How do you recognize “true” innovation, and who practices it? I recently noted that a leading hamburger chain received an industry “innovation award” for their retooled hamburger sandwich. This is a glaring example of how most people are clueless about what true innovation is – and the rush to label new food products as “innovative”.

It has been trendy over the past five years for large food companies to rename their R&D centers as “Innovation Centers”. I remember when they were called “Support Centers”, and before that they were simply called Research & Development Centers – and possibly even named after a long time innovation leader that retired from the company after 30 years of service with 15 food patents. In fact, I just visited one of these Innovation Centers with Johnson and Wales students this past week. I can respect the innovation center name, if I can see the proof in the bread. When compared to key KPI food innovation metrics, I see few substantive and tangible product examples.

Continue reading BOULDER, CO: THE EPICENTER OF FOOD INNOVATION

First, what is Innovation? And second, what is “Reverse Innovation’?

I have been discussing innovation within the food and beverage industry for about a year now. I have also quoted heavily from two leading Dartmouth College Tuck School of business thinkers, Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble. They previously wrote two books entitled 10 Rules for Strategic Innovators and The Other Side of Innovation; Solving the Execution Challenge. Just when I thought some of the brighter food and beverage minds were starting to understand the concept of food innovation in the industry, along come Govindarajan and Trimble pop a new innovation concept upon us – the Concept of Reverse Innovation. But this might be an area that the food industry might be getting it right. This concept is called “Trickle-Up Development” by Alan Murray, Deputy Managing Editor of the Wall Street Journal and the author of “The Wall Street Journal Essential Guide to Management (April 12, 2012, page A15).

Continue reading The Concept of ‘REVERSE INNOVATION’ in Food Industry

When you think about Flavor Pairings, do you think first about ‘compatible flavors’ or do you think first about ‘contrasting flavors’?

Historically, food products with contrasting flavors have represented the most successful new food products in the United States and worldwide. Too much attention has been placed on complimentary food flavor pairings such as wine and cheeses.

The study of contrasting food flavor pairings can provide valuable understanding for new research chefs and food technologists, and it can explain why your company’s new product introductions are successes or failures. I consider the application of contrasting flavor pairings to be one of the Top 10 “Principles of Food Science”, much like the Laws of Physics (Law of Gravity). Understanding and applying these Principles of Food Science can make your new product innovation work easy and extraordinarily successful. I like to include these principles whenever possible to my students at Johnson & Wales University.

Here’s my list of the Top 5 all time great contrasting flavor pairings:

Continue reading TOP 5 ALL-TIME ‘CONTRASTING’ FOOD FLAVOR PARINGS

What are “Restaurant Pop-Ups”? And how could they threaten the growing food truck business”

First of all, I have long believed in the food truck business as an incubator for new restaurant menus and innovative restaurant concepts. They also provide a lower cost venue for getting into the foodservice business to test your concept viability, or provide another revenue stream for your family. Testing the menu reception at various locations is as simple as driving to an alternative location. Once you find the right location and best menu reception, you can consider a brick and mortar store.

But restaurant “Pop-Ups” fill the space between a full service brick and mortar restaurant and food trucks. According to an article written by Katy McLaughlin in the March 23, 2012, Wall Street Journal, Pop-up restaurants are temporary eateries that set up shop for a few days, weeks, or months in spaces such as hotel lobbies or other restaurants that close for the night. Katy states that these pop-ups are morphing into a multipurpose tool, used by a different strata of the restaurant industry to test concepts, market new brands, engage with a younger audience, or prove to landlords, lenders and investors that they are worth the risk. The initial costs may range from $50,000 to $500,000, depending on the city, location, restaurant concept. A food truck start-up costs could range from $50,000 to $200,000.

Continue reading Restaurant Pop-Ups Threat to Food Trucks?

What are “heirloom foods”? How are heirloom foods ‘authenticated’? How do you select and grow heirloom foods? Can heirloom foods be organic? And, how can I capitalize on marketing heirloom foods on my fast casual or white table restaurant menu?

I will try to briefly answer these questions, so that you can speak with authority the next time someone asks you one of these questions. Heirloom plants like vegetables, herbs, ancient grains, micro-greens, etc. are becoming the latest trend in the food industry, now combine heirloom genetics with organic farming practices, and you end up with the next powerful menu marketing tool in your restaurant. According to the reputable Living Seed Company, the National Seed Storage Company retained hundreds of seed varieties in 10 major groups 100 years ago, and now only a couple hundred seeds are retained.

But that’s about to change as seed companies expand the availability of heirloom plan seeds. Currently 75% of the global seed market is governed by 10 companies. These companies follow a business model that conserves the genetic diversity, historic preservation, bio-diversity, soil enrichment practices. Some common characteristic terms include heirloom varieties and seeds, open pollination, rare seeds, seed saving techniques, ancient grains, or de-hybridization or stabilization of hybrid plants.

Continue reading Trendy “Organic Heirloom Menu Innovation”