Application of Quality Function Deployment in Instant Rice Noodle Product Development

Abstract

Strategies for customer-oriented product development are an essential strategy for remaining competitive in a highly competitive business environment with changing markets. This research used instant rice noodles as a representative food product in a highly competitive market. The two main objectives were to analyze attitude and value awareness on target customers of instant rice noodle and to evaluate the potential of using Quality Function Deployment (QFD) in the product development process. The research began with a survey of target consumers (n = 300) on two contents of attitude distribution according to the concept of cross-cultural consumer characterization (4Cs) and the product quality requirements compared with other competitors. The information of product requirements and performance were used to develop new product concepts by QFD procedure. The attitude distribution survey found that the target customers of instant rice noodle product had attitude types mainly belongs to Reformer and Mainstreamer class. These types of attitude classes had a significant correlation to the product characteristics of sensory quality, added nutrition, convenience and price. Such information could be used for product communication. For QFD employment on instant rice noodle product development, it showed the potential as a product development tool, focusing on a customer-oriented direction. Based on customer requirements, the most important of product technical specifications found from QFD were packaging material, noodle rehydration time, and package form. The important process parameters related to such technical specifications were rice and seasoning specification setting and drying rate condition. The control plans were then developed according to the process parameters.