May 31, 2012

 

Food product development- Look to the kids

 

 

Look around in the retail shops and we still see the same products as 30 years ago, maybe the packaging is different but the bulk of it, in our case, poultry has not changed dramatically.  Is this because of the demand or poultry is still a mass commodity? When will it move to a branded value-added consumption goods?

 

The development of a product or a product line asks for a good marketing study so that you will design and produce those products of your target market.

 

Given this fact, it is complicated for the producers to bring a range of products answering to the market and the specific demand of the buyers in that market.

 

Just to name some of the issues involved in what kind of product to make and what kind of packing to use. 

 

If you are still looking to the so-called standard family of man-wife and 2.15 in a Western situation, a man-wife and 5-7 kids for a Middle East, Indian sub continent and Maghreb or a man-wife and an additional one kid for china, then this is maybe completely wrong.

 

When I say, look to the kids, this is only to remind you about the impact of the children on the choice of products, when I was a kid I was eating that what was coming to the table, today the children are involved in the choice of not only food but in the choosing of many products from the family car to the television, so a public to take serious.
 

On estimation, about 65% of the households in Brussels are single and increasing to higher levels when moving to the centre of the town. This situation is most probably correct for the bigger city in the west. 

 

When moving just for half an hour from the centre of any city, you will find a more rural area where the lifestyle of the people is completely different from the city centre.

 

When looking to figures it seems that about 7% and growing rapidly to frightening figures of the west European people are living in retirement homes and not cooking themselves anymore. 

 

These are just examples to demonstrate the process of the clients self selection using their own reason, way of looking to products, the purpose and influence of publicity. On the other hand, all of the above are looking to the same publicity, be it on the television and or weekly publications.

 

An idealist believes the short run doesn't count. A cynic believes the long run doesn't matter.  A realist believes that what is done or left un-done in the short run determines the long run. (Sydney Harris)

 

An article contributed by Frans Fransen from IFT Poultry. All rights reserved.

 

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