Facing the Challenges in Food Product Design Using HUGIN

This case shows how Bayesian network technology can be used in the field of food product design. The current food market is a global market with many competitors fighting for the same consumer. Development of new products is essential to survive, but many innovations never become succesful or even fail. It is believed that a lack of fit between new products and consumer wishes is an important cause of failure. Only products that closely match to what the consumer really wants have a good chance to survive. Therefore, when developing new products, it is essential to start with the wishes of the consumer. According to Corney (2000) Bayesian Belief Networks could be used for implementation of consumer wishes in the design of new food products. This case is about the actual application of Bayesian networks for this purpose.