We're a global leader in premium drinks, the exciting consumer products space. 200 brands. 180 countries. Diageo
Diageo’s R&D Centre in North London, ‘Woodside’, has been the birthplace of some of Diageo's most exciting liquid innovations in recent years. From Tanqueray 0.0 to Guinness Nitrosurge, Woodside has played a key role in shaping the future of how people across the world socialise.
Our team of innovators continues to push the boundaries to create new products, tastes, and experiences that existing and new consumers will love, but there is a secret ingredient that is helping the team to thrive – inclusion and diversity in the workplace.
This was exemplified in the development of ‘Captain Morgan Spiced Gold 0.0%’, Diageo’s first alcohol free dark spirit innovation. In a project where Diageo broke new grounds, liquid scientists Amanda Brown and Chanchal Narain-Baggott, who developed the liquid, stressed that the culture at Woodside and the open-minded environment were essential for the successful development of the product. Hear from them both below:
Developing Spiced Gold 0.0 was always going to be an exciting but challenging project. Producing a great-tasting, alcohol-free alternative to a product as popular as Captain Morgan Spiced Gold is not as simple as removing alcohol from the production process. It takes months of research and development, and in this case, more than 400 recipes to get it right! To succeed, we knew our commitment to innovation would be tested, but this is where the power of our diverse colleagues comes in. We have seen first-hand with Captain Morgan Spiced Gold 0.0% the power of diversity; every one of my colleagues is encouraged to be themselves and I think this allows them to thrive and ultimately succeed as a team. Inclusivity is our magic ingredient, helping us blend ideas and redefine the future.
Our team is one of the most inclusive and diverse teams I have had the pleasure of working in. It’s not unknown that the STEM industry, particularly roles in science, is male dominated, however, at Woodside, our R&D teams have a wonderful blend of individuals, who are encouraged and valued to bring the best version of themselves everyday, regardless of gender, age, background, sexuality, and ethnicity. For many companies, it would be rare to have two women in myself and Amanda lead on such an important product like Captain Morgan Spiced Gold 0.0%, but that’s not how it is here. From the female whisky entrepreneurs of the eighteenth century to the appointment of our first female Johnnie Walker Master Blender in 2021, women have always shaped the success of Diageo, which is something I am inspired by today.
Find out more about our commitments to Inclusion and Diversity here