Local producer «MILZU!» will start testing four new food products in early 2024, designed to offer different consumer groups important insights into their habits. The «EIT Food RIS Consumer Engagement Labs» were organised by the Science and Innovation Centre (SIC) of Riga Technical University (RTU).
During the Food Innovation Workshops, 25 consumers shared their experiences and directly generated ideas for innovative food products combining animal and plant ingredients by identifying what products are missing from the market. A total of 12 ideas were developed.
It is important for consumers that the new product, which combines plant and animal ingredients, is easy to use, ready for immediate consumption, and retains not only similar visual characteristics but also similar uses to other processed meat products already on the shelves.
Taking into account the needs and wishes of consumers and inspired by the ideas generated during the workshops, the local producer «MILZU!» is considering the possibility of developing and launching one of four food products already in the second half of 2024: cooked vegetable sausages with chicken, vegetable salami with meat, cooked minced vegetables with chicken or beef burger patties with vegetables. The decision on which products will reach the shelves will be taken after thorough testing early next year. The innovative food products will be developed in cooperation with the meat producer «Gaļas nams - Ādaži», which is interested in promoting positive changes in the development of the food sector and, by combining the best qualities of animal and plant products, providing Latvian consumers with the opportunity to buy food products with high added value.
Alternative products to meat are becoming increasingly important in the development of the food sector. The benefits of developing such innovative products are many: they have the potential to reduce overall meat consumption while increasing the consumption of products enriched with plant-based nutrients, thereby also improving public health. Similarly, products combining plant and animal ingredients have a lower environmental impact than animal products, making them more environmentally friendly.
«The EIT Food RIS Consumer Engagement Labs» is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS). The project is successfully implemented in 14 European countries, serving as a good example of the leading role of universities in co-creating new products. The process aims to address societal challenges and needs by developing new food products to meet specific consumer needs and requirements.
«EIT Food» activities in Latvia are implemented by «EIT Food Hub Latvia», which operates under the wing of RTU SIC as one of the four Knowledge and Innovation Communities, with the main objective of promoting innovation and sustainable economic initiatives that increase access to quality food, contribute to environmental preservation and health improvement, and create new jobs.
