Consumer insights feed innovation & growth
We believe that great ingredients make great food. Great ingredients come from outstanding food innovation, one of the essential building blocks of our business. Dawn Farms supplies a fast-moving market that is constantly evolving.
New food trends emerge all the time and staying ahead of the competition requires science and innovation. We constantly research global and local food markets to identify trends that we translate into menu offerings for our customers.
Science & Innovation Centres
Blending expertise and experience
Our dedicated Science & Innovation Centre is home to expert, multidisciplinary, international teams with proven experience across all areas of food product development. Every aspect is considered in detail, from the select cut and provenance of meat, to the authenticity of herbs and spices, to the finished ingredient.
Through years of experience, we have developed a partnership approach that results in an on-going pipeline of added-value solutions for our customers. Working together, we believe that we can unlock value-added opportunities by combining our customer and market knowledge with our passion and knowledge for protein, process and culinary technology, new product development and creative innovation.
Consumer Insights
Culinary Development
Food Science
Food Safety Regulation & Legislation GUIDANCE
Process & Technology Innovation
NPD STAGE-GATE PROCESS
We employ a robust stage-gate process, with acronym NECTAR, to convert ideas into outstanding products quickly and efficiently — exactly what you’d expect from a company that supplies the world’s leading food brands.
Bringing solutions to our customers to meet changing consumer tastes is at the heart of Dawn Farms.
Research & Development
Innovation backed by Food Science
R&D is core to the sustainability of our business. It encourages creativity and innovation to flourish and gives our customers a competitive edge. We have longstanding affiliations with Europe-wide technical and academic research bodies.
From global insight reports to our own research, our dedicated Innovation team are always on the lookout to identify emerging and future consumer trends. Our common aim is to convert these insights into commercially successful products as quickly and efficiently as possible.
food safari
meat university workshops
BESPOKE PRESENTATIONS
VIRTUAL KITCHEN
SENSORY PANEL
CONSUMER INSIGHTS DRIVE GROWTH
First-to-market innovation
While we keep our collective finger on the pulse for emerging food trends, Dawn Farms strives to be a leader, not a follower. Our world-class expertise, experience, facilities and approach enable us to regularly bring original food innovations to our customers ahead of our competitors.
TRENDCATCHER Autumn winter 2023/24
Trend Catcher is our bi-annual report, tracking the prominence of insights & trends, allowing us to stay ahead of the curve, and catch the waves of future growth. Key topics include: the ever-evolving Gen Z consumer, pushing traditional boundaries, flavour forecast for 2024, plant-based must-haves and avoiding the ‘veto vote’.
MEXICAN Food Safari
While Mexican food remains a firm favourite, new flavours and spice combinations are becoming more authentic and regional. Dawn Farms conducted a ‘Food Safari’ to sample these developments in Mexican cuisine at some of the trendiest foodie hotspots in London.
VEGANUARY REVIEW 2023
Consumers are seeking new ways of eating more nutritious and sustainable diets. Our Veganuary report identifies ‘Plant Indulgence’ as an emerging trend, with taste and texture evolving to become key for consumers.
Top NINE
Your fortnightly global update on Consumer, Market and Menu insights
Top Nine: 15th September 2023
Trending on Social Media | Summer Retail Flavours For 2024 | Dr. Oetker’s Flavourful Launches
Top Nine: 1st September 2023
Subway Sale & Sky-High Opportunity | Domino’s Australia Offers More | Autumnal Flavours Have Arrived
Top Nine: 18th August 2023
Pizza Trends 2023/24 | Dr. Oetker’s Latest Innovation | McDonald’s Global Menu Restaurant
PURE CULINARY SCIENCE – A STEP CHANGE IN INNOVATION
At Dawn Farms, we believe insight-led innovation and strategic investment fuels a culture of future thinking and continuous improvement. Our ideas are rooted in true insight so that they will resonate with the consumer and remain flexible, timely and always on-trend, delivering better results for our customers across the globe.
INNOVATION PARTNERSHIPS
We are proud to collaborate with the following organisations to ensure best practice in our operations and value chains aligned with our key innovation pillars.
