Fresh on-the-go snacks: a market-orientated research - Tapa blanda

It was researched if there is a future need for a yoghurt vending machine which can dispens a healthy fresh on-the-go snack. This is done from food technology perspective and innovation management perspective. For the food technology aspects there was researched which ingredients can best be used for the machine with respect to shelf life of the ingredients. For the management aspects there was researched if there is a need for healthy on-the-go snacks, what the best design was for a yoghurt vending machine and how the future of the yoghurt vending machines will look like. It is concluded that the target group of a yoghurt vending are well educated women. It is important that the ingredients are natural, the portion size can be determined by the consumers themselves and that digital technology should be used. For the technological aspects the shelf life of the fresh fruit is the most important factor to control, therefore it is important to use small whole Modified Atmosphere Packed fruit.

Mitch van de Hoven MSc (1987) studies Food Technology and Food Quality Management at the Wageningen University & Research centre.He specializes in applying a techno-managerial approach in product and process innovation.