Monash Master of Food Science and Agribusiness trains students to think like industry, using real-time consumer insight
In most food science courses, students develop a product first and only later test whether consumers actually want it. But at Monash University, that sequence is being flipped.
Students in the Master of Food Science and Agribusiness are now learning to integrate real-time consumer insight from the very beginning of the product development process, testing ideas early, refining them quickly, and building products that are not only technically sound, but commercially viable.
The shift is being enabled through a new collaboration between Monash Food Innovation (MFI) and global consumer insights platform Vypr, giving students access to the same tools used by leading food and FMCG companies.
As part of the FSC5051 Innovation, Consumer Behaviour and Food Marketing unit, students are already applying the platform in their final projects this semester. Rather than relying on assumptions, they can test product concepts with real consumers as they develop them, gathering feedback, iterating their ideas, and making evidence-based decisions throughout the process.
For many, it marks a fundamental change in how they approach food innovation.
“While food science gives students the tools to develop food products, understanding the consumer gives them the confidence to know their ideas matter," said Dr Shahnaz Mansouri, Course Coordinator of the Monash Master of Food Science and Agribusiness.
"When a student can show that real people responded positively to their idea, something shifts," she said.
"They stop thinking like students and start thinking like food innovators. That's exactly what we are here to help them become."
MFI General Manager Rod Heath said the collaboration addresses a long-standing challenge in the food and FMCG sector.
“One of the persistent challenges in product development is the gap between technical performance and market relevance. A product can pass every sensory and stability benchmark and still miss the mark commercially,” he said.
“MFI exists to close that gap, between what food science makes possible and what the market actually needs. This partnership with Vypr strengthens our ability to do that in a very practical way, both for the students we teach and the businesses we work with.”
For around 100 students each year, the experience represents a step-change in how product development is taught. By the time they graduate, using consumer data to inform and defend product decisions will feel like second nature.
Vypr’s International Chief Revenue Officer, Sam Gilding, said the partnership reflects how the industry is evolving.
“Food and FMCG teams are under pressure to move faster than ever. But speed-to-market is only valuable when it’s guided by clarity,” he said.
“Too often, product development happens in a vacuum, with teams spending months perfecting something before they’ve heard a single consumer reaction. We believe it should work more like a rapid prototype loop, test early, learn fast and keep refining.
“Partnering with Monash Food Innovation is a way to embed that mindset into Australia’s next generation of food innovators, while helping lift the standard of product research across the sector.”
Beyond the classroom, MFI works with businesses across Australia’s food industry, from start-ups and SMEs to established multinationals navigating shifting consumer expectations. Through the partnership, Vypr’s platform is now also available as part of MFI’s industry project offering, providing partners with faster, more cost-effective access to consumer insight before committing to development or launch.
MFI and Vypr will also collaborate on research methodologies linked to agile product testing, contributing to best-practice frameworks and educational materials that can be shared across the food and FMCG industry over time.
Further information
Silvia Dropulich
Marketing, Media & Communications Manager, Monash Science
T: +61 3 9902 4513 M: +61 435 138 743
Email: silvia.dropulich@monash.edu