What will the future of our health and wellness look like, and how can we better understand the health-driven NPD journey to capitalise on opportunities and overcome challenges when creating more nutritious products?

1. Understanding the Health-Driven NPD
Journey and overcoming challenges
when structuring plant-based
prototypes.
Raphaëlle O’Connor, Ph.D.
info@inewtrition.com

2. Health-Driven Innovation
• Worldwide public health bodies are urging food manufacturers to support a
healthy eating diet with reduced sugar, salt, and fat products.
• Healthy product choices hold the power of accountability in consumer’s
journey towards a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
• Consumers are increasingly searching for high-fiber, clean label, plant-based
products that fit their needs and dietary patterns.

3. Diet Types And Restrictions- Euromonitor 2019
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%
Low sugar
Calorie-restricted
Low/no carbohydrates
High protein
Halal
Vegetarian
High fat
Intermitent fasting
Gluten-free
Pescatarian
Raw foods
Vegan
Dairy-free
Grain-free
Kosher
Percentage of global respondents

4. Are interested in unusual
flavours
Agree that low sugar content is
a key driver to purchase a new
chocolate product.
Are interested in
unusual textures
The Current Market Interest
Are interested in spicy/savory
flavored yogurts
Agree that ‘no added sugars’ is
an important claim
Are interested in spicy
flavored ice cream
Are interested in trying
beverages with
herbs/botanicals (basil,
ginseng…)
Sickness Immune system

5. Lowering costs vs
maintaining quality
Reducing sodium, fat or
sugar
Enhancing bioavailability of
nutrients
Reaching claims, clean
label (natural ingredients)
Increasing fiber content
Product expansion to new &
emerging markets
Supporting immune
system
Developing new flavors
Potential Pathways
Improving flavor texture

6. Potential Categories To Enter
Wellbeing
- Healthy ageing
- Adaptogens
- Immune health
- Digestive health
- Gut health
Dieting
- Meal replacement
- Low calorie
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Keto, Paleo
- Gluten free
Fitness
- Fast release energy
- Personalized sports
nutrition
- Recovery (post-
workout)
- Performance
enhancement
Medical
- Low glycaemic index
- Antioxidant, anti-
inflammatory capacity
- Vitamin/mineral
fortification
- Weight management
- Cardiovascular health
Convenience
- On-the-go
- Ready-to-mix
- Ready-to-eat
- Ready-to-drink
- Instant

7. Potential Product Types
Bars Powder RTD RTM Gel Instant
USP
Chewable and
convenient
Suitable for many
consumption
occasions
Convenient version of
powder (on-the-go)
High product yield
Huge convenience,
specially for
athletes and
travelers
Closest to food, still
nutritious
Pros
- Chewable,
higher
salivation
- Highly
convenient
- Long shelf life
- Bulk offering
- Familiar to
long-existing
snacks
- Flexible number
of portions
- Long shelf life
- High shelf
stability
- Low cost
- High stability and
homogeneity
- More familiar
than powder
- Tastes better than
powder (no
lumps)
- No planning
required
- More familiar than
powder
- Eating ritual: add water
and shake
- Long shelf life and
stability
- Limited planning
required
- Removes need of extra
utensils
- No need to wash
- Ultra
convenient
- On-the-go
- Just squeeze
- Long shelf life
- Fast energy
release
- Small pack
format
- Perceived as a
performance
supplement
- Convenient
- Long shelf life
- Excellent fit for
consumption in
remote locations
- Very similar to
preexisting lunch
rituals
Cons
- Challenging
texture profile
(moisture and
crunchiness)
- Diminished
taste
- Misperceived as
a sports
product
- Efforts for
preparation and
cleaning
- Lack of chewing
experience
- Not as convenient
to make
- High cost
- Can require
refrigeration
- High water
activity,
compromised
shelf life
- Packaging costs
- Requires water
- Requires mixing
- Preparation time
required
- Lower taste profile
than RTD
- High costs
- Need for smart
packaging
- Targets a niche
audience
- Preparation time
required
- Lump formation
because of bad
mixing
- It can require
access to a
microwave or hot
water

