Doing a Dorset

Product development at Dorset Cereals sounds pretty straightforward: "We take delicious things and add some more delicious things, then we mix them up a bit. We try lots of recipes; the ones everyone here likes, we make." This pretty much sums up the manufacturer's new product development (NPD) process, says Cheryl Bouchier, NPD technologist at Dorset Cereals.

It is a relatively small manufacturer so the different departments - including NPD, processing, sales and marketing - often get together to talk about new ideas. It launches about four to six new products a year, and it typically takes around six months to develop a product from concept to shelf. It has in the past, however, managed to launch a product in less than a month. "We were challenged by a retailer, and somehow managed it," Bouchier says. "I'd say the hardest part of this was the timing and having to coordinate each stage of the delivery. We have a name here for the whole process from concept through to packaging and marketing - and it's called 'doing a Dorset'."

Bouchier is the only NPD specialist at Dorset Cereals. Amongst other things - she develops concepts, trials new ingredients and designs recipes, which the whole company then tastes before going to a trained taste panel. Its in-house panel tries the products three times a week. As well as testing new products, it also tastes existing ones at several stages during shelf-life. "When a product is launched, we normally say that it has a six -month shelf-life, then afterwards we carry out tests to see if that date can be extended."

Bouchier works very closely with the production manager at the factory in Poundbury, Dorset, to produce products and to make 250kg trial batches, which are sent off to the taste panel. "Sometimes we have a market brief, which is given to us by our marketing department; other times, I will experiment with new flavour combinations." And also central to the process, she continues, are employees dedicated to collecting market data. "They often help identify gaps in the market," she says. "We also get a lot of feedback from our customers and have a list of about 10,000 which we contact via email. They often let us know what is or isn't working."

For example, Dorset has just launched a new fruit and fibre product with bran flakes, as a lighter alternative to its existing Super High Fibre muesli, "which we were told can sometimes be too heavy"

Bouchier started her career in a laboratory at Golden Wonder. "I looked at salt and sugar titration, gas-liquid chromatography, and a whole raft of other chemistry-related things. But I was more interested in food technology and NPD, so I made the switch, and have worked in these type of roles at a number of companies including HP Foods, Old El Paso and the Kerry Group."

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When developing recipes at Dorset Cereals, Bouchier says that her inspiration comes from looking at everything from recipe books to supermarket shelves. "One of the best ways to see the latest experimental flavour combinations is looking at fruit juices and drink launches. What's going on in other countries is also important - for example, we have launched a granola type product, which is popular in the United States and is growing in popularity here. I predict that spelt will grow in popularity too, as it is easier on the digestive system and causes less bloating. Cranberries also remain very popular."

One thing Bouchier is adamant about is that the economic climate has not negatively impacted NPD. Dorset Cereals launched some of its most expensive cereals last October, just as the recession was hitting. These included Honey Granola and Fantastically Fruity Roasted and Toasted Muesli, and are priced at around £4.29. Despite this, these products are performing extremely well, she says. "They have been achieving the same sales as some of our lower-selling standard muesli products. We often compare new product sales to a standard line to give us an indication of how well they are performing. And in this case, it seems that shoppers have not been put off by the price. Consumers are still paying for good quality food." FIHN