Understanding gaps in microbial controls in fast service restaurants - BC-840

Project type: Innovation
Desired discipline(s): Business, Social Sciences & Humanities
Company: HygieneAlert Technologies Ltd.
Project Length: 4 to 6 months
Preferred start date: 01/01/2024
Language requirement: English
Location(s): Vancouver, BC, Canada; Canada
No. of positions: 1
Desired education level: CollegeUndergraduate/BachelorMaster'sPhDPostdoctoral fellowRecent graduate
Open to applicants registered at an institution outside of Canada: No

About the company: 

HygieneAlert Technologies Ltd. is a technology start-up focused on enhancing-food safety standards by using Near Infrared (NIR) sensors to detect microorganisms, bacteria and foreign matter, such as metals, paper, hair, plastic or glass in food items before they are served to consumer.

Describe the project.: 

To successfully commercialize this technology HygieneAlert needs to understand the current processes, areas of risk, and concerns in the quick service industry. In addition, a profile is needed of the competitive environment of food testing and food safety technologies to develop HygieneAlert’s unique selling position. To achieve this, HygieneAlert will be conducting both market analysis of the quick-service restaurant and food safety technology industries and problem interviews with operations leaders in the quick service industry.

This information will inform the design of the NIR sensor system and its accompanying software and ensure that we deliver on the outcomes that our target customers seek.

Conduct a market analysis of the quick service restaurant industry

The goal of this research is to understand the industry of our target customer and identify opportunities and threats for the startup. This includes identifying major areas of growth in the industry and developing a database of high-potential customers based on sales growth and number of locations.

Approaches used

• Statistical research
• Market sizing
• Industry trend analysis
• PESTEL Analysis

Complete a market analysis of the food safety technology industry

The scope of this work includes completing a regulatory scan of key food safety regulations that affect the quick service restaurant industry, completing a competitor analysis of alternate microbiological testing services and food safety technologies, and assess how food safety technologies have been adopted in the quick service restaurant industry.

• Approaches used
• Competitive landscape analysis
• Petal diagram
• Industry trend analysis
• PESTEL Analysis
• SWOT Analysis

Understand the current problems in the quick service restaurant industry with regards to food safety and contamination impacts

The goal of this research is to gather primary qualitative research on the current challenges within operations in ensuring food safety and the costs of these problems.

Approaches used

• Customer interviews
• Market gap analysis

Required expertise/skills: 

Secondary market research, primary market research, conducting customer interviews, outreach, statistics, business strategy.