Co-Development

We can help you to:

Address trends: using market insights and sector experience.

Improve products, menus and processes: developing innovative, customised solutions.

Enter new markets: offering a local understanding of market drivers and consumer needs.

Drive sustainability: working with you as an agent for positive change.

Label products: providing key information and specifications to meet market requirements.

Make claims: guiding product claims and providing necessary documentation.

Our approach is driven by your needs, built on a collaboration, and geared for success.

For more information on how we can be your co-development partner and deliver better, value-adding solutions, get in touch.

1. Understand Better

A dialogue about your business, products, and value chain.

To make things better for you, we must first understand what better means for your business.

That’s why our Co-Development process always begins with a discussion about what you are trying to achieve. Are you trying to improve the taste of your products for example or make them healthier? Is your aim to source more sustainably or bring the last food trends to your menus?

Better solutions start with better understanding, and through detailed discussions about your business, products and whole value chain, we will create a solid foundation for our collaboration. Once we have fully understood the challenges, we will be able to work with you to co-develop better solutions.

2. Ideate

Collaborative ideation sessions.

As the market evolves, innovation cycles need to be quicker, and higher levels of investment and expertise are needed to create the best possible products at the fastest pace.

Our understanding of new product development and manufacture, consumer trends and the wider marketplace, puts us in a great position to help. Your core team can access relevant specialists and technical knowledge from AAK’s cross-functional network as required, either in person or virtually.

Our understanding and expertise across a wide range of NPD disciplines includes creating recipes, inspiring menus, reviewing categories, responding to new trends, meeting dietary requirements, and achieving sustainability targets.

This puts us in a great position to be able to optimise your products and strengthen your business. We believe that the best ideas are created through Co-Development. Together, we prioritise ideas of greatest benefit to both partners, and we provide a fully confidential service.

3. Create

From menus to product ranges with adding value solutions.

To create better solutions, you need the right combination of factors. You need to collaborate with people who are dedicated to your market segment and truly understand your business. You also need a flexible structure that can be customised to meet your exact project needs and your way of working.

At AAK, we combine flexibility, collaboration and expertise to create the perfect solution for you.

Sharing insights, developing recipes, trying new formats, testing processes and assessing results, our colleagues will work as a single unit with one purpose - to find the optimum idea for your business.

We can help you to create solutions that deliver:

• Better quality

• Better nutrition

• Better sustainability

• More plant-based options

• More inclusive menus for those with allergies or intolerances

4. Prove

Prove your product or menu solution and ensure the right quality.

Before going into product or menu trials, or a full market launch, we know how crucial it is to fully test the ingredient or product. At AAK, we take a scientific and hands-on approach to testing, that ensures the highest quality. We will help to make sure that your ingredient or product meets all its specifications—from ideation to launch. We can also provide all necessary documentation to help you meet local legislation.

We never compromise on the safety and quality of products. You can trust that our quality and food safety standards cover the entire value chain – from raw material to finished product. We meet high standards at all of our sites and follow the strict requirements of today’s leading brand owners and global marketers.

5. Implement

Going from the development kitchen to outlet trials.

Here at AAK, we take full responsibility for every solution we help create. Not only do we deliver unique, customised solutions—we follow our work closely every step of the way. We support you throughout the process to resolve key issues, whether that's testing a new sauce or dip as a live trial in a handful of your restaurants, or trialling a new high performance frying oil in your own test kitchens or outlets.

Our support frequently goes beyond the technical, to include other critical functions such as supply chain, sustainability, and marketing. We ensure feasibility of supply in required quantities from AAK operations. We work with you to provide necessary documentation as proof of marketing claims.

Together with us, you can reduce time to market and shorten the path to market success.

6. Launch

Your global partner with local knowledge.

Our close collaboration continues throughout the launch of your product or new menu. We will share results, discuss feedback and provide support. Our global presence gives us a unique perspective that can assist you in any launch, particularly when expanding into new markets. With sales offices, customisation facilities, and production plants all over the world, we offer a global perspective, together with a local understanding of market and consumer needs.

Following launch, we continue to be there for you. This can include planning a pipeline of continuous improvements to keep you one step ahead of the market.