Prepared Foods - October 2008 - (Page 20)

cover story the team supplemented consumer learning with collective judgment and experience to make quick decisions.” Pham notes the efficiency, effectiveness and innovation of the Focaccia Crust Pizza team were unprecedented at Kraft. “Product formulation, packaging design and processing specifications were finalized and approved in three months from the day of receiving the concept, and the finished product was on shelves less than a year after initial conception. This speed to market was achieved through a systematic development approach, identified early in the project, that focused on flawless execution, proactive contingency planning and adaptability.” “The development of DiGiorno Ultimate Focaccia was a cross-functional team effort,” explains Mankowski, “that included Kraft employees in product and packaging R&D, finance, marketing, quality, manufacturing, operations and consumer insights. Total development time was less than seven months from idea to store shelf (even though, he notes, average development timeline for a new pizza product introduction can be approximately 12 months or more)—with multiple formulation iterations to ensure optimal product performance for consumers at home.” The team also worked together to provide distinct advantages out of the entirely new line. Their work created a focaccia crust pizza that could be produced within the company’s current internal pizza manufacturing capabilities, thanks to an innovative formulation that served to simulate artisan-style bread production. Spirit of Innovation Award—Foodservice Winner: Tyson Foods Inc. for Fully Cooked Pot Roasts Tyson Foods’ new line of pot roasts was initialized in 2004, but scale-up and development would take several years, as the company worked with outside suppliers and made the most of in-house departments to create an authentically ethnic product. Chris Alsip, director of Tyson Foods Inc.’s Discovery Center Customer Experience. However, that would be just the start. Determining the appropriate channel in which to introduce the product was also a concern. The challenge, as the company saw it, was how to communicate the authenticity of a Cuban pot roast to a consumer who may not be as familiar with the taste profile. With this in mind, the company also decided to offer a traditional Yankee Pot Roast, an item “enhanced to appeal to a wider audience and to the restaurant operator’s need for flexibility with a traditional comfort food,” Alsip notes. The Yankee Pot Roast includes USDA Choice slowcooked beef with vegetables, while the Ropa Vieja ver- Slow and Low The story behind the development of Tyson’s line of fully cooked pot roasts is a somewhat surprising one: Tyson turned to its R&D staff, as well as marketing department and culinary chefs, with the goal of developing new items from the chuck roll, a cut of beef that sometimes is difficult for operators to utilize. Culinary was determined to create an authentic ethnic eating experience for an otherwise traditional item, recalls 20 October 2008 ● www.PreparedFoods.com http://www.PreparedFoods.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Prepared Foods - October 2008

Prepared Foods - October 2008 Contents Hitting the Shelves Winning Way—Spirit of Innovation Award Winners—Foodservice and Retail MarketWatch Novel Ingredients for Sports Nutrition Products NutraNews The Flavors of Cooking On the National Menu A Matter of Balancing Taste Solving Problems with Dairy Ingredients Colorings: Will I Be Blue? Coloring with Confidence: Inclusions R&D Applications Seminar: Answers for Dairy and Confectionery Applications R&D Applications: Naturally Vibrant Colors R&D Applications: Healthy Foods with Flavor Abstracts

Prepared Foods - October 2008

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