Redefining innovation: the role of co-creation in collaborative new food product strategies

Abstract

The development of new food products (NFPD) is a continuously evolving activity within the food industry, driven by the high competitiveness of the sector. Traditionally, the NFPD process has been led by internal teams, guided by the perceptions of managers. However, an emerging trend, widely discussed in the literature and in other industrial sectors, has incorporated the participation of external stakeholders, such as consumers, suppliers, and service providers, through approaches known as co-creation. This practice strengthens the relationship between companies and consumers and can drive innovation in the food industry, grounded in mutually co-created values. The objective of this review was to compile and analyze information regarding the benefits, challenges, and prospects of using co-creation in the development of new food products, identifying emerging trends and gaps in the application of this approach within the sector. Overall, a low degree of maturity was observed in the application of co-creation approaches to food product development, characterized by the use of traditional techniques, such as focus groups and questionnaires. However, these techniques have been increasingly employed with a more collaborative perspective, incorporating co-creative elements. Although still in its early stages, this practice has already shown promising results and points toward significant expansion in the near future.