Innovation by analogy involves creatively applying ideas from one field to another, leading to unexpected solutions and new functionalities. This cross-fertilization of ideas can lead to breakthrough innovations as we illustrate in this report.
Here, we asked three seasoned industry experts from the F&B and consumer goods sector: If you had no budget restrictions, what’s one challenge would you love to solve in your industry?
The three challenges they selected are:
- Preventing food microbial spoilage: Microbial spoilage poses a significant global sustainability challenge, particularly in the context of fish losses. Over 30% of annual fish production is compromised due to spoilage issues in the food supply chain.
- Preventing dairy fouling: Fouling of dairy products is a major problem for the industry, requiring periodic and rigorous cleaning-in-place procedures that use chemicals and large amounts of water. It is estimated that fouling accounts for 80% of the production costs of these products.
- Finding non-PFAS materials for the ski industry: US skiers and snowboarders use PFAS-containing fluorinated waxes and solvents for equipment maintenance. The ski and snowboard sectors are adopting safety measures, considering non-fluorinated alternatives due to health concerns.
Using innovation by analogy, we uncover innovative and commercially available solutions from aerospace, maritime and healthcare.
Included in this Intelligence Brief:
- Three of the biggest challenges facing the F&B and Consumer Goods industry
- How innovation by analogy was applied to find solutions from other industries
- Expert assessments on the feasibility of each solution
