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WHY FDReviews?
We hate the failure rate in Food & Drink development. So many fantastic food ideas and dreams just don't make it.
Our team has worked across the industry for many, many years, we know what can make, or break, a new product. We have experienced successes and failures. We know that sometimes the right advice and adjustments can make all the difference in the chance of long-term success.
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Colleagues, Friends & Family will always be willing to give opinions and advice, but getting feedback from experts that really know the product category and market is much more powerful!
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With an FDReview, we put together your expert team, focussed on your item category and market. Then, rather than bringing the experts to the products, you send your products to them. We then manage a video review of your product that will give you that valuable guidance for your next steps.
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Here's a clip of one of our teams discussing a snack in development...
WHAT MAKES us DIfferenT?
1. Our Team are some of the most respected industry leading Food & Drink product experts in the UK. They have lived and breathed product development and have launched thousands of successful products in retail and foodservice.
2. Low-Cost Feedback. To bring this expertise together would be expensive. We use video calls to enable product reviews - rather than bringing the experts to your product, you send it to them.
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3. A Full (and Honest) Picture. You don't get sent a report, or an interpretation of the experts view, you receive the full review video. Honest and direct feedback is the order of the day - everything we can do to guide your development decisions and achieve product success.​
How It Works...
Using our online booking tool, you book a slot for your product(s) to be reviewed remotely by our experts.
We assemble your team of experts and 2-4 days later you will then be sent details of where and when to send your product samples.
Once your review team is confirmed, you simply send your samples to each of them along with our simple Product Briefing Form that allows the experts to understand your wider aims and provide better advice on market opportunities.
Hosted by our chairperson, the team will review your product and discuss opportunities as well as challenges. They will provide valuable industry insight to maximise success and avoid expensive errors along the way. Within 48 hours, you receive a full unedited copy of your review video.
Scroll down for more details and our FAQ's
BOoking
There are 3 options available:
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Full Review - a complete look at your product itself as well as ingredients, packaging, labelling, pricing & market opportunity
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Partial Review - useful for modifications to existing products (you choose specific elements for review)
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Range Review - ideal for related products in development
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Browse through our review categories or type your product into the search facility. Once you have selected your category, you can go ahead and book a review date to suit your plans.
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All bookings are made a minimum of 2 weeks in advance - plenty of time for us to prepare the team, and for you to the arrange deliveries.
SENDing product
Once you are booked in, we will confirm to you the following:
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The location and date of where to send your product sample(s)
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Any specific additional delivery instructions
For chilled or frozen products, delivery is usually 2-3 days prior to your review. For ambient products, deliveries can be made earlier.
In addition to sending your samples, you also enclose a copy of your completed FDReviews Product Briefing Form, sent to you with your booking confirmation, plus any other material you may wish to include.
We confirm with our experts that they have received your products and we will notify you straight away if there are any delivery issues.
THE REVIEW
Your product will be reviewed by our team of experts via a video call. Our Full Review service will cover all aspects of your product including such criteria as ingredients, packaging, labelling, pricing & market opportunities
The call is hosted by an experienced Chairperson who will ensure that the feedback provided is clear, detailed, and relevant.
The video call is recorded, and you will be sent a full unedited copy within 48 hours of your review. This allows you to quickly assess what has been said and how you can incorporate any feedback into your development plans.
Due to the confidential nature of the process, you will not be able to sit in on the review or watch it live.
Frequently Asked Questions...
Where do I send my product(S)?
Once your session is booked you will be notified within 3-4 working days of your expert panel and the addresses to send your product to.
When do I send my product(s)?
You will be asked to send your product to the experts to ensure that they are delivered in time for the review. For chilled or frozen products we will aim for just a few days prior to your review - and try to ensure they are not sent over a weekend. Ambient products may be sent earlier once the team is confirmed for your review.
Can you recommend a company to deliver to the experts?
We don’t have any partner distribution solutions for delivery. We are sure that you are used to sending product samples out, but we can advise on how to do it if you are stuck!
Can I take part in my review session?
Due to multiple products being reviewed in any specific session, it is not possible to facilitate live viewing or participation. You will receive the video of the session within two working days of it being recorded.
How do I ensure my idea remains confidential?
All the experts have signed NDAs and non-compete agreements - when we select experts we will do our best to ensure there is no obvious confidentiality concerns and if they feel there is a conflict of interest they can excuse themselves from a review. See additional notes on our confidentiality management HERE.
I have a product that needs cooking - how do you do this?
We are able to fully review any 'cook-at-home' product. A large number of our experts come from culinary backgrounds and will happily review your cooking instructions and processes as part of our service.
Can I Choose My Own Experts?
We regret not as the availability of any particular expert cannot be guaranteed. We will ensure the selected experts are appropriate for your products.
What if I don't like my Allocated Experts
We are unable to change the allocated experts but if you are not happy you can ask for a new review date as long as product has not already been sent out. However, we very much believe that we have a team of experts who really know the industry and their key areas, so their feedback will be professional and relevant.
Can I get a written report of my review?
We regret that a written report is not possible. The whole FDReviews model is based around the use of video calls such that the feedback is totally transparent and not interpreted by us. The video you receive is exactly what was said, so you get to see the full unedited review.
My product did not arrive with all the experts - what are the options?
It is your responsibility to ensure the product is delivered and we will confirm any missing items in time to enable extras to be sent out. If most of the experts have received it then the review will go ahead.
When do I need to pay?
All reviews have to be paid for in advance on booking. Putting in additional finance team members to chase payments would only add to the cost of the business model - and subsequently increase review prices!
Can I have an account with you so I can just use the reviews when I need them?
We have a Season Ticket option to facilitate this. If you wish to discuss please make contact.
Are you able to review frozen product?
Yes we can! We accept frozen product submissions and we will work closely with you to ensure that the products reach the experts in the base shape. The only exception we have to make is that we cannot handle frozen products via our distribution service for international (ex-UK) customers.
If I want to put multiple products forward can you improve the price?
We have already shown a number of options for "Season Tickets" or Range Reviews but if these don’t fit please feel free to contact us and we can have further discussion.