News

In the latest instalment of IFE Manufacturing’s NPD Insights series, we speak to Food Consultant and NPD Chef Nitisha Patel. With a rich background spanning ready meals, sauces, meal kits, and more, Nitisha shares her hands-on approach to product development, the challenges she’s overcome working across start-ups and major manufacturers, and the trends she believes are shaping the future of food innovation.

From balancing creativity with commercial realities to championing authenticity in world cuisines, this interview offers valuable perspectives on navigating today’s fast-evolving NPD landscape.

You’ve worked across a huge range of categories and formats, from ready meals to sauces to meal kits. What draws you to a new project, and how do you decide where to start when it comes to NPD?

What draws me to a project is usually the potential to solve a real problem or do something a bit different. I love variety, so working across different formats and cuisines really keeps things interesting. I always start by understanding the brand and its consumer,what’s the role of this product, and what’s going to make it stand out? From there, it’s about mapping out the technical and commercial constraints so that creativity can thrive within them. For example, with one retailer’s Indian ready meal range, we had to completely redevelop their core lines to meet new HFSS guidelines. It meant reformulating traditional dishes like butter chicken to meet targets without compromising on taste which required a good mix of culinary intuition and commercial pragmatism.

Your consultancy approach is very hands-on, from supplier sourcing to cost engineering and factory trials. Where do you find food businesses typically need the most support in the NPD process?

I’d say the biggest pinch point is getting from concept to launch without losing the integrity of the product. A lot of clients have amazing ideas but don’t know how to bridge the gap between a benchtop sample and something that works on a production line, at cost, and with a decent shelf life. I’m often brought in to connect the dots—whether that’s finding the right co-manufacturer, reformulating to fit the equipment, or reworking the spec to bring the COGs down. On one project for a start-up plant-based brand, I sourced all the suppliers, costed the range, and trialled at a food production site that had never worked on assembly lines before.

You’ve held interim and contract roles with both start-ups and major manufacturers. What are some of the key differences in how different businesses approach NPD, and what can they learn from each other?

Start-ups tend to be more agile, they're great at moving quickly, trusting their gut, and taking creative risks. But they can struggle with structure, long-term planning and financial backing. On the flip side, big manufacturers have brilliant systems and teams, but that can lead to decision paralysis and a fear of failure. There’s a lot they can learn from each other.

As someone with experience in both culinary development and technical delivery, how do you strike the right balance between creativity and commercial practicality?

I always start with flavour, as for me, it has to taste brilliant. But I’m also always thinking ahead to how that product will run on a line, what ingredients are viable at scale, and what’s achievable within the cost envelope. I like to push creative boundaries, but I do it with my commercial and technical hat firmly on. Early on in my career as a young development chef, I was very precious about the taste delivery of my products and would often get frustrated at the costs constraints we face in the industry, however, now as a ‘seasoned’ NPD professional, I welcome the challenges of developing great tasting products with a budget in mind.

You’ve launched your own food brand, worked on major retail lines, and led NPD under intense time pressure. What’s the most important thing you've learned about bringing a product to market quickly and effectively?

Keep it focused, keep it organised, keep it tracked, and don’t be afraid of failure. Time-pressured launches only work when there’s a clear brief, decision-makers are aligned, and the team knows what they’re working towards. When I launched my own brand, I had to wear every hat - from recipe development to sourcing, branding, and ops, so I learned quickly how to prioritise. It’s about making decisions, not chasing perfection. I launched my own brand during Covid, when practically every factor was against me and I can honestly say it was the most difficult thing I have ever done. After 12 months of not turning a profit, I made the decision to step away and close the business. I apply the same logic in consultancy, define the must-haves, make trade-offs where needed, keep the end consumer in mind at every step, and don’t force a product and or service if its proving not to be working.

How do you approach writing about food and how has that changed over the course of your career?

Thats an interesting question, because I find that over the years I do have to adapt my style of writing for the purpose I am writing for. With my cookery books, I tend to let my love and passion shine through with a romantic tone describing my recipes, flavours, textures, and emotions. For my social media platforms I do have a moe of a fun and cheeky tone to keep my followers engaged. And finally,for my consultancy business (which is mainly operating in manufacturing), I tend to be more formal and factual. That said, I still love storytelling. Food is emotional, cultural, and powerful.

With your background spanning world cuisines and health-led ranges, are there any consumer trends or gaps in the market that you think brands should be paying closer attention to?

Absolutely. I think the wellness space, particularly around gut health, hormonal health, and female-centric nutrition, is still in its early stages. There's real scope to develop products that are functional but still feel indulgent and food-first. I’m also seeing increased demand for authenticity in world cuisine - less generic “Asian” or “Middle Eastern” and more regionally specific, properly developed dishes. There's a real opportunity for brands to work with culinary specialists to get this right, rather than just doing a surface-level job.

How do you think British consumer tastes have changed over your career?

There’s been a huge shift. People are much more adventurous now, they know their Gochujang from their Garam Masala, and they’re expecting more from their ready meals and sauces. There’s also a stronger interest in health, sustainability, and provenance. But convenience is still key, it just has to come with more layers now: clean label, bold flavour, and sometimes a wellness angle too. I think the bar has been raised in every way, and that’s a good thing.

What kind of NPD trend excites you most right now?

I get really energised by highly innovative projects that sit at the intersection of flavour, function, and culture. Whether it’s a veg-forward ready meal range with gut health benefits, or a high street restaurant brand moving into retail, I love working on products that are both commercially viable and disrupt the marketplace in a meaningful way. I'm also really interested in culturally inspired ranges that go beyond the obvious - showcasing dishes and ingredients that reflect real stories and traditions, especially when they have South Asian heritage.