What is a sensory profile, and why should I fill one in?

A sensory profile describes what your product should be like to the senses. It covers four things:

• Appearance: what it looks like. Colour, shape, size, surface.
• Texture: what it feels like to bite or eat. Crunchy, chewy, smooth, crumbly.
• Aroma: what it smells like.
• Flavour: what it tastes like.

An example

For an oat cookie, you might write:

• Appearance: golden brown, round, about 7 cm across, with visible oat flakes
• Texture: crisp edge, soft and chewy centre
• Aroma: toasted oats and brown sugar
• Flavour: sweet and buttery, with a light caramel note

Why fill one in

Your recipe tells someone what goes into your product. Your sensory profile tells them what should come out. It's useful when:

• A co-manufacturer makes your product. They know what "right" looks and tastes like, not just what to mix.
• You check a production batch. You can compare each batch to your description and spot when something's off, like cookies coming out too hard.
• A buyer asks for it. Many retailers include a sensory section in their spec requirements.

Write it in plain words, the way you'd describe your product to someone tasting it. You don't need technical language.

You can add a sensory profile to your product specification in Canoli, so it travels with the rest of your product details.

For more detailed instructions on how to fill in your sensory profile, subscribe to one of Canoli’s subscription tiers here, and you’ll be able to access our dedicated help pages.