Rafael Fernandes is a passionate professional in the biscuit and confectionery industry, with over 15 years of experience in product development, innovation, and project management. He is Head of R&D at Cerealto Siro Foods, a global company in the agri-food sector that is dedicated to the developing and manufacturing cereal derivatives products for retail and food brand companies. Rafael currently works at the Food Innovation and Development Center (Imasdea) based in Spain for 6 years, leading development teams, managing large scale projects, innovation projects, leading the process technology team in different factories in the Europe
He started off with some key aspects needed to become a NPD, elaborating that you need alot of skills and experience to become one and it goes beyond all the necessary training that is needed to become a great product developer.
Fernandes explained that successful NPD (New Product Development) requires an interdisciplinary approach, he emphasized the importance of grit, as mentioned in the presentation – skill is only developed by hours and hours of beating on your craft.
Fernandes also highlighted the importance of trying different approaches and methods in developing new products, since to make 1 winning recipe you have to go through 50-100 diffierent recipes or whatever it takes to get the winnig recipe.
Another critical aspect that Fernandes addressed was the need for a systematic and organized approach to NPD. He recommended developing a project plan with specific milestones, timelines, and budget requirements. He also highlighted the importance of both factory and laboratory training of new NPDs.
Rafael Fernandes provides valuable insights into the phases of developing a successful new product in the biscuit industry as an NPD.
He begins by highlighting the importance of understanding the market and identifying the needs and preferences of consumers. This requires conducting thorough research and analysis, and gathering feedback from consumers. Phase 1 is all about tasting the products and doing a thorough sensorial analysis.
Once a need has been identified, and sensoral analysis is complete, Phase 2 includes carrying out the sampling of a minimum of 3 different lots that help with information about the products, it’s variables, defects and standards.
The third phase is the chemical analysis, which helps you show the chemical parameters of the products such as sugar and salt content of the product.
And the final phase includes comparing your analysis with the nutritional values shown on the packgae of the product and comparing it with your theoretical ingredient list.
At the end of his presentation, Fernandes shared some valueable tips for industrial testing of the product. Such as arriving an hour in advance to check if all the mmpps are okay and to check if the process is available to start at the scheduled time. He emphasized that it is important to review the objectives with the person in charge of the factory, so that they know your needs.
In conclusion, Rafael Fernandes provided valuable insights and practical advice on how to be a successful NPD. His presentation emphasized the importance of understanding consumer needs and trends, using data and insights to guide the process, and fostering open communication and collaboration among team members. He also stressed the importance of being agile and adaptable, willing to experiment and take risks, and learning from failures. His talk provided a comprehensive overview of the key factors that contribute to successful NPD in the biscuit and confectionery industry, and it was well received by the audience at the Biscuit People Conference.
So, if you are a industry professional looking to improve your new product development skills, then Rafael Fernandes’ presentation is a must-read. From understanding consumer needs and trends to developing a project plan with specific milestones, timelines, and budget requirements, don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from one of the industry’s leading experts. Download Rafael Fernandes’ presentation now and take your new product development skills to the next level.
