New Product Development Stages in Food

Study Notes

New Product Development (NPD) is a structured, multi-step process that involves designing, engineering, and researching to create and launch a new product
NPD is essential for businesses to stay ahead of the market and changing customer needs.
Developing a new food product is a complex, multi-step process that requires careful planning and extensive testing.
Every stage in the NPD for food products involves checks and balances to ensure the process is on track.

This stage focuses on generating innovative product ideas that meet customer needs.
Brainstorming concepts based on market research and concept testing is crucial.
Some ideas come from market observations, employee suggestions, or customer feedback.
It is important to refine ideas to make them more specific and test them against similar ideas.

Target Market: Identify the specific consumer profile for the product. Understanding who your potential customers are will guide product development.
Existing Products: Evaluate your current product lineup and analyze competitors. Ensure your new product is distinct enough to carve out market share.
Functionality: Establish a general idea of the product's purpose. Consider its sensory attributes – taste, texture, and appearance – that will attract customers.
SWOT Analysis: Conduct a SWOT analysis to assess the product's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This helps ensure the product addresses a market gap and stands out from competitors.

Strengths: What are the product’s competitive advantages? What resources do we have? What are our best performing products?
Weaknesses: What areas can we improve? What are our worst performing products? Where are we lacking resources?
Opportunities: What technology could we use to improve operations? Is there scope to expand core operations? Which new market segments can we explore?
Threats: What new regulations could threaten operations? What do competitors do well? What consumer trends could threaten the business?

The SCAMPER method refines new product ideas by encouraging the exploration of potential changes and improvements.
Substitute: What elements of the product can be swapped for something else?
Combine: How can features, ingredients, or concepts be combined to enhance the product?
Adapt: What can be adapted from other products or industries to improve the product?
Modify: Can the product's form, size, or look be changed to make it better?
Put to Another Use: How can the product be used in a different way?
Eliminate: What unnecessary features or elements can be removed to simplify or improve the product?
Rearrange: How can the order or structure of the product be changed to make it better?