Aarhus University has published a new report outlining its competencies, capabilities and facilities in food research and innovation and and the MAPP Centre, doing research on consumer behaviour to support  value creation in the food sector for consumers, industry and society, plays an important role in it. As stated in the report:

“Aarhus University is very strong within food research and education and has a long tradition for identifying and building the necessary collaborations across disciplines, national borders and institutions together with industrial partners. Aarhus University acknowledges the importance of a close dialogue and partnership with the food industry in order to ensure the relevance and impact of its research outcomes.”

The MAPP Centre contributes to the seven key innovation enablers, stated in the strategy “World-Class Food Innovation towards 2030.” presented in 2017 by the Danish Food Industry, by doing behavioural research that contributes to  sustainable food production through circular economy, food design as well as foods contributing to health and well-being. These competencies, as described in AU’s report, further extend to the supply chain and acceptance in the market and to studying new eating experiences in the food innovation process.

A list of the competencies that build on the MAPP Centre’s research activities:

• Analysis of determinants of sustainable behaviours, including sustainable food choices, and avoidance of food waste at the household level

• Analysis of consumer acceptance of sustainable alternatives, for example alternative protein sources, meat substitutes and products based on side streams.

• Consumer acceptance of alternative food processing technologies, new packaging materials

• Understanding the determinants of demand for organic food

• Reconfiguration of valuable chains for a more sustainable food production

• Promoting the acceptance of sustainability branding

• Use of consumer insights in consumer-oriented new product development

• Management of new product development projects

• Methodologies for idea generation and screening, concept tests, prototype tests and market tests

• Analysis of value chain configurations for improved market orientation

• Analysis of ways of promoting healthy consumer choices

• Impact of information (labelling, claims) or changes in product assortment or changes in choice of environment (nudging)

• Methodologies for measuring impact of food on well-being

• Analysis of value chain configurations for more sustainable production and consumer perceptions of production methods

• Analysis of transaction data like consumer panel data or scanner data

• Analysis of data harvested from social media, sentiment analysis

• Analysis of data resulting from consumer engagement via mobile devices

With its strong competencies, capabilities and facilities Aarhus University provides science based policy support to the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark and works closely with the Danish Food Industry. The MAPP Centre plays an important role in this part, and continues to develop its competencies and those of Aarhus University.

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