Research and Development
Research and development used in the Australian food industry ensures innovation and competitiveness on a world scale. Businesses spend money on research and development related to their products.
A major research and development initiative undertaken by Woolworths, starting in 2012, is investing $1 million over the next three years to fund research at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) into innovation in retail. This will be conducted by Chair of Retail Innovation, Professor Jan
Recker. The research will focus on people, process and technology and aim to improve the experience of customers during supermarket shopping. Anticipated research findings include fresh food operations, better methods of shelf restocking and design of the retail experience of the future.
The research will be publicly available, but trials of new technologies, processes and systems will be
developed within Woolworths for a competitive advantage. Professor Recker said “We aim to identify the characteristics that make some fresh food outlets more successful than others and then develop
‘best practice’ policies for implementation across all Woolworths’stores”. The investment will result in
significant cost savings from newly efficient operations from the research.
In October 2012, Woolworths introduced Australia’s lowest priced capsule-based coffee machine through research and development into innovating domestic coffee making, brand extension and retail diversification. The new coffee system,Caffitaly S14, could save caffeine addicts $800 per year. Woolworths ensures cafe quality coffee with this new innovation. The coffee machines costs $79 compared to the market leading coffee machine system which costs $279. Woolworth’s,
Caffitaly S14, has joined with Gloria Jean’s Coffees in selling capsules from $5.99 in a 16 pack. There are a wide variety of coffee capsule flavours including Colombian espresso and flat white. Consumers can prepare their own coffee for $0.37 per cup with the Caffitaly S14 compared to buying a coffee for $3.50 at a cafe. The Caffitaly S14 will compete with many other coffee machines including the newly introduced Starbucks single serve coffee pod machine.
A further research and development investment by Woolworths, in conjunction with Landcare Australia, is the Fresh Food Future program in 2010. $150 000 of funding is being provided to assist farming groups develop and implement sustainable farming practices. Areas of research include water use efficiency, nutrient management and reducing carbon footprint. The Fresh Food Future program was established due to detrimental impacts of higher input costs, climate change and rising population growth on food supply and consumption. In 2011, Woolworths pledged an additional $3.5 million to identify risks and trends impacting on the sustainability of the supply chain, increase productivity, provide training and leadership and improve consumer awareness about sustainable food production.
Research and development used in the Australian food industry ensures innovation and competitiveness on a world scale. Businesses spend money on research and development related to their products.
A major research and development initiative undertaken by Woolworths, starting in 2012, is investing $1 million over the next three years to fund research at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) into innovation in retail. This will be conducted by Chair of Retail Innovation, Professor Jan
Recker. The research will focus on people, process and technology and aim to improve the experience of customers during supermarket shopping. Anticipated research findings include fresh food operations, better methods of shelf restocking and design of the retail experience of the future.
The research will be publicly available, but trials of new technologies, processes and systems will be
developed within Woolworths for a competitive advantage. Professor Recker said “We aim to identify the characteristics that make some fresh food outlets more successful than others and then develop
‘best practice’ policies for implementation across all Woolworths’stores”. The investment will result in
significant cost savings from newly efficient operations from the research.
In October 2012, Woolworths introduced Australia’s lowest priced capsule-based coffee machine through research and development into innovating domestic coffee making, brand extension and retail diversification. The new coffee system,Caffitaly S14, could save caffeine addicts $800 per year. Woolworths ensures cafe quality coffee with this new innovation. The coffee machines costs $79 compared to the market leading coffee machine system which costs $279. Woolworth’s,
Caffitaly S14, has joined with Gloria Jean’s Coffees in selling capsules from $5.99 in a 16 pack. There are a wide variety of coffee capsule flavours including Colombian espresso and flat white. Consumers can prepare their own coffee for $0.37 per cup with the Caffitaly S14 compared to buying a coffee for $3.50 at a cafe. The Caffitaly S14 will compete with many other coffee machines including the newly introduced Starbucks single serve coffee pod machine.
A further research and development investment by Woolworths, in conjunction with Landcare Australia, is the Fresh Food Future program in 2010. $150 000 of funding is being provided to assist farming groups develop and implement sustainable farming practices. Areas of research include water use efficiency, nutrient management and reducing carbon footprint. The Fresh Food Future program was established due to detrimental impacts of higher input costs, climate change and rising population growth on food supply and consumption. In 2011, Woolworths pledged an additional $3.5 million to identify risks and trends impacting on the sustainability of the supply chain, increase productivity, provide training and leadership and improve consumer awareness about sustainable food production.