Developing & marketing future foods: The challenge of communication

To consumers food represents increasingly more than a source of energy: a source of pleasure, means to express values in life, means to take control over health. The benefits of future foods - functional, natural, novel - are to an increasing extent only noticeable to the consumer through efficient communication. Many of the product launches in food industry fail in their first steps, partly due to inadequate communication within the R&D, production and marketing chain, and from the industry to consumers. The aim of this congress is to discuss the critical points and framework of communication during development and marketing of future foods, where the value-added is largely based on information. In market-oriented product development the consumer is both the starting-point and the final goal of the process, so much emphasis will be laid on mechanisms of consumer communication. For a successful innovation process, information process, information exchange and understanding is also crucial among scientists, product developers and marketing professionals. The congress attempts to assist in this learning process by featuring some of the main developments in food technology and in the design of functional foods. The core of the congress programme is formed by presentations of invited experts, who all have sound experience in their special fields, and who have visions and ambitions for more efficient food development and marketing. The congress will also include an interactive workshop element, with the aim to produce a working document based on the opinions and shared experiences of the participants.