Building and testing a physical product for Mix & Rise from scratch
In October 2019, I baked a cake for a vegan friend of mine and it didn't work. Ultimately, it ended up becoming a catalyst to start Mix & Rise, a baking kit business that helps people discover how fun and tasty plant-based baking can be.
In October 2019, I baked a cake for a vegan friend of mine and it didn't work. Ultimately, it ended up becoming a catalyst to start Mix & Rise, a baking kit business that helps people discover how fun and tasty plant-based baking can be.
Building and testing a physical prototype for Mix & Rise from scratch
In October 2019, I baked a cake for a vegan friend of mine and it didn't work. Ultimately, it ended up becoming a catalyst to start Mix & Rise, a baking kit business that helps people discover how fun and tasty plant-based baking can be.
Role
User Research
Product Strategy
Market Research
Competitor Benchmarking
Prototyping and Testing
Tools
Canva
Google Sheets
Google Forms
Timeline
3 month side project
The Problem
Many others, like myself, don't know where to begin when it comes to baking without the traditional staples of eggs and dairy. This was a problem that became more pressing as they increasingly adopted a plant-based diet.
Many others, like myself, don't know where to begin when it comes to baking without the traditional staples of eggs and dairy. This was a problem that became more pressing as they increasingly adopted a plant-based diet.
Many others, like myself, don't know where to begin when it comes to baking without the traditional staples of eggs and dairy. This was a problem that became more pressing as they increasingly adopted a plant-based diet.
The Solution
I set about using design thinking methodology to test this idea, build and test a product solution and began retailing our bake-at-home kits online in March 2020. Since then we have continued to apply this methodology to iterate and incrementally improve our product and sales.
I set about using design thinking methodology to test this idea, build and test a product solution and began retailing our bake-at-home kits online in March 2020. Since then we have continued to apply this methodology to iterate and incrementally improve our product and sales.
I set about using design thinking methodology to test this idea, build and test a product solution and began retailing our bake-at-home kits online in March 2020. Since then we have continued to apply this methodology to iterate and incrementally improve our product and sales.
Research Plan
In order to validate my ideas, I put together a research plan that would help to test and potentially validate my assumptions and decide whether to commit more time and resources to it. It involved a combination of analysing the current data available on vegan baking, carrying out 5 in-depth research interviews with vegan and non-vegan bakers as well as a thorough competitor audit.
In order to validate my ideas, I put together a research plan that would help to test and potentially validate my assumptions and decide whether to commit more time and resources to it. It involved a combination of analysing the current data available on vegan baking, carrying out 5 in-depth research interviews with vegan and non-vegan bakers as well as a thorough competitor audit.
In order to validate my ideas, I put together a research plan that would help to test and potentially validate my assumptions and decide whether to commit more time and resources to it. It involved a combination of analysing the current data available on vegan baking, carrying out 5 in-depth research interviews with vegan and non-vegan bakers as well as a thorough competitor audit.
Market Research
To begin with, I carried out market research into vegan baking and across the board, the increasing adoption of veganism coupled with pervasive trends in mindful choices, clean label, and sustainability were positively impacting the growth of the vegan baking ingredients market today and over the next 5-10 years as highlighted by the graph below.
To begin with, I carried out market research into vegan baking and across the board, the increasing adoption of veganism coupled with pervasive trends in mindful choices, clean label, and sustainability were positively impacting the growth of the vegan baking ingredients market today and over the next 5-10 years as highlighted by the graph below.
To begin with, I carried out market research into vegan baking and across the board, the increasing adoption of veganism coupled with pervasive trends in mindful choices, clean label, and sustainability were positively impacting the growth of the vegan baking ingredients market today and over the next 5-10 years as highlighted by the graph below.
Research Interviews
Taking inspiration from the book "The Mom Test" by Rob Fitzpatrick, I outlined a series of open-ended interview questions to ask questions that would help me get under the skin of bakers. I wanted to understand why they enjoyed or disliked baking, how often they were actively baking, any intolerances they had to cater to, had they done a lot of vegan baking in the past and what was preventing them from giving it a go or doing more of it.
I chose to interview people (friends, colleages and friends of friends) who were either vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian, living in the UK and aged between 25-45. Though this was not intentional, all of the participants were female and lived in London.
This was before the days of Zoom being so commonly used as a tool so I carried out these interviews in person or by phone. I recorded them all on my phone, transcribed them onto a Google spreadsheet before analysing the answers which meant they became an informal, flowing conversation rather than a formal interview.
Taking inspiration from the book "The Mom Test" by Rob Fitzpatrick, I outlined a series of open-ended interview questions to ask questions that would help me get under the skin of bakers. I wanted to understand why they enjoyed baking, how often they were actively baking, had they
I wish I had of known about the tool Otter.ai as I would have saved a lot of time, however instead, I asked a series of open-ended questions, recorded them on my phone and transcribed them onto a Google spreadsheet. As a result it became more of an informal, flowing conversation rather than a formal interview.
