From a good idea to a successful product

In the food industry, there are numerous reasons for starting a product development process. In general, there are three main reasons, which are either necessary or desirable:

• To develop a new product

• To develop and produce an existing product (e.g. a private label product)

• To modify and/or optimise a product

How do you ensure that your product development leads to a successful product?

About 80% of all product introductions in the food sector fail, resulting in products disappearing off the shelf again within six to 12 months. Consumers have a plethora of product types and brands to choose from in the supermarket. To be promising in this highly saturated market, it is essential to position your product well. Given consumers' high expectations, it is more important than ever for a food manufacturer to conduct thorough research into consumers' perception of your product already during the product development process. This goes beyond simply mimicking the preparation process and testing the product in your test kitchen.

What you really want to know is how the consumer experiences your product. By researching this, you will get a picture of the consumer's actual experience even before your product is in the supermarket and you will be able to make timely adjustments. Bear the following points in mind when using consumer research:

• Research the market potential

To determine the market potential, it is necessary to test your product ideas. The feedback obtained will help you set the right priorities for further product development. You get a clear understanding of the specific needs of consumers.

It is also important to examine in what way your product adds value for the consumer. After all, successful products are based on customer benefit. Knowledge about consumer perception and use of the product is very important here. Also consider, for example, the desired portion size and the optimal place on the shelf.

• Evaluate the concepts

Evaluate the elaborated concepts with the knowledge you have gained from the studies conducted. Work out the concepts with the greatest chance of success, paying attention to product content and packaging. Then have the desired use and taste assessed by the target group. This will provide valuable insights, such as:

• Which flavours appeal to consumers for the new product concept?

• What colour should I use for the packaging of my light product?

• Which typology gives my product an artisanal look?

Use the information resulting from this concept phase to determine the final product concepts.

• Have taste tests carried out on the developed products

Once the final concepts have been developed, you can start producing the first samples. To know whether you are on the right track, it is important to have them evaluated by a panel. For example, is your product crunchy enough or physically appealing? By having sensory tests performed by a consumer panel, you make the end-user's product requirements transparent. In addition, analysing the samples for sensory aspects provides improvement directions for product composition and opportunities for process optimisation.

Tip: Research how a consumer experiences the product at home by conducting in-home research. In this type of research, the consumer prepares, consumes and evaluates your product in their home environment. The resulting report will give you insights into the consumer experience and areas for improvement.

• Know your competitor

What advantages does your product offer over the alternatives in the supermarket? Research shows that familiar products with a high satisfaction score are valued on average three times more than new, as yet unknown products. So it is important to consider whether the newly developed product could possibly be better appreciated than the current standard.

Research who you see as your main competitor(s) and decide on which aspects you want to do a competitive comparison. With the information obtained, you can work out your marketing strategy and shape your sales plans towards retail.

The product development process is an interesting but complex journey. We are happy to help you through the entire process, so that you can successfully launch your product on the market.

Have a question? Get in touch with Tinka Alaerds