How can we create value for consumers with dairy projects? Value is never in the product – it is in the minds of consumers, and therefore is contingent on the product, the situation and the consumer coming together in a way where the consumer thinks the product has made a positive contribution to his/her life.

The classical parameters by which dairy products have created value for consumers are taste and health. Today, however, this is supplemented by the wellness and the feel-good factor that the consumer attributes to the product. Products should not only be tasty and healthy, they should also be authentic, unspoiled, real, unalienated and original. They should invoke trust and exude well-being. These are intangible factors, and they are affected not only by the way that the consumer perceives the product itself, but also the way in which he/she perceives the underlying production process. A production process that is transparent and can be explained will add value, especially if it can be linked to elements of artisanal production in the mind of the consumer. A production process that is perceived as industrial and remote will not add value to the product and can even have the opposite effect. However, there are cultural and generational differences. Countries with food safety problems have a more positive view of industrial production, as it is seen as one way of guaranteeing food safety. Younger people may be less technophobic than older people, and they may embrace the wellness factor in different ways. 

This talk will take a broad to the issue of value creation in the dairy sector from a consumer perspective.