Driven by Innovation
Glendale Foods has grown over the last 3 decades to become a highly flexible, innovative food manufacturer. The NPD team are constantly looking for the latest trends and evolving ingredients and technologies to ensure that we can satisfy the growing consumer demand for innovation.
Working with our trusted suppliers and retail and food service customer partners, our goal is to launch products that inspire and delight our customers. As eating trends and meal occasions have changed over the years we have moved into different categories, demonstrating the flexibility and agility of the business.
Elaine Bell
Innovation and NPD Team Leader
With many years’ experience in working in both restaurants and industry, Elaine Bell heads up the NPD Department. Elaine has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all areas of product and process development, successfully launching products into all major retailers over the years.
The Innovation Process
1. Market research
Our dedicated New Product Development (NPD) team are constantly looking for the newest trends and national palette changes to create constantly evolving menus, alongside our dedicated, in house chefs and development team.
We use various sources of inspiration and market research such as magazines, field research, new restaurant openings, up and coming chefs, Food Safari’s as well as food blogs and social media to keep up to date with the latest food trends and new product innovation.
2. Concepts
The New Product Development Kitchen is the heart of the centre. This is where our two dedicated NPD chefs combine their experience, imagination and the work of the NPD team’s work to translate, refine and perfect the clients brief or their own designs.
We are always delighted to work alongside the client in the NPD Kitchen to see their ideas come to life, if desired. Regardless, the aromas of fine meats, savouries, soups and sauces are never far away
3. Recipes and Testing
Our chefs operate a scaled down version of the production kitchens, with the use of mincers, bowl chopper, sauce kettles, mixers and vacuum formers, allowing us to scale up any product from a personal menu to an international range.
The Pilot Room allows us to identify and adapt any scaling up issues that may be encountered from our new creations in production, meaning that when we take it to production, there are no surprises.
4. Production and Distribution
After the unveiling and tasting of new products occur in our Presentation Suite, our findings are tweaked and changed until ultimate perfection is reached.
Once our clients are happy with the outcome, it is ready to be moved into full scale production and distributed into any market sector that is required.