I asked a series of open questions about people's cooking and baking from scratch habits, their level of experience in vegan baking and their thoughts about the overall homebaking experience.
Taking inspiration from the book "The Mom Test" by Rob Fitzpatrick, I outlined a series of open-ended interview questions to ask questions that would help me get under the skin of bakers. I wanted to understand why they enjoyed baking, how often they were actively baking, had they
I wish I had of known about the tool Otter.ai as I would have saved a lot of time, however instead, I asked a series of open-ended questions, recorded them on my phone and transcribed them onto a Google spreadsheet. As a result it became more of an informal, flowing conversation rather than a formal interview.
I asked a series of open questions about people's cooking and baking from scratch habits, their level of experience in vegan baking and their thoughts about the overall homebaking experience.
Insights
The process was really helpful to better understand whether vegan baking was difficult to others.
The process was really helpful to better understand whether vegan baking was difficult to others.
The process was really helpful to better understand whether vegan baking was difficult to others.
Primary Frustration
Primary Frustration
Primary Frustration
When it came to vegan baking, it was clear that recipes were not as well-rated and therefore more hit and miss with bakers often left feeling even more out of their comfort zone than normal when baking conventionally.
When it came to vegan baking, it was clear that recipes were not as well-rated and therefmore hit and miss with bakers often left feeling more out of their comfort zone than those baking with eggs and dairy.
When it came to vegan baking, it was clear that recipes were not as well-rated and therefmore hit and miss with bakers often left feeling more out of their comfort zone than those baking with eggs and dairy.
Secondary Frustration
Secondary Frustration
Secondary Frustration
Bakers often had to travel to multiple shops or shop online to find specific baking ingredients and this was even more acute in vegan bakers. This could become expensive and time-consuming.
Bakers often had to travel to multiple shops or shop online to find specific baking ingredients and this was even more acute in vegan bakers. This could become expensive and time-consuming.
Bakers often had to travel to multiple shops or shop online to find specific baking ingredients and this was even more acute in vegan bakers. This could become expensive and time-consuming.
Competitor Audit
Alongside these two methods, I carried out a competitor audit. I reviewed 5 direct and indirect competitors retailing baking kits and mixes, namely Bakedin, Little Cooks Co, Superfood Bakery, Betty Crocker and Creative Nature.
I road-tested the overall experience from purchasing in store or online, receiving, unboxing to baking and eating the end product, typing up my findings into a Google spreadsheet.
Whilst there were other competitors providing baking kits and mixes, it became clear that there was a gap in the market for a baking kit experience that was fun, tasty and vegan-friendly so now it was time to build a prototype.
Alongside these two methods, I carried out a competitor audit. I reviewed 5 direct and indirect competitors retailing baking kits and mixes, namely Bakedin, Little Cooks Co, Superfood Bakery, Betty Crocker and Creative Nature.
I road-tested the overall experience from purchasing in store or online, receiving, unboxing to baking and eating the end product, typing up my findings into a Google spreadsheet.
Whilst there were other competitors providing baking kits and mixes, it became clear that there was a gap in the market for a baking kit experience that was fun, tasty and vegan-friendly so now it was time to build a prototype.
Alongside these two methods, I carried out a competitor audit. I reviewed 5 direct and indirect competitors retailing baking kits and mixes, namely Bakedin, Little Cooks Co, Superfood Bakery, Betty Crocker and Creative Nature.
I road-tested the overall experience from purchasing in store or online, receiving, unboxing to baking and eating the end product, typing up my findings into a Google spreadsheet.
Whilst there were other competitors providing baking kits and mixes, it became clear that there was a gap in the market for a baking kit experience that was fun, tasty and vegan-friendly so now it was time to build a prototype.
Ideation
At this stage I partnered with Dani Salvador, a chef I had previously worked with who could help with recipe development. Having trained and worked as a chef myself, Dani and I began to experiment with new vegan baking recipes in the kitchen.
Outside of the kitchen, I carried out formal brainstorming and mindmapping sessions individually and bounced ideas off friends, family and colleages more informally, about what form an early prototype might take.
To help decide which steps to take next, I also carried out a priority matrix to rank which tasks carried what priority as explained below as it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks there are to do.
At this stage I partnered with Dani Salvador, a chef I had previously worked with who could help with recipe development. Having trained and worked as a chef myself, Dani and I began to experiment with new vegan baking recipes in the kitchen.
Outside of the kitchen, I carried out formal brainstorming and mindmapping sessions individually and bounced ideas off friends, family and colleages more informally, about what form an early prototype might take.
To help decide which steps to take next, I also carried out a priority matrix to rank which tasks carried what priority as explained below as it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks there are to do.
At this stage I partnered with Dani Salvador, a chef I had previously worked with who could help with recipe development. Having trained and worked as a chef myself, Dani and I began to experiment with new vegan baking recipes in the kitchen.
Outside of the kitchen, I carried out formal brainstorming and mindmapping sessions individually and bounced ideas off friends, family and colleages more informally, about what form an early prototype might take.
To help decide which steps to take next, I also carried out a priority matrix to rank which tasks carried what priority as explained below as it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks there are to do.
