Research Meats Reality:The Challenges of
New Product Development
Antonio (Tony) Mata, Ph.D.Mata & Associates
New Products…
High failure rate
No more than 5% make it from the bench to the market
No more than 10% succeed in the market place
Speed to the market continues to accelerate
Blue prints / cookie-cutter approaches rarely work
R&D budgets continue to shrink
More on new food products . . . .
Highly expensive marketing costs - $50 million
Examples of Successful New Products
LUNCHABLES ROTTISERIE CHICKEN
HAGENDAZ ICE CREAM HOT POCKETS
CHICKEN WINGS FAJITAS
CHICKEN NUGGETS FLAT IRON STEAK
Attributes/Characteristics of New Products…
True NEW Offeringsand / or
CONVENIENCE Breakthroughand / or
QUALITY Breakthrough
Examples of Successful New Products
LUNCHABLES ROTTISERIE CHICKEN
HAGENDAZ ICE CREAM HOT POCKETS
CHICKEN WINGS FLAT IRON STEAK
CHICKEN NUGGETS FAJITAS
More on convenience . . .
Some of us must experience first hand it’s need, to fully appreciate
the value of convenience
Examples of Flops
COCA COLA NEW COKE
CRYSTAL PEPSI
McLEAN
ARBY’S POT ROAST SANDWICH
ATKINS LOW CARB DIET
Research and theNature of Biological Systems
LAB PHASE. . . they may whisper back
BENCH TOP/PILOT PLANT PHASE. . . more questions arise . . .
PLANT TESTING. . . they begin to talk back
REGULAR PRODUCTION. . . they YELL back
Fundamental Goal of Pilot Plant and Plant Tests
Clearly establish failure/no failure limits of all key parameters
Murphy Shows Up and You Get Results that . . . .
YOU DO NOT EXPECT
YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND
YOU DO NOT LIKE
Future Epitaph of this Meat GEEK…
Other Examples of Mata Flops
Cheeseburger Fries
Rotiss-A-Roast
Deli Wraps
Suggested Practices to Avoid Disaster
A skeptic champion is essential
Address the toughest, make-or-break questions first
Celebrate killing projects; it’s a number’s game
Additional suggestions:
Always push for single endless raw material
When failure occurs, set up ASAP an “autopsy brigade”
Don’t be too proud to be “second best”
R&D Personality Traits
Sense of humor, ability to laugh at oneself.
Non-delegator
Not in it for big money
Not in it for recognition
Cooking/meat cutting skills are huge pluses
(noun) A person who is narrow-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits and has a ridiculous obsession for all things meat.
Research Meats Reality:The Challenges of
New Product Development
Antonio (Tony) Mata, Ph.D.Mata & Associates