Abstract:

Unilever Bestfoods (UBF) is vitally aware of the general trends that affect consumers' lives. The way consumers work and spend their free time, their use of media, attitudes and opinions are constantly evolving. As a result, their needs and product preferences are constantly changing. This not only applies to new products, but also to the more traditional and 'age-old' products such as bread. With such well-established traditional products in mind, a framework was created for new product development and positioning which would successfully take account of relevant market trends and translate them into viable product concepts. A two-phase project was completed for UBF in the UK, Spain, Belgium and Netherlands. This paper shows how this framework was established and, in combination with a rich blend of research methodologies, how this has enabled UBF to conjure up new and fresh ideas for both the development and positioning of products within the bakery industry.Is this tribe local or global?