Incompatible or complementarity to natural products?

Alcimed, an Innovation and New Business consulting firm, recently discussed the concept of “naturalness”, where consumers value more simple and natural products – in terms of composition and production processes. This trend of “naturalness” is being shaken up by the arrival of technological innovations, which might be considered at first as antinomic by consumers. However, many of these technologies recently developed are consistent with the essence of “naturalness”.

In the consumers’ mind, technological innovation could be negatively perceived as in contradiction with their desire to consume more “natural” products. However, some companies develop today practical, interactive and entertaining technologies that could fit this naturalness movement and willingness to return to a more traditional diet. While some technological innovations such as 3D food printing could be contradictory to the “naturalness” trend, others could fall directly within the scope of this consumer need, all along the agrifood value chain.

Firstly, upstream, precision agriculture fits within this sustainability approach and willingness to produce “better” foods. Precision agriculture is a farming management concept combining both computer and satellites technologies to distribute very precisely seeds and inputs (water, pesticides, fertilizers) on a given area. For example, during the spreading process, the tractors are connected to satellites and GPS preventing them from going over the same spot twice. Precision agriculture aims to, amongst others, simplify the work of farmers, limit the use of inputs and thus to conserve the environment.

Downstream of the value chain, some technologies are developed to enable consumers to better understand what they have in their plates. Tellspec, a Canadian company, invented a scanner that allows consumers to know the composition of the foods they eat. This new technology, expected to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2014, could be of interest for consumers concerned about their health. They would only need to scan the food; the information will be directed and analysed by Tellspec servers and the results will be sent to their smartphone. The scanner will be able to provide information on the ingredients as well as nutritional information (calories, fibres, proteins…). The remaining question will be to know whether or not consumers will be ready to pay for this new gadget. The advertised prices are $320 for the purchase of the scanner and a monthly subscription of $7.99 to have access to the servers (or $69.99 for an annual subscription)

The Fraunhofer Institute developed a sensor, that is affixed to a label on food packaging and connected to the food content, and that can detect the freshness of foods. This system based on metal oxide sensor technology can detect complex parameters such as off-flavour, microbial contamination, freshness, and other similar parameters.

Thus, “naturalness” and technological innovations can go hand in hand. Today, a wider perspective must be taken to understand whether these technological innovations will win the support of the general public. But given the increasing consumers’ awareness on the origin and “naturalness” of the products, innovation opportunities necessarily exist for manufacturers on this thematic.

For more information:
Florence Portejoie
ComCorp
Tel: +33 1 58 18 32 58
Email: f.portejoie@comcorp.fr

Anne Hardy
ComCorp
Tel: +33 1 58 18 32 51
Email: a.hardy@comcorp.fr