Bringing together stakeholders to aid commercialisation of new food products (CONNECT4ACTION)
Last Updated : 11 July 2013In this podcast Karin Zimmermann, the Coordinator of CONNECT4ACTION explains the background and objectives of the project. Isabelle van den Berg, former leader in the initial CONNECT4ACTION research goes onto discuss the work that has been done so far in developing an online CONNECT4ACTION stakeholder community.
Karin comments on the lack of consumer acceptance as the main reason for a 70%-80% commercialisation failure rate of new food products. She explains how this has resulted in wasted investments and in missed opportunities to solve societal problems, such as health and environmental issues. In order to address this problem, the needs and preferences of consumers need to be taken into consideration when developing new food products.
Karin then goes onto discuss the different platforms developed by CONNECT4ACTION to bring together relevant stakeholders, including an online stakeholder community and a CONNECT4ACTION LinkedIn group.
Isabelle gives examples of the different stakeholders involved in the CONNECT4ACTION project, including consumers, members of the food industry and food scientists. She then discusses the LinkedIn group, as a way for stakeholders to discuss developments in the project, both with each other and the project researchers.
About Karin Zimmermann:
Karin Zimmermann is the Coordinator for CONNECT4ACTION. She studied Farm Economics at the University of Delft in the Netherlands. She is the Project Manager for the Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI), a Netherlands based socioeconomic research institute at the University and Research Institute of Wageningen. The LEI undertakes high quality, independent research on behalf of governments and companies. Karin has been involved with a number of EU-funded projects, including EuroDISH.
Ms Isabelle van den Berg’s work has since been taken over by another colleague, Dora Lakner, after Ms van den Berg changed jobs.
