Co-creation as a catalyst for developing tailored food products for special dietary needs

Meeting the nutritional needs of consumers with specific dietary requirements remains a growing challenge within the food industry. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of co-creation, a collaborative process in which consumers actively participate in early product development phases, in addressing this issue. As part of the EIT Food RIS Consumer Engagement Labs initiative, co-creation workshops were conducted with individuals managing special dietary needs (n=25), in collaboration with academic experts and food manufacturers. Participants engaged in structured activities such as persona development, identification of unmet market needs, ideation, product concept creation, and sensory evaluation. The process resulted in the development of 13 product concepts, one of which was commercialized. The final product, a spiral-shaped plant-based bakery snack filled with a spinach-hummus mixture and sun-dried tomatoes, was developed over approximately one year at the WM-ka bakery. Free from milk and animal-derived proteins, the bakery savoury snack was designed to meet the needs of vegan and allergen-sensitive consumers. The product exhibited favourable sensory characteristics, including texture, aroma, and flavour, while nutritional profiling confirmed its status as a high-quality plant-based snack, rich in both protein and dietary fibre. This case exemplifies how co-creation, combined with sensory and nutritional insights, can lead to market-relevant innovations and foster collaboration between consumers, researchers, and industry in the field of personalized nutrition.