An Approach to Designing Successful New Clean Label Products [Supplier Capability]

Originally Published: March 11, 2021
Last Updated: March 12, 2021
Designing a new clean label product for success. Image of two sandwiches containing clean label, plant-based alternative meat deli slices, theoretically

March 11, 2021 – In this post, submitted by InsightsNow—a company that uses human psychology and behavior in product innovation—a Concept Testing Solution was applied in a case study with Tofurky. The approach assists companies in designing successful new clean label products.

How can you ensure that your next product launch in the clean label space will resonate with today’s consumers? Let’s face it, our environment has changed drastically over the past year and, with it, consumer sentiment, needs, wants and purchasing patterns have also changed. There are many different market and product research approaches you can use to mine the information you need from your target audiences in order to develop the right clean label products, the right way.

Recently, InsightsNow worked with Tofurky, a food company that produces kosher and vegan food items with organic soybeans and organic tofu, to determine packaging and shelf set location for new plant-based alternative meat deli slices. In order to gain the insights needed for this new product, we used a Concept Testing Solution accessed through the InsightsNow Innovation Center—an on-demand research hub that gives users access to thought leadership, proprietary behavioral scores, and methodologies using online instant quoting.

Using the Concept Scoring Solution, which was designed to power new product development with keen behavioral consumer insights, Tofurky was able to uncover real truths about their upcoming product launch that helped them ultimately position for success in the somewhat crowded deli meat and alternative protein deli product space.

What does the Concept Scoring Solution entail?

The Concept Scoring Solution can target clean label category users in your category to allow you to access behavioral insights to determine direction for new product development, how to position your product to retailers, and the creation of brand messaging. Using InsightsNow’s proprietary behavioral scoring system, brands can generate scores from these clean label category users—through our Clean Label Enthusiasts™ community—to inform effective decision-making.

While there are many variations and approaches to using this solution, the Tofurky packaging determination project, for example, entailed the following steps:
• A round of responses regarding four packaging concepts provide baseline of understanding for the Tofurky packaging concept study.
• Participants then provided metrics regarding “liking” and “ranking” of the Tofurky packaging concepts.
• For an extra layer of behavioral insights to inform the study in a deeper way, the InsightsNow Implicit/Explicit Test™ was employed to discover perceived benefits and participant emotions attached to the concept. To learn more about how this works, check out our white paper on implicit testing.
• Post-category testing was used to understand the packaging concept impact on the broader deli slice category. By comparing these results to the initial baseline testing from step one to the results from this step, Tofurky was able to see the size of the opportunity for the new Tofurky concept.

For Tofurky, the Concept Scoring Solution allowed the company to gather the information they needed about packaging for their new clean label alternative protein deli meat product. This approach, using the Clean Label Enthusiast community and proprietary research approaches, can help clean label companies make decisions, better and faster. Knowing how ingredients, claims, concepts, packaging, perceived benefits, sustainability and consumer trust underly clean label purchase behaviors is the information you need to set yourself apart in the marketplace. And you can find out all this information through the right kind of consumer research solutions.

Access a copy of our case study to learn more about how InsightsNow worked with the Tofurky innovation team to accelerate their time to market by focusing on what to build and how best to introduce Tofurky Plant-Based Deli Slices to the marketplace. Reach out to us to see how you can do the same thing for your clean label product.

Improve your company’s results in designing successful new clean label products.

To view additional information on Global Food Forums’ Clean Label website, including in-person events, webinars, speakers presentations and product profiles, go to: https://cleanlabel.globalfoodforums.com/