The recipe and specification management module allows users to build, modify and approve product formulations from a database of ingredients, including compounds and sub-recipes and packaging ‘primary, secondary and tertiary’. Products developed against a brief can be directly evaluated for compliance with dietary, nutrition, allergen and intolerance requirements. Costings can be reviewed during development to ensure the target price is achieved; similarly, the ingredient declaration for the recipe can be easily generated .

It allows faster and easier recipe development through the use of a single integrated system and since the recipe remains in Creations throughout the whole development cycle, duplication and administration can be reduced by 40%. It enables the building of multi-level recipes; product structures can be saved as templates for the development of similar or related products.

Template recipes can be used to build new products; the reporting toolset can be used to generate internal and external specifications, shop floor data sheets etc. Product specifications can be directly loaded to retailer portals using Creations’ file transfer functionality - where applicable - thereby ensuring the delivery of ‘right first time’ details to the retailer.

Functionality

• Ingredients development – raw materials and compound ingredients can be created and managed, capturing a full technical breakdown with complete traceability of components and dietary claims.
• Recipe development – formulations can be quickly and easily created from the ingredients database. Alternate recipes can be stored, prior to final approval. Process, moisture and yield changes can be accommodated whilst determining the product recipe.
• Recipe analysis – key product information is instantly available during development, showing nutritional composition, material costs, allergen / intolerance claims along with the final ingredients declaration.
• Packaging development – full packaging material specification allows for all aspects of packaging including, quality attributes, waste controls and supply chain traceability.
• Finished Product Details – packaging, formulation, storage and shelf life details, HACCP and quality attributes, microbiological, chemical and physical analysis are captured to complete the final product technical specification.
• Product specifications – internal factory documentation, branded specifications and retailer specifications can be created using the embedded reporting toolset. Major retailer own-label specification formats are available for auto-population from the final product formulation.
• Change management –changes to ingredients, sub-recipes and packaging items can be controlled to ensure that all affected products are identified to the user.
• Approval and version control - all levels within the recipe structure can be subject to version control with full approval history. Approval templates are created to reflect the user’s internal protocols. Approved recipe items cannot be changed without authorisation.

Benefits

• Single data source for internal and external product information
• Reduced administration, error and rework, improving speed to market by 40%
• Improved local validation and data accuracy reducing rework activity
• Approval and version control preventing spec inconsistency
• Real time data management ensuring rapid response