The ambition was to launch a series of food products to improve the physical conditions of those who practice sport activities, both in terms of performance and in terms of post-activity recovery. The objective was to outline a new offer for the market, characterized by the use of functional natural ingredients, due to the particular recipe and selection. There are three main product categories: solid bars (before sport activity); drink with a high density, gel type structure (during sport activity); liquid beverage (after sport activity). The features required, from the product and packaging design point of view, were: maximum portability, ability to use during activity, minimization of packaging waste (as sportsmen often do not know where to dispose of waste during activity, it is important to avoid throwing waste on the ground), mono-portion and ability to use the product (opening, use, closure) with one hand.
In particular, for project development, what was asked by the company partner was to analyze many topics in depth: from product implications (rheology and surface, target shelf life, passive and active barrier, etc.) and impact on people (consumption habits, level of service, etc.) to choice of materials (sourcing, manufacturing, product performance and waste disposal after consumption); from environmental sustainability (LCA evaluation and end of life cycle management) and distribution and logistics implications (efficiency and optimization flows) to impact on variable product costs and effects on profitability.
The project also includes an experimental component related to methods and tools useful in conducting research and development of complex product platforms.
Principal Academic Tutor
Valeria Bucchetti
Industrial Design, Arts, Communication and Fashion, Politecnico di Milano
Academic Tutors
Erik Ciravegna
Industrial Design, Arts, Communication and Fashion, Politecnico di Milano
Barbara Del Curto
Chemistry Materials and Chemical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano
Sara Sanvito
Industrial Design, Arts, Communication and Fashion, Politecnico di Milano
Umberto Tolino
Industrial Design, Arts, Communication and Fashion, Politecnico di Milano
Giulio Zotteri
Production Systems and Business Economics, Politecnico di Torino
External institution
Barilla Group
External Tutors
Michele Amigoni
Barilla Group
Team members
TEAM A
Jose Gabriel Islas Montero [Team controller], Management, Economics
and Industrial Engineering
Alessandro Bombelli, Aeronautical Engineering
Alessandra Erra, Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering
Ambra Farris, Communication Design
Marta Gallo [Project Team Coordinator], Biomedical Engineering
TEAM B
Andrea Rongone [Team controller], Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering
Ekaterina Kim, Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering
Ece Özdil, Product-Service-Systems Design
Paolo Rossi, Chemical Engineering