Define one use occasion, then align formulation, delivery format, packaging, and the learning plan around it.
The source context
McKinsey’s 2025 wellness research identified functional nutrition as a growth area. The survey is a directional consumer signal, not a 2026 forecast for a particular formulation or market. Source ↗
PCG perspective · The following is our proposed development framework, not a finding of the cited source.
An ingredient does not define an occasion
A consumer may want a convenient morning routine, a portable option at work, or a pleasant product after exercise. Each occasion creates different constraints for preparation, package size, taste, and serving. Begin by choosing one. A product designed to fit every moment often becomes difficult to explain and compromised in use. The ingredient selection should serve the occasion and intended benefit, not replace them.
Write the experience specification
Alongside the technical specification, describe the first opening, preparation time, texture, finish, and storage behavior. These are not cosmetic details. They determine whether the product fits the routine that the marketing promises. Use consistent questions during prototype review so the team can distinguish a preference from a recurring problem. Capture who tested the product and how closely they resemble the intended customer.
Choose a format with tradeoffs in view
A drink, powder, chew, and capsule solve different problems. Compare the serving burden, formulation room, taste requirements, packaging, shipping, and likely use setting. Avoid assuming that a fashionable format is automatically the right delivery system. The right choice is the one that balances the desired experience with the formulation and commercial requirements of this particular concept.
Set a narrow launch learning agenda
Before launch, identify what you still need to learn about real-world use. Perhaps customers prepare the product differently from the instructions, or the replenishment interval does not match the intended serving schedule. Design feedback collection around those questions. A focused learning agenda is more useful than a large collection of unstructured comments that never changes the next development decision.
Source & scope
McKinsey: Future of Wellness 2025 ↗May 29, 2025 survey analysis. Sources checked September 21, 2026. Product-specific scientific and regulatory conclusions require appropriate specialist review.
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