product development – "It's Only Biscuits…"

Trendcard from America

Trends and product review from recent trip to the US

A Review of the Meat the Future Exhibition

I attended Meat the Future with fellow IFST members in March 2022. This is a review I coauthored with a great colleague, Susan Arkley on behalf of the Institute. Photo from IFST’s Food Science & Technology magazine June issue AN IFST REVIEW OF “MEAT THE FUTURE” EXHIBITION AT THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORYContinue reading “A Review of the Meat the Future Exhibition”

A year and a half of blogs

“I promise to not set any targets…” When I exchanged life in the corporate world for life in the world of portfolio careers and “giving back” careers in 2020, I set myself the challenge of collecting as many new experiences as I could possibly manage! Top of the list was to create a Blog thatContinue reading “A year and a half of blogs”

Best Food Films: The Chef

Steet food offers new flavours and textures, is informal and approachable, friendly and fun and of course good value for money. A place of inspiration for any product developer.

Trends #3: There’s more to snacks than potato crisps

Alternative bases for snacks seem to be growing in popularity in the snacks market.

Innovation Tools #3: A Development Framework

What are the things that a developer needs to be aware of and develop within so that they can be free to create a fantastic product ?

Best Food Films: Chocolat

Keeping an open mind when it comes to flavour combinations can produce fireworks! Easter is synonymous with chocolate for a lot of people and the classic chocolate film has to be Chocolat. Is there anyone who has not seen Chocolat ? A young Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche plus other great actors and lot ofContinue reading “Best Food Films: Chocolat”

Trend #2: Waste not Want not

Is designing product, process and packaging where nothing is wasted, the new North Star ?

Innovation tools #2: Idea Generation Tips

Last January I wrote about idea generation and whether this was a skill that could be learned (BTW the answer you are looking here is YES). I then thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice to put together all the ways I know about coming up with ideas”. “Why not share it with everyone!” was my next thought. “Why not ask friends and colleagues to contribute” was the one that followed. At that point I stopped thinking and got to work and with the help of good friends I curatedContinue reading “Innovation tools #2: Idea Generation Tips”

Lesson #5 If only machines were as gentle as our fingers !

Scaling up a recipe can create quality defects that are not visible on bench or pilot plant. The cookies were beautiful and everyone was so excited about them. They ticked all the boxes. Plenty of chocolate pieces, lovely melt in the mouth texture, a balanced aroma of chocolate mixed in with vanilla and baked biscuitContinue reading “Lesson #5 If only machines were as gentle as our fingers !”