New Product Development Online Program

Turn your food product idea into a market-ready reality.

The New Product Development Program at the OSU Food Innovation Center provides a comprehensive, step-by-step roadmap for transforming a food idea into a commercially viable, market-ready product.

Designed for entrepreneurs, startups, and emerging food brands, this program integrates

• science

• strategy

• regulatory knowledge

• business fundamentals to support successful product launches

You'll begin by identifying high-potential opportunities through market research, focus groups, ideation, and concept testing.

The program explores the full New Product Development process, from defining a product concept and evaluating competitive products to understanding consumer insights through sensory and market research.

WHAT YOU'LL GET FROM THIS PROGRAM 

When you finish, you’ll have practical skills you can apply across the full product development process, from early concept validation to food safety, regulatory compliance, financial analysis, packaging, and sales strategy.

You’ll know how to price your product, evaluate profitability, and bring it to market with a clear go-to-market plan.

You can expect to walk away able to: 

WHY THIS PROGRAM IS WORTH YOUR TIME

Great food ideas are everywhere. Successful food products are not.

The difference comes down to execution.

This program helps you move beyond guesswork and build a stronger foundation for bringing a food product to market. You’ll gain practical knowledge in consumer research, product specifications, food safety, packaging, labeling, financial analysis, and sales strategy.

Program Highlights:

• 100% online and self-paced
• Built by OSU Food Innovation Center faculty and industry experts
• Covers the full product development process from idea to launch
• Designed for entrepreneurs, startups, emerging brands, and food industry professionals
• Includes 13 focused modules

WHO THIS PROGRAM IS FOR

This program is a strong fit if you are:

An aspiring food entrepreneur ready to launch your first product.

An early-stage food founder or startup looking to move from idea to market-ready product.

A cottage food operator scaling up and preparing for commercial production.

A food industry professional looking to sharpen or formalize your product development skills.

A small business owner expanding into new product lines.

Part of an innovation, R&D, retail, or private label team working on new food products.

MODULE 1 - Sensory and Consumer Research
In this module, you'll learn the science and methodology behind evaluating how real people experience your product, from taste and texture to aroma and appearance.

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MODULE 2: Creating Product Specification
In this module, we will walk you through the process of transforming a small batch recipe into a product specification that can be used in manufacturing your product at high volume.

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MODULE 3: Financial Analysis Basics

This module will help you discover if you have a viable food business on your hands or just an expensive hobby. It will teach you the basics of pricing your product and the basic financial statements you should understand to run a successful business.

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MODULE 4: Food Safety 1: Food Safety 101
This module explores the foundations of food safety. This includes understanding what hazards are, where they come from, why and how microbial hazards survive, and how we can prevent and control hazards. This is Module 1 of the two-part series on food safety.

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MODULE 5: Food Safety Management Training
The module covers the nine sections of cGMPs: personnel, sanitary facilities and controls, warehousing and distribution, facility and grounds, equipment and utensils, sanitary operations, holding & distribution of human food by-products for use as animal food, processes and controls, and defect action levels.

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MODULE 6: Ideation
This module explores ideation - the process of conceptualizing, prototyping, and evaluating a new food product.

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MODULE 7: Introduction to Food Packaging
This module explores the basics of food packaging including the function of packaging, the types available to you, and current packaging technologies. This module also covers sustainable packaging.

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MODULE 8: Market Research 101
In this module, you will learn the types and categories of food service facilities and how food flows through these environments, from receiving to service.

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MODULE 9: Opportunity Identification
This module explores Opportunity Identification in new product development and covers three main strategies for opportunity identification: focus groups, ideation, and product concept testing.

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MODULE 10: Regulatory Foundation for Conventional Foods 1: Regulation Basics
This module explores the foundations for conventional food regulations, this includes the history of why foods are regulated and how that regulation is implemented.

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MODULE 11: Regulatory Foundation for Conventional Foods 2: Labeling Basics
In this module, you will learn about the statutory authorities involved in food labeling in the US and their general labeling requirements.

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MODULE 12: Sales 1: Planning Your Go To Market Strategy
This module explores the planning and preparation needed for your go-to-market strategy. This includes an introduction to the supply chain, understanding how to price your product, and identifying potential customers. This module is part of our Sales series.

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MODULE 13: Sales 2: How To Sell and Promote
This module explores the potential clients you can sell your new product to in both the retail and foodservice fields. It will also prepare you for a buyer meeting, trade show, and in-store demo. This module is part of our Sales series.

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