Exploring High Valued Opportunities for Natural Flavour and Wellness extracts derived from red meat (2Morrows Foods)

Summary

​The parts of the animal, other than the red meat, are largely considered to be of secondary value. Yet many possess either strong taste (i.e. tallow) or health (i.e. bones) properties, though generally not both. However, they are often considered by consumers to be undesirable, as we have long since moved away from a ‘nose to tail’ diet, to only consuming the best bits. Whilst it is a tough ask to get consumers to embrace products like offal, in their basic form, there is the opportunity through new processing technologies to bring their more desirable properties to the fore, in new tailored solution offerings. This work was done to explore three opportunity spaces for secondary components of the whole animal to assess if it is worthwhile undertaking further development to realise these opportunities.

A design led methodology was used to test the opportunity spaces. Initially the dynamics of each opportunity space was assessed, looking at emerging themes and assessing existing offerings within the relevant categories. Through assessing the fundamental properties of these secondary animal components (i.e. Bovine Collagen) and the role new processing technologies can play, hypothesized Value Propositions were developed against a target customer who it was felt would value the offering. These hypotheses were validated through ethnographic consumer research, where concept statements, representing the Value Proposition were shared and reactions assessed. Finally, for each concept Minimum Viable Products were developed and tested with target consumers to assess if the offering was able to live up the Value Proposition promise.

Two of the three opportunity spaces have produced results that are well worth further consideration.

The Renaissance of Tallow Fries – the superior chip: Whilst lost in time, due to long-since debunked concerns about saturated fats, exposing a generation that has never experienced them before, resulted in a hugely positive reaction to their taste and overall eating experience. Testing in a real-world situation, one that we felt suited this offering – at a premium burger joint, they were seen as being delicious in their own right, as well as a better accompaniment to a burger, than existing / regular vegetable oil cooked fries. Whilst this was only a small-scale test, the results are very encouraging, with questions surrounding Feasibility also explored as part of realising a value-added future for Beef Tallow.

Bovine Collage for Tendon and Joint regeneration: Males in their 40’s and 50’s who seek to maintain their sporty ways, are let down by their ageing bodies. But whilst many dimensions of their physical performance have only declined marginally – i.e. endurance and strength, other aspects have a far greater impact. Most of this target customer experience tendon and joint pains that severely limit their capabilities. Whilst this target customer is hesitant to many solutions that could address this issue, a daily, natural bovine collagen tonic is seen as offering the best hope for maintaining the body’s ability to perform at levels of yesteryear.

Chips (crisps) with real meat flavour: This concept had mixed reviews, so a question mark remains over if and how this opportunity could be realised. At a concept level, the idea of real meat flavour was highly appealing, though some concern existed about actually putting real meat on a chip. On the positive side, it was seen as being the ideal platform for further Premiumisation of chips, potentially taking them into usage occasions which existing offerings are just not sophisticated enough to deliver on. However, the MVP was a long way from delivering on the Value Proposition, with the fundamental properties of what makes a chip, a chip, not delivered on – saltiness and flavour intensity. This brings into question whether a it is possible for a solution to be developed that can realise the Value Preposition.

Two of the three opportunity spaces; Tallow Fries and Bovine Collagen, represent significant value-adding growth opportunities for the red meat industry. The identification of suitable Commercial partners and associated investment are required to further develop these opportunities through the ‘Develop’ and ‘Deliver’ stages to realise sustained commercial success.