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 2023
TrendCatcher taps into the rising trends from our global food safaris and the future-focused audiences across TikTok and Instagram, leading on the creation of new flavour trends, exploring new taste territories and taking what already exists in unexpected directions shaping foodservice and retail in Spring/Summer 2023.
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 9: Friday 30th September 2022
Dawn Farms Top Nine | What’s Trending on Social Media | Domino’s Beef & BBQ Launches | Meeting Gen Z Needs
Top 9: Friday 16th September 2022
Dawn Farms Top Nine | Science Based Targets Approved | Heinz Pizza Collab & Beanz Bowls | Chicago Town’s Trend-Led Launches
Top 9: Friday 2nd September 2022
Dawn Farms Top Nine | BBQ Review 2022 | Italian-inspired Ready Meals | Taco Bell’s New Flatbreads & Wraps
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.
