Food innovation

The Food Innovation Program aims at building the industry’s capability in continuously rolling out value added red meat products for both retail and foodservice markets.

The strategic objective of the program is to increase the value of the carcase by developing value added red meats from secondary cuts. The program focuses on developing platform technologies, building scientific and technical knowledge, providing information and technical support services, and undertaking market research to identify new product opportunities.

Program activities are driven by two strategic imperatives:

• The development of new technologies that increase product shelf life and utilisation of low value cuts (technology push)
  
• Meeting consumer needs for healthy and convenient food products (market pull)

The timeframes for adoption of R&D outcomes occur within a year (horizon 1), three years (horizon 2) and five years (horizon 3). 

Accelerating development

The program also recognises that the commercialisation of market ready products and technologies (horizon 0) happens in quicker timeframes. MLA’s off-farm and marketing teams collaborate on horizon 0 initiatives to help accelerate conventional product development cycle and build the industry’s capability in red meat innovation.

MLA’s product innovation managers work closely with both MLA departments to identify unmet consumer needs, and communicate those product opportunities to the industry. In addition, MLA’s product innovation managers provide technical assistance when required to foster the development of innovative value added red meat products.