The interdisciplinary minor focuses on the creation of sustainable and innovative food concepts. It combines knowledge of food cultures, product design, consumer and sensory research, functional food science and food quality with social and economic science. You go into subjects like plant-based food, proteïn transition, shortened supply chains, food waste, healthy lifestyle and you think about alternative ways of feeding 9 billion people by 2050. It is a practice-based minor. You will be working in small project groups. Every week you and your team will start with a kick-off. Together with the knowledge you’ve gained in the (guest)lectures and visits to several organizations in the food chain, you and your group will use the Design Thinking Method and the Business Model Canvas to develop and launch an integrated professional food product or concept for a sponsor in the Netherlands. This sponsor can be for instance a start up in the food business, a health organization, a social entrepreneur or a local government.

In the first 10 weeks together with your group you’ll work on a ready to be produced prototype. By getting outside the building you meet the assignment giver and potential customers trying to understand what problems they are looking to solve in the area of food. In the Discover and Define phases you generate a number of ideas to solve the problem(s), make several prototypes and test them.

In week 10 your team-coach will give you and your group a go or no-go to further develop the food product or concept in the second part of this minor. In this period together with your group you will develop the product specification, label and packaging design. You make a plan for upscaling the product or concept by looking into the food safety and quality, you assess the financial feasibility of it and you make a marketing communication plan for the introduction on the market.

Besides working on the foodconcept you work on one or more cases about sustainability regarding the food chain. 

Your main learning outcomes or goals in this minor are:

• to have knowledge about major trends and developments in the field of food and nutrition
• to apply appropriate research methods for gathering consumer insights and test hypothesis about possible solutions
• to design, develop and launch a sustainable and innovative food product or concept
• to demonstrate knowledge about sustainable packaging, labels and food safety and quality according to HACCP
• to assess the financial feasibility of a food product or concept
• to develop an appropriate marketing communication plan
• to have effective presentation skills
• to conduct a literature study on the theme of sustainability on a systematic way and translate this in an advice, a knowledge quiz or another product that contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

To achieve these goals you first get an introduction to the different theories, after which you and your group will apply this knowledge in the assignment for your sponsor. 

Students are expected to have interest in Food, Food Trends and related fields.

Students have strong written and verbal English skills.

Required reading:
- 'Design Thinking' by Dekker, T. den, 2020
- ‘Value Proposition Design’ by Osterwalder, A., 2014
- ‘Introducing Food Science’ by Shewfelt, RL, 2016, 2nd edition
- other literature

The minor has an intensive start where you form groups, find promotors and coaches and in which you go from ideas to possible solutions. After the start you make a schedule with your group and your coach. You have plenty time to work on your project, your personal competencies, getting lessons, meet your coaches and you pitch your work regularly. Every week starts with a meeting with your coach.

Students have to be available on a full-time basis, total study-effort averages 30 hours per week.

The lessons during this minor as well as the assessments are all in English. Together with your project group you work on the assignment for your sponsor. For your personal development you will work on 7 competencies: Food profession, Research skills, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Management, Communication and Collaboration. In your own digital portfolio you submit evidence (data points) and you reflect on your development on the competencies (30 ECTS).

Resit(s): A customized assignment can be given.

Questions about the minor?
Contact Peter Vis, p.e.vis@hva.nl

Questions about the Kies op Maat procedure?
Contact Yvonne Reuvecamp-van Zijl, sisfbsv@hva.nl 

Cost:
Costs study book: approximately € 50,-
Local activities: approximately € 100,-
All other costs such as travel to sponsors and potential customers and ingredients for prototypes, are excluded.