Food Specifications & NPD

Share Real Time Insights and Collaborate on Food Product Development

SOLUTIONS

Streamline Food Specification Management and New Product Development (NPD) with digital precision

Take control of your product development lifecycle with Foods Connected’s intelligent platform for food specification management and New Product Development (NPD). Empower your technical and NPD teams with automation, collaboration, and full visibility from concept to launch.

Complete Specifications & NPD Management

New Product Development

Use our Workflow Manager for real-time collaboration across different functional departments. Create a single path for PLM and NPD to manage the end-to-end process from concept to launch.

FEATURES

1 Stage Gate Process Control

2 Collaborate Internally & With Customers

3 Fully Configurable Process & Format

4 Deadline Tracking & Gantt Charts

5 Recipe Development

6 QUID & Nutritional Data Management

Retail Pack Specifications

Manage specification data for all food types that your business produces, buys or sells. Create detailed specifications that incorporate allergens, additives and nutritional information.

FEATURES

1 Ready Meals

2 Retail Packed Meat, Poultry & Seafood

3 Fresh Produce

4 Ambient Products

5 Dairy Products

6 Canned Products

Raw Material Specifications

Manage all your raw material specifications in one location, in a standardised format. Set up custom reviewal periods so that you and your suppliers have access to the most up-to-date information.

FEATURES

1 Product Photos & Storyboards

2 Quality & Packaging Requirements

3 Sharing with Suppliers/Customers

4 Sign-Off Tracking

5 Mobile Accessible on Factory Floor

6 Link to Product Inspections

Packaging Specifications

Configure your packaging specification template to include all the information that you need from suppliers. Maintain full visibility of product information, including allergens, to prioritise product safety and compliance.

FEATURES

1 Customisable Templates

2 Collaboration with Suppliers

3 Food Safety Requirements

4 Country Legislation

5 Chemical Legislation

6 Recyclable Data

Complex Ingredients Specifications

Easily shared ingredients specifications with full recipe breakdown including mixing bowl and percentage breakdown of each component part. Use a standardised format to simplify risk assessments for ingredients.

FEATURES

1 Allergen Management

2 Nutritional Information

3 Additives & Dietary Derivatives

4 Standardised Format for All Suppliers

5 Advanced Search Ability

Manufacturing Process Specifications

Build fully customisable templates and step-by-step guides to manage all your manufacturing process specifications.

FEATURES

1 Visual Story Boards

2 Operative Step-by-Step Guides

3 Mobile Accessible on Factory Floor

4 Change Tracking & Version Control

5 Link to Production Quality Checks

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Did you know that your employees can spend up to 30% of their time searching for the information needed to complete tasks? Control your food business from one place. The Foods Connected suite offers all solutions and tools connected on one cloud-based system for ultimate time and cost efficiency.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Food Specification & NPD Software FAQs

What is Foods Connected’s Food Procurement Management Software?

Foods Connected’s Food Specifications & NPD (New Product Development) solution is a cloud-based platform that streamlines the creation, approval, and management of product specifications and NPD workflows. It is designed for food businesses looking to ensure product consistency, meet compliance standards, and accelerate product development.

Who is this solution designed for?

This solution is ideal for food manufacturers, processors, retailers, and suppliers who need to manage detailed food product specifications, track NPD progress, and ensure accuracy and compliance throughout their supply chains.

What types of specifications can I manage with this tool?

You can create and manage a wide range of specification types including:

Raw materials and ingredients
Finished goods
Packaging
Allergen and nutritional information
Supplier-provided specs

How does the NPD workflow work?

The NPD workflow enables you to manage the entire product development lifecycle – from initial concept to launch. It includes task assignments, milestone tracking, collaboration tools, and document version control to ensure timely and efficient project delivery.

Can I collaborate with my suppliers using this platform?

Yes. Suppliers can be invited to input and update specifications directly in the system. This ensures data accuracy, reduces email communication, and provides a central record of supplier documentation.

Does the solution support compliance and regulatory requirements?

Absolutely. The system helps ensure that all products meet required food safety and legal standards by embedding checks, validations, and approval processes throughout the workflow. It supports industry and retailer-specific requirements.

What are the benefits of using this solution?

Key benefits include:

Faster product development cycles
Reduced risk of errors or non-compliance
Centralised specification repository
Improved internal and supplier collaboration
Greater traceability and audit readiness

Is it possible to customise the approval workflows?

Yes. Workflows can be tailored to match your company’s processes, including multi-level approvals, automatic notifications, and user permissions for different roles.

Does it integrate with other Foods Connected modules?

Yes. The solution integrates seamlessly with other modules like Quality Management, Supplier Management, and Traceability, providing an end-to-end solution for food businesses.