Urgency
On the x axis I ranked the level of urgency that would be required from low to high
On the x axis I ranked the level of urgency that would be required from low to high
On the x axis I ranked the level of urgency that would be required from low to high
Effort
On the y axis I ranked the level of effort that would be required from low to high
On the y axis I ranked the level of effort that would be required from low to high
On the y axis I ranked the level of effort that would be required from low to high
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Now it was time to build a minimum viable product to test our concept.
Our Vegan Banana Bread proved the most universally popular recipe so we created it as our first baking kit. Each baking kit came with pre-measured dry ingredients, pre-measured wet ingredients, a compostable loaf case and a recipe card packaged in compostable or recyclable packaging with a simply designed logo.
10 of these kits were then hand-delivered across London for free in return for completing a feedback form on Typeform and tagging @mixandrise on Instagram.
Now it was time to build a rapid prototype and test our concept.
Our Vegan Banana Bread proved the most universally popular recipe so we created it as our first baking kit. Each baking kit came with the pre-measured dry ingredients, cerpre-measured wet ingredients, some equipment and a recipe card packagind in compostable and recyclable packaging with a simply designed logo.
10 of these kits were then hand-delivered across London for free in return for completing a feedback form on Typeform and tagging @mixandrise on Instagram.
Now it was time to build a rapid prototype and test our concept.
Our Vegan Banana Bread proved the most universally popular recipe so we created it as our first baking kit. Each baking kit came with the pre-measured dry ingredients, cerpre-measured wet ingredients, some equipment and a recipe card packagind in compostable and recyclable packaging with a simply designed logo.
10 of these kits were then hand-delivered across London for free in return for completing a feedback form on Typeform and tagging @mixandrise on Instagram.
Keeping costs down
I followed Reid Hoffman's quote: “If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you've launched too late.”
Having researched the equipment and packaging required to seal and send the pre-measured ingredients and equipment in the post, it became clear during the priority matrix that it would be too costly and time-consuming to justify so we opted for hand delivery.
By no means had we finalised the product but it gave us the means to begin testing it to be able to start receiving valuable feedback that we could incorporate into our next product.
I followed Reid Hoffman's quote: “If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you've launched too late.”
Having researched the equipment and packaging required to seal and send the pre-measured ingredients and equipment in the post, it became clear during the priority matrix that it would be too costly and time-consuming to justify so we opted for hand delivery.
By no means had we finalised the product but it gave us the means to begin testing it to be able to start receiving valuable feedback that we could incorporate into our next product.
I followed Reid Hoffman's quote: “If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you've launched too late.”
Having researched the equipment and packaging required to seal and send the pre-measured ingredients and equipment in the post, it became clear during the priority matrix that it would be too costly and time-consuming to justify so we opted for hand delivery.
By no means had we finalised the product but it gave us the means to begin testing it to be able to start receiving valuable feedback that we could incorporate into our next product.
Testing outcomes
After delivering the baking kits and reviewing the Google Form feedback, we had some key learnings to change, keep or improve on for the second iteration of our kit.
After delivering the baking kits and reviewing the Google Form feedback, we had some key learnings to change, keep or improve on for the second iteration of our kit.
After delivering the baking kits and reviewing the Google Form feedback, we had some key learnings to change, keep or improve on for the second iteration of our kit.
Three key learnings
1. Delivering wet ingredients that were typically storecupboard ingredients weren't worth paying a premium for
1. Delivering wet ingredients that were typically storecupboard ingredients weren't worth paying a premium for
1. Delivering wet ingredients that were typically storecupboard ingredients weren't worth paying a premium for
Some users were in favour of having equipment and others weren't
Some users were in favour of having equipment and others weren't
Some users were in favour of having equipment and others weren't
3. Biodegradable and/or recyclable materials were desirable
3. Biodegradable and/or recyclable materials were desirable
3. Biodegradable and/or recyclable materials were desirable
Next Steps
As next steps, we began sourcing packaging and ingredient suppliers as well as equipment to begin retailing. By this time, however, it was March 2020 and we found ourselves living through the covid pandemic. Suppliers were almost impossible to source and an online presence was essential so I built the website using Shopify and you can view by clicking the link below.
As next steps, we began sourcing packaging and ingredient suppliers as well as equipment to begin retailing. By this time, however, it was March 2020 and we found ourselves living through the covid pandemic. Suppliers were almost impossible to source and an online presence was essential so I built the website using Shopify and you can view by clicking the link below.
As next steps, we began sourcing packaging and ingredient suppliers as well as equipment to begin retailing. By this time, however, it was March 2020 and we found ourselves living through the covid pandemic. Suppliers were almost impossible to source and an online presence was essential so I built the website using Shopify and you can view by clicking the link below.
Mix & Rise at a glance
Mix & Rise at a glance
M i x & R i s e a t a g l a n c e
Since the early prototype, we delivered over 1,000 baking kits across the UK between 2023-4.
Since the early prototype, we delivered over 1,000 baking kits across the UK between 2023-4.
