CANIRAC Connect
Connecting food producers with local restaurants
INTRODUCTION
CANIRAC (Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Restaurantes y Alimentos Condimentados) is a national organization that represents the interests of the restaurant and food industry in Mexico. The goal of this project was to design a mobile application that would serve as a platform for food producers and restaurant owners to connect, facilitate business transactions, and stay updated on industry news and events.
MY ROLE
I contributed to the overall design process and oversaw aspects related to product scoping, user flows, wireframes rapid, prototyping, and usability testing
Additionally I conducted user research, facilitated co-workshops, and contributed in synthesis research findings to product viable ideas
PROJECT SCOPE
A squad of designers, developer and project manager. 4 weeks remote
PROJECT SCOPE
Figma, Miro, Trello, Zoom, Slack, Illustrator
PROBLEM DISCOVERY
There are Inefficient Connections Between Restaurants and Food Producers
The research revealed significant challenges and inefficiencies in the way restaurant owners and food producers connect, discover each other's offerings, and establish mutually beneficial business relationships within the food industry ecosystem.
HMW facilitate seamless discovery and efficient connections between restaurant owners and local food producers, enabling them to establish mutually beneficial business relationships within the CANIRAC ecosystem?
OUR SOLUTION: CANNIRAC CONNECT
A Centralized Marketplace
Connecting Restaurants and Local Food Producers.
Onboarding
Discovery
Cultivating Connections, Nourishing Communities Frances 18
Find and connect with producers and restaurants efficiently.
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Advanced search filters for customized product/supplier searches
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Browse by category, certification, location, and more
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Save frequent searches and get notified about new matches
FIND MORE OPTIONS
Streamline order management and delivery
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Transparent End-to-End Experience
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Real-time order tracking from placement to delivery
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Clear communication channels for updates and changes
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Option to initiate returns/refunds if needed
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Submit ratings and reviews on supplier profiles post-delivery
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Suppliers can publicly respond to feedback
ORDER FULFILLMENT
The Process
RESEARCHING PROBLEM SPACE
Subject-matter research highlighted the challenges faced by restaurant owners and local producers in establishing reliable supply chains and mitigating food waste.
As a starting point, we delved into the concept of "food hubs" – centralized platforms that facilitate the distribution of locally-sourced food products. Numerous case studies have demonstrated the positive impact of food hubs on reducing food waste, supporting local agriculture, and strengthening community resilience. This research provided a solid foundation for understanding the problem space and potential solutions.
To validate and expand upon these initial findings, we conducted interviews with restaurant owners and local producers in the CANIRAC Mexico network. These interviews revealed recurring pain points, such as:
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Difficulty in locating and communicating with reliable local suppliers
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Lack of transparency in the supply chain, leading to quality concerns
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Logistical challenges in coordinating deliveries and managing inventory
Additionally, our research highlighted the growing consumer demand for locally-sourced, sustainable food options, presenting an opportunity for restaurants to differentiate themselves and appeal to this market segment.
Armed with this comprehensive understanding of the problem space, we identified a clear need for a centralized platform that could facilitate direct connections between restaurant owners and local producers, streamlining the sourcing process and mitigating food waste issues.