Consumers and lifestyle

Understanding your customers and supplying innovation for them 

Food product development has evolved from a specific process to a continual process with New Product Development being the very focus for much innovation. Markets have developed from supply driven needs to current demand driven needs throughout the world. 

Intrinsic factors for food and drink including physical characteristics such as taste, texture and shelf life are important in many aspects of developing innovative products. Extrinsic factors associated with products are becoming increasingly important in modern markets. These include ethical considerations, 'free from' or 'clean' labels and environmental issues such as air freighting products. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors must be integrated in New Product Development now. 

Innovation can happen in many forms and often strikes a balance between being new, radical and easily understood while utilising existing product information. Innovations for consumers can be achieved by adding to similar products, extending lines (with new tastes or marketing strategy), repositioning existing products (by developing nutritional benefits), developing new products, reformulations, new packaging and utilising new forms of technology or creativity.