Cognitive mapping of innovation components of health-oriented food products: Case study of sweet and chocolate industry

Objectiv (s):

 Considering the high growth of the candy and chocolate industry and its role in public’s health, innovations need to focus on health, safety and food hygiene. Therefore, the current research was conducted with the aim of presenting a cognitive model of innovation components in confectionery and chocolate products.

A study was conducted by combining two approaches of soft systems methodology and fuzzy cognitive mapping in seven stages. These included providing an enriched image, analysis of CATWOE and root definitions, identifying the components affecting innovations and presenting a conceptual model using cognitive mapping. Finally we compared the conceptual model with the real world.

The findings of the study showed that sweet and chocolate companies have not been able to make a significant contribution to innovations of the products as well as the process in the entire value chain and creating added value of health, and they are suffering from severe deficiencies. The most important problems identified were: the lack of skill in discovering opportunities and creating new methods for exploitation in the center of the innovation process, the inability of the Food and Drug and Standard Organizations to motivate the production of beneficial and health-oriented products, and the control and supervision of healthy raw materials and its formulation to create a competitive advantage, the lack of high correlation between the companies performance in the market and development of products with greater interaction with customers in terms of design, customization, quality and food safety and hygiene. Therefore, the use of health-oriented and organic raw materials, paying attention to proper diet, production of extra-profitable products, use of health-oriented packaging, new technologies for the production of health-oriented products, nutrition and health experts in the development of new products, and government support for the producers of health-oriented products are the main components of innovation success in the food industry.

The study finding suggest that stakeholders in the value chain of sweets and chocolates companies should grow and develop their activities in health innovations ecosystems.