My Services

Are you looking to introduce new products to the market? 

A bespoke New Product Development (NPD) service is tailored to help generate ideas and turn them into reality. Whether you need support from concept development through to final launch, or assistance with specific stages of the process, then I can help. From recipe formulation and prototyping to market testing and production optimisation, navigating every step with precision and creativity.

Approach:

• Understanding trends and insights in your target market.
• Collaborative ideation sessions to understand your vision and goals.
• Category insight data to help quantify the opportunity and create a business or customer justification story. 
• Competitor benchmarking to ensure your product stands out and is correctly positioned. 
• Hands-on development and refinement of recipes and formulations or working with your kitchen team to create the right solution. 
• Engagement with suppliers, manufacturers, and regulatory bodies.
• Alignment with operational capability. 
• Scaling up manufacturing. 
• Project managing through to launch, collaborating with all internal functions. 

An effective NPD process is so important to all functions in a business at all levels.  Having a 'Stage Gate' process, tailored to your business size and requirements can massively help speed up the time it takes to get to market, prevent mistakes,  improve collaboration and decision-making and ensure concepts remain viable on all fronts all through the launch process. 

Whether it be working on refining your development process or establishing a new system based on industry best practices, then I can facilitate and develop this for you.

Whether you're a start-up looking to establish robust processes or an established brand seeking optimisation, we'll tailor a solution to fit your unique needs.

Key Components:

• Assessment of your current processes and identification of improvement areas. I bet I've seen your problems before! 
• Customised stage gate framework development aligned with your objectives.
• Implementation of efficient project management tools, methodology and documentation. 
• Training and support to ensure seamless adoption across your organisation.
• Continuous optimisation and adaptation based on feedback and results.

Innovation is the cornerstone of su

ccess in the food industry. Businesses need this to stay relevant and drive growth of categories, brands and businesses. 

I can work on the front end creativity for you, to help uncover new opportunities. Market research, trends analysis using The Food People database, living a life of eating and trying new things, means I can apply this to your category, products or brands.  Whether you're aiming to revitalise your product portfolio or pioneer entirely new concepts, I'll collaborate closely to work on innovative solutions that excite your target audience. 

Offering:

• Deep dive into emerging trends and consumer preferences.
• Creation of concept ideas for experimental recipe development.
• Prototyping in the kitchen. 
• Sensory testing to validate market appeal.
• Guidance on translating ideas into actionable strategies.

Facing a temporary gap in your NPD department or need additional support to keep projects on track during transitions? 

I am happy to support on an interim basis, to help provide efficient  project handling and fill the temporary gap you have.  Whether it's covering maternity leave, managing project workflows, or maintaining momentum during recruitment, I can step in seamlessly to ensure business continuity and facilitate ongoing NPD delivery. 

Our Commitment:

• Quick integration into your team, understanding your ongoing projects and objectives.
• Efficient project management to meet timelines and deliverables.
• Expertise in handling diverse NPD tasks, from ideation to launch.
• Clear communication and collaboration with internal or external stakeholders.
• Flexible support that adapts to evolving business needs.
• 20+years of experience allows me to do this effectively and also add value where I can see a better approach. 

Launching new products or initiatives requires processes, effective planning and execution. 

Lacking the resource to deliver on an initiative quickly such as a bespoke NPD projects, capex initiatives or improvement projects? 

Having completed PRINCE 2 practitioner training, I bring a structured approach to project management, ensuring alignment with business goals, budget constraints, and timelines. From concept to completion, facilitating positive collaboration and communications, driving success at every stage.

Offering:

• Detailed project planning, including resource allocation and timeline management.
• Proactive risk management and issue resolution to minimise disruptions.
• Coordination of cross-functional teams and external partners.
• Stakeholder engagement and transparent communication throughout the project lifecycle. Facilitating Gate meetings at relevant and Senior levels. 
• Post-launch analysis and continuous improvement recommendations.

Investing in talent development is key to building a strong and sustainable team. 

NPD can be challenging to navigate and many of the people that work in this area lack the necessary experience. 

Here I can help guide, nurture and develop junior team members to excel in the dynamic field of food product development. 

Whether it's a weekly or monthly check in or working as a remote extension of the team, I can help support them and help them to grow and build in confidence and capability. 

Approach:

• One-on-one mentoring sessions to provide guidance and support.
• Customised training modules covering NPD fundamentals and advanced techniques.
• Practical workshops and experiential learning opportunities.
• Continuous feedback and performance assessments to track progress.
• Empowerment through real-world project involvement and hands-on experience.