Building Trust at the Intersection of Science, AI, and Food Innovation

Treating Innovation Like a Startup: Inside a Legacy Organization

IFT approached Sous not as a typical internal tool, but as a startup within a nearly century‑old organization. With more than 85 years of proprietary journals, insights, and expertise, IFT recognized a responsibility (and opportunity) to deliver its value differently to a changing professional community.

As IFT explored how AI could help food scientists work more effectively, trust quickly emerged as a non‑negotiable requirement. Many food formulations and recipes rely on trade secrets rather than patents, making data privacy and system security paramount. According to IFT leadership, trust had to be foundational from day one, and that principle shaped every decision that followed.

A True Co‑Development Partnership with Improving

To execute that vision, IFT needed more than a vendor. They needed a partner deeply embedded in the work. Improving joined the initiative as a co‑developer, working alongside IFT every step of the way to navigate both technical complexity and real‑world user needs.

By combining Improving’s expertise in AI and software development with IFT’s deep understanding of food science and customer pain points, the teams created what IFT called the “secret sauce” that brought Sous to market. This collaborative model guaranteed that the platform was both technically sound and genuinely useful to the people it was designed to serve.

Designing AI Around Trust and Responsibility

From the outset, Sous was designed with responsible AI principles in mind. One key decision was ensuring the system would not train on customer‑submitted data, which is an important safeguard for professionals working with sensitive formulations and intellectual property. This approach reinforced IFT’s longstanding reputation as a trusted industry source and provided confidence among users who were adopting the platform.

Trust was not treated as a feature to be added later, but as an element woven directly into how the system was designed and delivered. IFT leadership emphasized that credibility and transparency are critical to earning long‑term adoption in the food science community, and that philosophy directly informed the technology choices behind Sous.

Why Microsoft Azure Mattered

While Sous represents a significant expansion of IFT’s technology presence, many customers still primarily view IFT as a science and standards organization, not a technology company. That made platform choice especially important.

Building Sous on Microsoft Azure brought immediate enterprise credibility. For customers entrusting valuable IP to an AI platform, knowing the solution is backed by a trusted provider like Microsoft made a meaningful difference and supported IFT’s ability to deliver innovation without compromising trust.

Empowering Scientists, Not Replacing Them

Rather than focusing on fully autonomous formulation, Sous was designed to augment human expertise. By automating time‑consuming and administrative tasks, the platform helps food scientists spend more time on what matters most: creativity, formulation, and connection with consumers.

IFT sees AI as a way to empower its community, creating space for innovation while maintaining the human element that defines food science. This balanced approach reflects IFT’s broader mission to advance science in ways that are safer, more sustainable, and aligned with consumer expectations.

Looking Ahead: A Model for Trusted AI Adoption

The collaboration between IFT, Improving, and Microsoft demonstrates how organizations can bring AI into complex, trust‑sensitive industries responsibly.

By combining scientific rigor, hands‑on partnership, and enterprise‑grade infrastructure, Sous offers a blueprint for how AI can be designed around people, not just technology. For Improving, this partnership underscores the value of deep collaboration and domain understanding. For IFT, it opens new pathways to deliver science at scale. And with Microsoft Azure as its foundation, the platform delivers innovation backed by trust.

At Improving, we believe the most impactful technology is built through partnership, trust, and thoughtful design. If you’re exploring how AI can support your organization without compromising security or the human experience, we’d love to talk.