A new boost for the baking mix category
Challenge. Dr. Oetker asked Beautiful Lives to develop consumer-driven innovations for Dr. Oetker and Koopmans baking mixes. The goal: to give a new, positive boost to the category and remain relevant on new occasions and for younger audiences.
Approach. We started this project using Design Thinking – with BL*Semiotics and focus groups – to gain more insight into needs, behaviors, and trends in baking and food. The opportunity areas we discovered formed the basis for the co-creative follow-up phase: ideation.
Dr. Oetker wanted to give the baking mix category a new boost to better reach younger audiences and tap into new baking and food trends. Beautiful Lives proposed a consumer-centric innovation approach.
Challenge
After the growth in the baking market during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Oetker wanted to build on this momentum by developing innovative baking mixes for new target audiences and new baking and eating occasions.
Approach
In our project approach, we followed the principles of Design Thinking:
- Scope – In a joint session with the Dr. Oetker team, we developed hypotheses, identified knowledge gaps, and discussed initial directions for innovation.
- Discover – Using BL*Semiotics, we explored emerging trends and codes around home baking and new target groups. In focus groups, we delved deeper into the behavior and needs of home bakers.
- Frame – Based on the learnings from the scope and discovery phases, we developed six opportunity areas, which formed the foundation for the ideation phase.
- Ideate – During a two-day ideation workshop, we co-created 29 concept clusters with a multidisciplinary Dr. Oetker team, resulting in nine concrete value propositions.
What results did the project yield?
The research revealed six opportunity areas, ranging from individual moment-driven opportunities to those based on trends in new baking methods.
From these insights, 29 concept clusters were developed, of which nine have been translated into concrete value propositions and visuals so far.
Meanwhile, one of these concepts is already on the shelves: Koopmans’ “Bread from the Pan.” With this mix, you can quickly and easily bake fresh (flat)bread in a pan. Indeed, baking in a pan— because why should you always need an oven to bake?
Do you like what you see?
Reach out if you think we’re a good match. Specific questions? Let us know, we would love to hear from you!
