News

Lydia Halim winner of the seafood design contest

Within the framework of project ‘CONSUMERPRODUCTS’ IMARES (IJmuiden, The Netherlands) together with the Centre for Innovative Consumers Studies (CICS) in Wageningen, the Netherlands are involved in the development of innovative methods for successful development of new seafood products meeting the demands of the consumer. The long term aim is to promote seafood consumption, in particular for consumers who do not regularly eat seafood. A seafood design competition was a part of the ‘CONSUMERPRODUCTS’ project. March 5 the winner of this seafood design contest, Lydia Halim, received the SEAFOODplus honoray certificate and a prize of 500 Euro for the best design.

 

Author: Joop Luten, IMARES, The Netherlands, and Fiskeriforskning, Norway

 

Joop Luten hands over the prize to Lydia Halim

In the project CONSUMERPRODUCTS, five consumer segments have been identified based on their food related life style. Two consumers groups were selected as the target groups for the development of new seafood products. After announcing a design competition, in total 20 seafood designs were submitted by various organizations and individuals in Europe. An international jury, consisting of experts in consumers science, seafood technology and sensory science, selected the design (called ‘Fish Tamales’) of the Wageningen UR food technology student from Indonesia, Lydia Halim, as the best one.

 

The Fish Tamales concept overall scored best on several criteria like matching the target group, attractiveness, innovativeness, sustainability, and on potential to be developed into a final product. The jury reports : “ The ‘Fish Tamales’ concept scores high for ‘first impression’ and ‘innovativeness’. The ‘Fish Tamales’ concept is able to fit the two consumer segments. The concept fits the best for the consumer group that is most interested in healthy and fresh quality products to be prepared at home, but can also be adapted to fit the group that prefers easy and convenient yet nutritious products.”

 

As the prize winner Lydia Halim points out the design is based on a typical Indonesian seafood product, traditionally sold on the streets. Today, however, it is mostly sold in restaurants. According to Lydia, some adaptations to the product were needed to make it attractive for the Western European consumer and the target groups selected for this design competition.

  

Adriaan Kole and Rian Schelvis, responsible as projectleaders for this part of the ‘CONSUMERPRODUCTS’ project, as well Joop Luten, the Dutch RTD pillar 4 coordinator in SEAFOODplus, are very enthusiastic about this concept. During the remaining 18 months' period of the overall SEAFOODplus project an international multi-disciplinary development team will continue to develop this concept into a marketable product.  Companies that are interested to participate in the development of new seafood products are invited to contact  joop.luten(at)wur.nl or  adriaan.kole(at)wur.nl.

 

From left to right: Rene Koster (Head CICS), Martin Scholten (Director IMARES), Lydia Halim (winner seafood design contest), Adriaan Kole (IMARES, CICS), Rian Schelvis (IMARES) and Joop Luten (IMARES, RTD pillar 4 coordinator SEAFOODplus)