkin, carrot, dandelion, chestnut or hemp. All in combination with a matching color.
The colors are baking-safe and the flavors are retained and give baked goods a new touch. In creams or fillings, the syrup enables new taste experiences and can be used for macarons or tarts, for example.
How did the FSIWS support you on your journey?
My participation in the FSIWS started with the idea of making ube powder to stir into hot milk or water like drinking chocolate. Due to the poor solubility, I soon switched to a syrup. Since Ube always raises questions, I soon developed a pink chocolate syrup based on “Ruby Chocolate”. The lectures on organizational structure, company form and packaging design during the program expanded my knowledge. The homework was important for me to outline my company and products. I produced the first products – Purple Yam, Pink Chocolate and Blue Tonka – on the FSIWS premises.
