East Midlands Knowledge Network: Routes To University Expertise

 

Spice n Tice

Spice n Tice
Description and aims

To create a distinctive ‘Point of Sale’ unit to help their new products whet buyers’ appetites.

About Spice n Tice

Spice n Tice make curry spice kits and recipes for traditional Indian cooking at home.

How the project is being undertaken

The Food and Drink industry expertise at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) was matched with unique 3-D lenticular design technology at De Montfort University (DMU) Faculty of Art and Design and to come up with a lenticular point of sale unit.

The display includes a form of 3-Dimensional photograph that switches between a 2-Dimensional image of the product and a 3-Dimensional image of the cooked dish. The design overhangs the display shelf, making best use of the limited space available in smaller stores.

The successful partnership between universities and industry came about through the East Midlands New Technology Initiative (NTI) – a scheme for small and medium sized businesses to apply for up to £10,000 of match funded grants in conjunction with enrolling employees on training at member universities and colleges in the East Midlands.
As Mike Dixon, head of the East Midlands NTI Food and Drink Network explained, the collaborative project has mushroomed: ‘Packaging is a vital part of selling food produce. We knew that our member universities house some of the brightest and most creative minds, and that bringing together Food and Drink and Art and Design departments would be highly productive.

‘DMU’s Faculty of Art and Design is the only one in the country to offer training in Lenticular Imagery – a printed image that can show 3-D depth or animation as your viewing angle changes. They had seconded James Malbon from DMU as an associate to a Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme with packaging design and print specialists Easibind International of Heanor in Derbyshire, and brought on board Leicester advertising photographer Toby Savage, who also works with students. The result is a product display with a difference.

‘If it had not been for this relationship, Spice ‘n’ Tice would have had a flat image battling against tough competition on the delicatessen shelves. We think this is the first time 3-D lenticular imagery has been used in this way in the region.’

Spice ‘n’ Tice launched their new range at the Deli Flavour shop in Stoneygate, Leicester, who had advised the team about the display positioning and requirements from a retailers perspective. The packets for Chicken Tikka, Bombay Potatoes, Tandoori Salmon and Lamb Madras include individual sachets of spices, ingredient shopping list and full cooking instructions.

Spice ‘n’ Tice owner, Ketan Varu said: ‘We feel very privileged and excited about getting this opportunity. The Universities have fantastic innovation and creativity and we had the opportunity to apply that into our business.’

Impacts and benefits

As a result of using the new Lenticular POS units Spice n Tice are now supplying local and national delis, independent retails stores and exporting.
Easibind International Ltd have been nominated for the Lord Stafford Awards (Innovation Achieved) for their work on the Spice n Tice Lenticular POS unit.
Spice n Tice was used as a video case study at the ‘Getting Creative in the Food and Drink Industry’ virtual conference on 27/07/08.

For more information about the project

If you would like to hear more about this project, please contact
Lorna Hamilton-Brown, Project Manager
East Midlands NTI Creative Industries Centre for Knowledge Exchange
Email: lhamiltonbrown@dmu.ac.uk

University

De Montfort University

Academic Lead

Michael Dixon and Lorna Hamilton-Brown

Contact

Lorna Hamilton-Brown