Diageo acquires Vivanda, an AI-powered tech firm

Diageo acquires Vivanda, owner of the technology behind Diageo’s digital ‘What’s Your Whisky’ platform and the Journey of Flavour experience at Johnnie Walker Princes Street.

This acquisition will enable Diageo to expand FlavorPrint technology to other categories. It will also support the continued development of Diageo’s advanced analytics and digital marketing capabilities, providing a deeper understanding of consumer taste preferences and helping to unlock further opportunities in innovation and personalized consumer experiences

Powered by artificial intelligence, FlavorPrint technology, through a series of simple questions, analyses and maps consumers’ flavour preferences against a large proprietary sensory database of foods and aromas, to generate a digital representation of their unique ‘Flavor Print’.  It then recommends brands and variants whose flavour profiles consumers are most likely to enjoy. The technology breaks down traditional barriers to category exploration, supporting broader consumer engagement through more personalized recommendations.

Vivanda’s team will join Diageo and its founders, CEO Oli Fuchs, and CTO Matt Corish, will provide ongoing consultancy services to continue building on the success of the FlavorPrint technology.

Cristina Diezhandino, CMO at Diageo, said, “We know consumers are looking for more personalized, interactive experiences and that they are increasingly engaging with our brands digitally as well as in person. We’re delighted to welcome Vivanda to Diageo and we are looking forward to working together to connect with consumers in more innovative ways that help shape the future of how we socialize in person and virtually.”

Fuchs said, “We are very excited to join Diageo. Vivanda set out to create innovative technology which connects consumers with products through sensory insight. We are proud of the excellent engagement we have received from consumers and are looking forward to connecting millions more people with their new favourite beverage and creating the digital standard for taste.”