Introduction to Food Product Development

The process of creating, processing, and commercializing a new/ improved food

product. The aim is to be strategic. Time and resources as well must be used wisely.
The key stages are:
Ideation  Formulation Processing  Commercialization
There are usually checkpoints at or within stages to decide to continue or stop the
project. This can be done through a Stage and Gate System. An example shown
below:

The Stage and Gate process allows many ideas to be considered efficiently. At each
stage, activities and evaluations are carried out to determine the best/ most
profitable ideas, which then pass on to the next stage.
i. Gate 1- Research and Evaluation of product ideas.
Consider the cost of ingredients, processing, target audience among others.
ii. Gate 2- Small scale production and consumer testing.
The goal is to evaluate consumer interest.
iii. Gate 3- Evaluating production costs, efficiency, food safety, quality testing, shelf-
life.
The goal is to evaluate which products can be made efficiently and consistently.
iv. Gate 4- Final costing, competitive product analysis, additional consumer sensory
testing, package design, marketing.
Finalization of the product offering.

In a product development course, a product is likely developed from start to finish,

so more market, consumer, and product research will need to be done during the
ideation stage to catch significant drawbacks.

1. (a)Stages and possible issues

Stage Possible issues & Key Questions
Ideation & Target Market Identification  Regional vs. global preferences
 Market size vs. target market
Formulation  Sourcing ingredients and ingredient
costs
 Product shelf life
 Large scale feasibility
 Patent and Copyright infringement
Processing  Rework
 Effect of process on:
 Sensory attributes
 Nutritional profile
 Product specifications
 Shelf Life
 Overall Functionality
Commercialization  Positioning
 Effect of distribution system on
product quality

After Launch success can be measured by:

i. Growing interest
ii. Increase in sales
iii. Market share
iv. Company sales revenue

Key Team Members:

i. Product Developers
ii. Engineering and Production
iii. Quality
iv. Regulatory
v. Marketing and Sales

Challenges to be encountered:
i. Scale- up changes product characteristics
ii. Shelf life not long enough
iii. Low consumer acceptance
iv. Ingredient sourcing and costs
v. Processing and equipment limitations
 vi. Multidimensional team communication difficulties

Risk Mitigation Actions

Recipe formulation Conduct thorough research on ingredient functionality,
challenges, such as taste, compatibility, and stability. Conduct multiple rounds of testing and
texture, and nutritional iteration. Utilize food science expertise to optimize recipe
requirements formulation.
Ingredient sourcing
challenges, such as Establish strong supplier relationships. Identify alternative sourcing
availability, quality, and cost options. Monitor ingredient quality and conduct regular testing.
fluctuations Evaluate and compare costs from different suppliers.
Food safety and regulatory Follow good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and Hazard Analysis
compliance issues, such as and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles. Stay updated on
meeting FDA guidelines or relevant food safety regulations and standards. Conduct thorough
international food safety testing to ensure compliance. Work with regulatory experts for
standards guidance.
Conduct shelf-life testing to determine product stability. Optimize
Shelf life and stability issues, packaging, processing, and formulation to extend shelf life. Utilize
such as spoilage or preservatives, antioxidants, or other methods to improve product
degradation stability.

Cost management Conduct cost analysis at each stage of product development.

challenges, such as Optimize ingredient usage, processing methods, and packaging
ingredient costs, processing materials to minimize costs. Identify cost-effective alternatives
costs, and packaging costs without compromising product quality.
Scale-up and manufacturing
challenges, such as Conduct pilot production runs to identify and address potential
maintaining consistent bottlenecks. Optimize production processes for scale-up. Establish
product quality and efficient quality control measures for consistent product quality. Work with
production manufacturing experts for guidance.

Consumer acceptance Conduct market research to understand consumer preferences and

issues, such as aligning with
consumer preferences and
demands
Packaging and sustainability
concerns, such as meeting
regulatory requirements
and environmental
sustainability goals
trends. Conduct sensory testing and consumer feedback sessions.
Incorporate consumer feedback into product development. Adjust
product attributes based on consumer preferences.
Research and select sustainable packaging materials. Ensure
compliance with packaging regulations and labeling requirements.
Optimize packaging design for sustainability without compromising
product protection. Explore innovative packaging solutions.
Risk Mitigation Actions
Competition and
marketability challenges, Conduct market analysis to identify competition and consumer
such as positioning the demands. Develop a compelling value proposition. Differentiate
product effectively in the the product through unique features or benefits. Develop effective
market marketing strategies to promote the product.