International Journal of Food Design - Volume 9, Issue 1, 2024

Artisan chocolate is the name given to chocolate products made with reference to the traditional production process, which is followed and consumed with interest by many consumers today. The study aims to determine the framework of the concept of artisan chocolate with the aspects of professionals working on chocolate and to evaluate the chocolate production processes in terms of artisan applications. In the study that used the focus group interview method, interviews were conducted with experts in the field of artisan chocolate in different countries. The obtained data were analysed by a descriptive analysis method. As a result of the evaluations, five different themes were emerged. These include ‘Artisan Chocolate: A Passion Story’, ‘Chocolate Types and Quality in Artisan Production’, ‘Chocolate and Health’, ‘Professional Development and Change in Artisan Chocolate’ and ‘Future of Artisan Chocolate’. In light of these findings, the conceptual framework of artisan chocolate has been expanded and a new definition has been made. Participants generally associated the concept of artisan chocolate with passion, high quality, art and happiness. Tablets, bonbons, pralines, truffles and bark chocolates produced by artisan chocolatiers are considered healthful, contingent upon their cocoa ratio. Considering the study data, it is understood that artisan chocolate-making is valuable for sustainable cocoa farming. It is thought that the consumption of artisan chocolate will increase with the expanding interest in fair food, quality and naturalness in the future.

Despite having the American hot dog as its core product, the Geneal brand gradually developed as a symbol of Rio de Janeiro. The company, a Rio de Janeiro original, grounds its brand symbolism in the past – from its surge in the early 1960s – to direct visual and content campaigns, and today its communication strategy is based on representations of the beach and other iconic symbols of the city that resemble a tropical paradise, as Rio was historically known. In this article, the main frame is to analyse the latest visual assets used for the brand’s communication and representation and ultimately understand how nostalgia plays a strategic and positive role. This research was developed through exploratory methods based on cross-disciplinary bibliographical references, an in-depth interview with the brand’s general manager, newspaper articles, empirical observation and the analysis of graphic assets showcased on its social media communication, sales campaigns, graphic displays, point of sale and brand book. Due to the strong relationship between beach symbolism and the city’s culture, this analysis presents the brand inserted into the intangible heritage of Rio de Janeiro.

Designers hope that their innovations will be adopted by the people they are designed for. How well their designs align with consumers’ cultural contexts is a key determinant of whether they are accepted or rejected. This is especially important for food solutions, as eating habits are deeply rooted in local cultures. However, academic disciplines from the humanities and social sciences that study food culture not always provide the knowledge, methods and tools that food designers need. Whereas these disciplines mainly investigate the past and present, designers look to the future to create new possibilities. In addition, designers often look for concrete, physical touchpoints they can use, whereas the other disciplines may look for sources of underlying meaning and, thereby, may generate conclusions that remain rather generic or abstract. In this article we discuss how culture and cultural context can be understood and utilized by designers. We describe models and tools designers can use to gain sociocultural insights, and we describe different strategies designers can employ to build on such knowledge in their design process. We conclude with suggestions to close the gaps between designers, design researchers and the other disciplines that study food culture.

A more plant-based diet will contribute to food sustainability. Achieving this change requires collaboration across disciplines which is not easy to achieve. This article illustrates how interdisciplinary collaboration in a large research project can be facilitated through a design-led innovation process juxtaposing approaches from design and science. Consumer insights were used in creative workshops to ideate and develop packaging and product concepts for plant-based food focusing on ‘environment’, ‘health’ and ‘Norwegian’ design imperatives. Learning loops of alignment – creation – feedback were applied to design and test six packaging prototypes of two product categories (Pea Porridge, Faba Bean Drink). Qualitative feedback was collected from 147 consumers and a quantitative survey with 1102 Norwegian consumers tested product expected liking and product-concept match. Younger consumers and users of plant-based products exhibited a higher expected liking vs. non-users and older respondents. Packaging design adopted for specific consumer segments can positively contribute to a shift to more plant-based diets. We show how a dynamic interdisciplinary innovation approach can be powerful to creating new product ideas, getting consumers’ input and fostering collaboration and learning among disciplines. We offer other researchers and the food industry actionable opportunity areas and design imperatives for their innovation activities around plant-based food.