Co‐Creation of Complementary Food for Operational Rations: An Exploratory and Collaborative Case Study Between Brazilian Military Personnel

ABSTRACT In the development of operational rations, products designed to meet military demands must support adequate nutritional intake to enhance performance in missions and operations. In this sense, the present study adopted a co‐creation methodology to develop a product intended for inclusion in operational rations, guided by the perceptions of Brazilian military personnel with experience in using these rations. An online questionnaire was conducted to collect both structured and unstructured data, framed as a co‐creation task involving 360 members of the Brazilian Army. The results revealed a clear preference for a product with a high protein content (specifically, whey protein), chocolate flavor, bar format, and soft texture among different presentations, flavors, and formulations. This approach addresses existing questions about developing optimal products for military personnel and offers industrial and academic insights for tailored product development in specialized sectors.