4A- Forming An Opportunity Belief

I believe that there is an unmet need in regards to the information given about nutritional value of items on restaurant menus. There are many different nutrients and vitamins that individuals should consume and feed their body on a daily basis. One average, a person should consumer a minimum of 2,000 calories per day. Restaurants often do not include nutritional value of their menu item on the menu itself. The items will typically have a leaf or symbol next to them if they are particularly healthy, but otherwise there are no words or symbols mentioning the nutritional value of the food they are serving customers. In attempt to decrease obesity and increase health awareness, my solution is that restaurants should start to include nutritional value of all of their menu items on an Application that could be downloaded to the phone. This would allow consumers to take into consideration the nutrients, vitamins, and calories they need for that day and have easy access to this information with a click of a button. 

The prototypical customer would be someone who knows little to nothing about the nutritional value of the foods they order at restaurants. They also should eat out often and be tech savvy. 

#1: 20 year old male who attends the University of Florida

·     How often do you eat out a week?

o  “I typically eat out about 5 times a week.”

·     Do you consider the amount of nutrients, vitamins, and calories that your body needs when choosing what to order at a restaurant?

o  “No, I normally just order what looks and sounds good.”

·     Did you know that more than half of the U.S. population does not meet their nutritional values from food on a daily basis?

o  “No, I didn’t, but that doesn’t surprise me.”

·     Have you ever kept track of your calorie or nutrient intake from food?

o  “No, I really don’t have time for that.”

·     Would you think it would be convenient to have access to the nutritional value of the food you are ordering on the menu of a restaurant?

o  “Yeah, for sure. I definitely think I would think twice about ordering a double cheeseburger.”

REFLECTION: Prototypical customers probably doinclude individuals who know little about nutritional value of foods and are not cautious about what they order at restaurants. They would be eager to order foods because it would better their health.

#2: 55 year old female professor at the University of Florida

·     How often do you eat out a week?

o  “Not often, I cook my family most of our meals.”

·     Do you consider the amount of nutrients, vitamins, and calories that your body needs when choosing what to order at a restaurant?

o  “Yes, as I age I have become very aware of what I put in my body.”

·     Did you know that more than half of the U.S. population does not meet their nutritional values from food on a daily basis?

o  “Of course, many of my coworkers struggle with their dietary habits.”

·     Have you ever kept track of your calorie or nutrient intake from food?

o  “Yes I have, especially when I was younger.”

·     Would you think it would be convenient to have access to the nutritional value of the food you are ordering on the menu of a restaurant?

o  “It would! I think all restaurants should show their nutritional values of their menu items.”

REFLECTION: Prototypical customersprobably doinclude individuals who are older and care more about their health as they age. These customers would make health-conscious decisions.

#3: 23 year old graduate student

·     How often do you eat out a week?

o  “Every single day, almost for every meal.”

·     Do you consider the amount of nutrients, vitamins, and calories that your body needs when choosing what to order at a restaurant?

o  “Yes, I always try to get vegetables and fruits in my meals.”

·     Did you know that more than half of the U.S. population does not meet their nutritional values from food on a daily basis?

o  “Yes, many individuals in our country are morbidly obese, so that would make sense.”

·     Have you ever kept track of your calorie or nutrient intake from food?

o  “Yes, one time in my Nutrition class.”

·     Would you think it would be convenient to have access to the nutritional value of the food you are ordering on the menu of a restaurant?

o  “Yes, I think that would be very convenient.”

REFLECTION: Prototypical customers probably doinclude individuals who eat out on a daily basis and are aware of the nutrient deficiency throughout the United States.

SUMMARY:

The opportunity to create an App that offers the nutritional value of menu items from restaurants throughout the United States is definitely there. It seems that my customer base is larger than I expected, as this App can accommodate many different types of individuals with different types of needs.  I believe that the opportunity is just as accurate from when I started the interviews. I think that entrepreneurs should adapt their opportunities until the customer’s feedback is highly positive and customers are satisfied with results.