8. Source of fiber
(soluble and
insoluble)
Optimal
amylose
content
Steady-
release
Low sugar
content
Carbohydrates
Increased brain
activity related
to food intake,
reward and
craving
Texturizing
properties.
Enhanced
satiety
Slow
digestion
Slow
fermentation
rate
Increased
intestinal
microbiota
activity
Chicory
root
Acacia
gum
Beta-
glucans
Maize
starch
Agave
inulin Konjac
root

9. Fats
Flaxseed
Echium
Fish/krill oil
Algae
Chia
Hemp
Sacha
inchi
Perilla
SDA soybean
Blackcurrant
seed
Sunflower
oil
Omega-3 family
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
Stearidonic acid (SDA)
Eicosatetraeonic acid (ETA)
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
Lard
Omega-6 family
Linoleic acid (LA)
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)
Di-homo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA)
Arachidonic acid (AA)
Reaching a balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory fatty acids (FA) relies on the
conversion rate the FA possess to their most bioavailable form.
Walnut

10. Plant-based Formulation
Mung
bean
Lentil
Quinoa
Insects
Barley
Pumpkin
Chickpea
Potato
Pea
Mycoprotein
Soy
Seeds
Lupin
Pairing
amino acid
contents
Protein
source
PDCAAS
Soy 1.00
Whey 1.00
Pea 0.93
Mycoprotein 0.99
Pumpkin 0.93
Potato 0.93
Watermelon
seed
0.88
Chickpea 0.76
Red lentil 0.76
Hemp seed 0.66
Quinoa 0.64
Mung bean 0.55
Almond 0.45

11. Entering The Plant-based Market
STRENGTHS
- Extended shelf-life.
- Increased demand as a result of increased health
awareness on diet-related diseases.
- Alignment with UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Climate change action.
- Profitable for farmers.
- Few intolerances.
- Underscores animal protein supply chain risks from
zoonotic and animal diseases.
WEAKNESSES
- Flavor poorly achieved.
- Name issue: it is not milk/meat
- Very diversified products.
- Poor advertising.
- Supply chain disruptions.
- Premium priced products.
- Lower bioavailability in certain protein sources.
- Technical difficulties when mimicking animal-based
products organoleptic experience.
OPPORTUNITIES
- New market: environmentally-friendly products.
- Government R&D support.
- Fashionable products and well valued by society.
- High value for nutrition and sustainability education.
- New distribution channels emerge.
- Infrastructure costs may descend.
THREATS
- Volatility and price increase.
- Lack of familiarity.
- High competition.
- Novelty misrelated to a lack of evidence on safeness.
- Key suppliers may be diverted to medical or other
applications.
- Technical talent may be in greater demand elsewhere.

12. Micronutrients
Vitamin A Beta carotene Retinol acetate
Vitamin
B12
Methylcobalamin Cyanocobalamin
Vitamin K Phytonadione
(K1)
Menaquinone-4
(K2)
Menaquinone-7
(K2)
Vitamin D Ergocalciferol
(D2)
Cholecalciferol
(D3)
Vitamin B9
(folate)
Folic acid L-methylfolate
Providing optimal vitamins and minerals amounts (RDA) while using the most bioavailable forms - maximized absorption.

13. Sugar Reduction
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
Functional ingredients used in low/reduced
sugar product launches
Increase in food and
beverage products
launched with
hydrocolloids and a
no added sugar
claim.
The challenge? Maintain texture,
mouthfeel and flavor intensity.

14. Where Would You Like To Start?
 Better understanding of your consumer needs and expectations?
 Translating consumer feedback into strong innovation points?
 Enhancing the macro/micro nutritional value of your products?
 Reaching health/nutrition claims, front-of-pack standards?
 Expanding product portfolio towards new flavours, categories or dietary
patterns such as meal replacement, veganism, keto, gluten-free…?
Start the conversation on info@inewtrition.com

15. What does
success look like
to you?
info@inewtrition.com