Satisfy your hunger for food production and learn how to manufacture and market health food products from meat-free meals to super snacks like protein balls. Ideal for lifestyle influencers, aspiring entrepreneurs, food retail workers, cafe and restaurant owners, speciality cooks or chefs, food and product developers and producers, human nutrition specialists and holistic life coaches,  this food product development course will give you insights into producing health food products for profit.

In our Certificate of Health Food Production you will explore the process of commercial health food production for business. You will learn about nutritional science, dietary needs related to health, lifestyle, medical, cultural and religious considerations, food coaching, and marketing for specialised food products and services.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a food product development course include:

• Learning about the nature, scope and development of health foods
• Exploring dairy-free diets and diets for medical and health reasons
• Gaining an understanding of diabetes mellitus and glycaemic index
• Studying gut microbiota and the types of diets
• Examining vegetarian and pescatarian and pollo-pescatarian diets and diets for lifestyle, religious, cultural and principle-based reasons
• Understanding organics and vegan, raw, ketogenic, low carbohydrate and no-sugar diets
• Attaining knowledge of macrobiotic, paleo (macrobiotic, mediterranean, eastern and western) and “free from” (gluten, soy, lactose, nut, sugar, dairy, egg, sulphite) diets
• Gaining insights into the commercial development of food products
• Learning about health food, human nutrition and nutrition science
• Exploring the concept of diet, human digestion, the digestive tract and accessory digestive organs (tongue and teeth, salivary glands, liver, gall bladder and pancreas)
• Gaining an understanding of the major food groups and fats, protein and carbohydrates
• Studying specialised diets and human nutrition deficiencies
• Examining vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan, ketogenic and FODMAP diets
• Understanding gluten – its chemistry, gluten in the diet, gluten in the food industry and gluten-free (GF) product development
• Attaining knowledge of sugar – its chemistry, sugar in the body, sugar-free product development and sweeteners and sugar alcohols
• Gaining insights into yeasts, fermented foods and their chemistry and fermented foods product development and their place in the diet for human health
• Learning about kefir, kimchi, kombucha, miso, natto and sauerkraut
• Exploring common substitutions and adjustments for fermented foods
• Gaining an understanding of labelling laws and cross-contamination
• Studying consumer attitudes, changing habits and restaurant and cafe menus
• Examining insurance, food coaching, working with health professionals and business owner occupational health and safety responsibilities
• Understanding therapists and nutritional counsellors
• Attaining knowledge of marketing specialised food and associated services
• Gaining insights into brand and strategy, the ultimate goals of marketing, and message execution
• How to personalise messaging and monitoring and controlling the marketing plan
• Learning about the types of marketing research, how to understand the buyer and gather data (primary and secondary data collections methods)
• Exploring marketing cost analysis, market share analysis (ratios) and taking a product to market
• Gaining an understanding of wholesaling, online sales, business to business (B2B) and face to face retail and online stores and mail order

And more! 

2022 Food-related Trends  

The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt the food and beverage industry, including the area of food product development, some significant challenges, ranging from currency fluctuations and lockdowns to supply chain issues. But it has also served up some interesting industry opportunities too. Here are the top trends for 2022 according to Australia’s leading monthly food and drink manufacturing title, Food and Drink Business.

Sustainable foods

Climate change is one our greatest global challenges and is increasingly impacting food production. The agriculture industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation through water use, greenhouse gas emissions and land degradation. Key focuses companies should consider in order to meet consumer expectations include carbon reduction and packaging commitments as well as targets relating to the circular economy, food waste reduction and UN Sustainable Development Goals.

According to research done by the CSIRO, discretionary foods (foods that aren’t needed as part of a healthy diet) are also the largest food related contributors to water scarcity and carbon dioxide equivalents in Australia. This creates a clear connection between achieving planetary and human health through the reduction of unhealthy “junk” foods.

Plant-based foods

Plant-based foods are no longer about mimicking animal products, but developing options that stand on their own merits. In fact, research has shown there has been a significant increase in the launches of new plant-based products over the last few decades.

Interestingly, taste is not the number one purchase driver for every consumer. Many consumers consider the impact on the planet and health benefits as more important. 

Trending technology

Another trend in the area of food product development are the changing attitudes to the role of technology in food creation. People are becoming more open to new technologies now that they’ve seen how it has bought plant-based products to the fore. The area of technology also encompasses the ways people can track and measure how they shop, and what they eat for personalised nutrition. It has become something that really drives food from conception but also to consumption.

Shifting occasions

There is no doubt that the COVD-19 pandemic has reshaped how we eat as well as eating occasions. In fact, there has been a shift in the way individuals eat at home in terms of an increase in home delivery and in restaurant-branded products. There is a large scope for innovation in this space with consumers confident that they would also be open to new delivery concepts.

Another shift that’s become evident is the increased demand for elevated eating experiences in terms of eating out. Consumers are now expecting brands, companies and restaurants to enhance social interactions given the long periods they have spent at home. 

The consumer voice

Many consumers are pushing for companies to listen more when they are developing new flavours, products and strategies. Because food is so “on trend”, people are very engaged in what’s happening in the food sector. It’s not necessarily about educating consumers anymore, but conversing with them. It also extends beyond new products and flavours.

One example is the conversation around the use of palm oil. Food giant, Nestlé’, created a questionnaire for its consumers and used the criticism received as a conversation starter. It also explained that stopping its use was complicated. Many consider this a brave move as the company was open to feedback and the presentation of the issue’s complexities of its use to consumers.

Gut goals

Another trend worth considering for those looking to do a course in food product development is in the area of gut health. Many consumers believe gut health is key to achieving holistic health and wellbeing in terms of improved mood and immunity. However, consumer familiarity with the ingredients for gut health varies. Consumers have long been familiar with fibre and its effectiveness, but now prebiotics, probiotics and and postbiotics are on their radar.

Back to the roots

COVID-19 has also amplified consumers’ value on the functionality, freshness and authenticity of local food. Australians have a higher preference for locally-made products that they know and trust. They are anxious about product quality and sourcing and this is reflected in how they define “good value”.

For example, supermarkets are now selling local seafood that was traditionally destined for overseas markets, while Marley Spoon (that sends fresh, pre-portioned ingredients directly to your door) has moved to only using Australian-grown tinned tomatoes in its meal kits. Essentially, the demand for transparency is not only important, but increasing. Customers now more than ever want to know what’s in their food and its place of origin — from the source of their fish to the ingredients in a spice mix.

Amplified experiences

Another food trend driven by COVID is that consumers are becoming hungry for new experiences around food. Many are becoming more adventurous with their food choices, and are also adopting the “travel via food” trend. This has seen a predicted increase in interest in international cuisines. With travel bans still in place, many are discovering and experiencing international locations through their plates and palates!

Travel via food isn’t just limited to restaurant dining either. Food writers have predicted that more and more we will be taking our taste buds along to cooking classes, food events and themed dinner parties where friends do the cooking. It is travel via your stomach, eyes and ears!

Redefined upcycling

Upcycling, also known as “creative reuse”, is the process of transforming waste products, unwanted products or by-products into new products or new materials of greater quality. Many consumers believe a product that contains upcycled ingredients is more appealing in terms of sustainability. An example is up cycling coffee grounds into other beauty, food and personal care products. There are big opportunities here for companies in terms of both sustainability targets as well as meeting consumer demand for more nutritional products.

 

Feel confident to take your foodie aspirations to market with a food product development course such as our Certificate of Health Food Production.