Social Drivers in Food Technology

PART ONE

- INDUSTRIAL APPROACH -

Chapter 1. What are you hungry for?

The history of the food industry, from its conception in the early 19^th century to the present, represents a vast and ever-changing story. The distinctive informational signals transmitted by its brands have undergone an extraordinary transformation, proving to be significantly complex and in line with the evolution of the social role of processed food, especially in terms of new drivers of consumption. The main goal of this chapter is to address the past and present of this evolution in the processing technology sector.

Chapter content:

1.1. Shelf life

1.2. Food and war

1.3. Taste and health

Chapter 2. Back to the future

The contemporary context in which the food industry is set up instigates a new product conception in which health should be associated with the consumer and society. After the history arc presented in Chapter 1, the interest of this Chapter is to discuss the ongoing dynamics that mark the sector and the technology of food processing.

Chapter content:

2.1. Controversy in the dish: the need for a new product design
2.2. Food and peace

2.3. Recalculating the route

Chapter 3. What is going on?

How effectively does the contemporary market perspective materialize in today's supermarket chains? Are we talking about a niche or is this new food industry route aimed at the general public a path without return? The main purpose of this chapter is to map and discuss the differentiation strategies practiced by the food industry using an innovative approach based on an exploratory study regarding the decoding of information contained in food labels.

Chapter content:

3.1. Keep an eye on the food labeling

3.2. Action inside: product and process developments

3.3. Action outside: unfolding in the food value chain

PART TWO

- ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK -

Chapter 4. Behind the brands

Supermarket chains have shown a movement of brand differentiation conducted inside (product and process engineering) and outside (relationship engineering) of firm boundaries. Why has this happened? What factors can be attributed to this economic decision that may include competencies that are not a part of the core business of food companies and that appear to be more costly? At the heart of this question seems to be the need to break the main analysis bias concerning the strategy of differentiation practiced in food science and technology. Technology - if not backed by other factors - tends to prove fragile in the organizational push for competitive differentials. This is the main subject of interest of this Chapter.

Chapter content:

4.1. Should I stay (inside) or Should I go (outside)

4.2.Espressowars,
4.3. Dolce gusto

Chapter 5. A relationship issue

Differentiation has always been a staple of the organizational world. New health drivers linked to the consumption of processed food cause companies to utilize differentiation aspects that transcend the processing limits. The process to ensure food integrity consists of sensory and nutritional nuances as well. Ensuring an ongoing positive relationship among the food industry and its partnerships in the food value chain consists of mainly rural links. However, direct developments in the governance of the value chain are expected in order to ensure that the new and more complex informational elements associated with the brand are met. This chapter will cover new bases of selection and de