A new industry concept designed to bring science and commerce closer together by monitoring and analysing the taste of fresh fruits and vegetables supplied to a number of key European markets has been publically unveiled today.
Taste Radar, a new suite of analytical tools developed by Netherlands-based fresh produce consultancy Innovative Fresh, will combine its own expert market analysis with detailed feedback on product taste delivered by panels of consumers already established in France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK.
According to Jelger De Vriend, managing partner at Innovative Fresh, the complex nature of the modern-day fresh produce business requires a deep understanding of consumers, retailers, quality, production, producers and markets.
Taste, however, has been a lot harder to measure and quantify, he says, until now.
'Growing conditions, varieties and origins continuously change, and so does the taste of fresh produce,' explains Mr De Vriend. 'Leading taste in the fresh produce world therefore requires continuous monitoring.'
Unlike other consumer panels, Taste Radar sets out to offer the fresh fruit and vegetable trade continuous coverage of consumer preferences across Europe, taking into account the sector's regular changes in terms of sources of supply, seasons and, within those seasons, varieties.
Connecting directly to commercial and quality departments, the tool is expected to help buyers and technical managers optimise the way in which they manage seasons, origins and varieties across different fresh produce categories.
Furthermore, providing a constant picture of entire categories across different European markets is set to keep producers and suppliers more up-to-date with market reaction to the products on sale at a particular time.
'We've taken steps away from a purely scientific approach by taking feedback from consumers about more general taste characteristics and combining it with our own market expertise,' says Mr De Vriend. 'Until now, many people in this industry have been unable to work with taste panels because what goes for one country may not be valid in other markets.'
Daily monitor
Consumers taking part in the panels continuously monitor the taste of fruits and vegetables and report their findings via a local websites, such as www.radardugout.fr in France.
On a daily basis, the analysis and evaluations these panels provide are processed and used to draw conclusions about the markets in question.
Based on these conclusions, a weekly monitor, including written reports about the markets and products that are of interest to each client, will be sent out.
On a longer-term basis, strategic analysis across entire seasons will be possible, Mr De Vriend adds.
'We combine the findings of our consumer panels with a deep understanding of markets, quality and production,' he says. 'We monitor the complete fresh produce category, continuously tracking consumer taste and identifying taste opportunities.'
