Enhancing sustainable food innovation through consumer participatory co-creation: A case study on plant-based dietary snack bars in Thailand

The veggie bar is a novel dietary concept that caters to the growing trend of individuals who prioritize their health and search for wholesome meal options. However, developing new food products without essential customer insights may put the potential success of food innovation at risk. Our study adopted a participatory co-creation approach to investigate market segmentation and innovate veggie snack bar product features. Focus group discussions at 4 locations across Thailand were employed to examine target segments and examine customers’ insights. A total of 64 respondents, who are fitness enthusiasts (n = 32) and office workers with busy lifestyles (n = 32), participated in this study. This research presented how to co-create a sustainable food product and led to creative ingredient compositions for a new line of veggie bars that reduce sugar and boost nutrition with fiber and probiotics. Scent and taste were also adjusted to disguise vegetable aromas with natural flavor enhancers and add exotic fruits and savory spices to satisfy various consumer tastes. The study also stressed the importance of texture for ease of consumption and produced environmentally friendly and informative packaging to meet customer expectations for sustainability and health. These findings show that product innovation in the food industry can suit consumers’ changing tastes and health concerns.