Testing the Hypothesis Part 2

Who:  There are many people that fall outside the boundary of my unmet need, and it is mostly a personal lifestyle distinction.  For example, some athletes may enjoy going to the grocery store, meal prepping, and cooking.  Thus, they would not need a meal delivery service. 

What:  The need for healthy meals differs from the need to lose weight.  Athletes nutritional needs also differ from those of people who are less active.

Why: The main underlying cause of it people have the unmet need has to do with access to healthy food.  People who already have their meals covered (via cooking, a family member, or a meal plan) do not have the need, but people who struggle with acquiring or making healthy meals have the need.

Interviews:

#1:  College gymnast:  As someone who enjoys being in the kitchen, she does not experience a struggle to make healthy food that will fuel her performance.  However, going to the grocery store to get fresh produce multiple times per week can be very difficult given her hectic training schedule.

#2:  Another college gymnast:  She does not have the need either, but for an entirely different reason – she opted for a meal plan, which is included in her scholarship.  She believes a meal delivery service like the one described in assignment 8 would be great but is worried about the cost.  If it could be an alternative meal plan (having food delivered instead of going to a dining hall), she would be all for it!

#3:  Coach who works out a lot:  Bouncing from early morning workouts to his job and back to the gym, his schedule is pretty crazy.  However, he spends Sundays meal prepping for the entire week, he will occasionally grab dinner on his way home.  If the meals were absolutely delicious, he would consider a meal delivery plan, but for now, his system is working just fine.

#4:  High school athlete:  She is super dedicated to gymnastics and spends over 25 hours per week at the gym.  When she finally gets home after a long day of school and gym, she is usually super hungry, and her body is in feed of a recovery meal.  However, a plate is already waiting for her to dig in, thanks to her loving mother!  Her mother also packs lunches so she can fuel up.  Clearly, even though she is an athlete who doesn’t have time to cook, she doesn’t have the unmet need discussed.

#5:  College athlete:  She often finds herself exhausted and unwilling to make an elaborate dinner after busy days of class and training.  Her lunches are covered by a meal plan, but dinner is a different story.  Several days out of the week, she finds herself reaching for a box of cereal, peanut butter, and a banana.  Not quite the dinner most people crave.  However, due to several food intolerances, a general meal delivery service would not work for her.

Inside the boundary	Outside the boundary
Who is In -          Active people with busy schedules -          People who stress about acquiring good food -          People who care about eating healthy -          People who like to eat a variety of foods	Who is Not -          Inactive individuals -          People who do not care about eating healthy -          Picky eaters -          People with lots of allergies/special dietary needs -          People who do not need to cook (for various reasons)
What the Need Is -          Access to healthy food -          Quick to prepare to fit into a busy day -          High protein, complex carbs, healthy fats	What the Need Is Not -          A weight loss program -          Elaborate cooking, learning kitchen skills -          Spending lots of time preparing meals
Why the Need Exists -          Athletes often have busy schedules and demanding nutritional needs to fuel their performance	Alternative Explanations -          There is no current meal delivery services geared specifically toward athletes -          No desire to cook -          Lack of cooking knowledge or how to build a balanced meal