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With a long-held dream to one day create her own successful food product, Dr Orr began her journey with Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa �۶���Ƶ in 2015, pursuing a Bachelor of Food Technology. This kick-started her journey in more ways than one, as she also met her partner Josh in the halls of residence during her first year.

At the end of her bachelor’s, Dr Orr didn’t have immediate plans for further study. But after moving to Palmerston North with Josh, who was completing his doctorate in clinical psychology, she decided to enrol in a Master of Quality Management.

“I had enjoyed the related papers I took in the final years of my bachelor’s. While studying, I had the opportunity to work with Professor Joanne Hort to help establish the Food Experience and Sensory Testing (Feast) Laboratory on the Manawatū campus,” she says.

Over the next two years, Dr Orr completed her master’s while working at Feast, a world-renowned hub for sensory and consumer research. There, she was part of a team pushing the boundaries of traditional sensory science, using cutting-edge technology to explore how people interact with food products, from taste to packaging, to help businesses understand what truly influences consumer decisions.

Dr Orr says it was when she began looking for her next career step that Professor Hort encouraged her to apply for a PhD.

“In March 2021, I began my PhD in food technology, specialising in sensory and consumer science. I find it fascinating to explore why people make the food choices they do, and as someone who doesn’t eat meat, I wanted to better understand this area, which led my research to focus on consumer acceptance of plant-based meat alternatives.”

Through her research, Dr Orr identified key emotions that consumers associate with plant-based products and demonstrated that acceptance is strongly influenced by context. Using digital immersive environments, she recreated realistic eating scenarios, capturing more authentic consumer responses than traditional sensory testing setups, such as sensory booths. She found that sensory attributes play a major role in shaping acceptance, providing valuable insights to inform future product development.

Dr Orr says one surprising finding was the wide range of emotions consumers associated with plant-based meat alternatives.

“The responses ranged from ‘amazed’ and ‘excited’ to ‘anxious’ and ‘deceived’. It was also surprising to see how influential context is in shaping consumer acceptance. Small contextual changes, such as pairing the plant-based meat alternatives with a familiar food like a sauce or eating it in a comfortable environment like home, could significantly enhance both liking and positive emotional responses compared to scenarios without contextual cues.”

Dr Orr’s research pinpointed the specific sensory attributes of plant-based meat alternatives that trigger positive emotions and greater acceptance among meat-eating consumers. Her findings highlight the critical role context plays and offers practical insights for product developers looking to improve the appeal and acceptance of plant-based products.

As her 10-year journey with �۶���Ƶcomes to a close, Dr Orr says she’s learned a lot, including a strengthened belief that everything happens for a reason.

“Life has a way of surprising you, and you never really know where it will take you – like to Palmerston North to do a PhD! I’ve also learned not to underestimate the power of a quick walk to boost my mood, relieve stress and increase productivity. You would always find me walking around the ring road during lunch!”

Dr Orr has recently moved back to Auckland, where she’ll be working with a market research company that conducts sensory and consumer research across a wide variety of FMCG products, including chips, bread, coffee and even toilet paper. This year will also see her marry Josh, who she credits for his unwavering support.

“I am very thankful for my partner and family, who have always been my biggest supporters. Also, to my supervisors Professor Hort, Dr Caroline Giezanaar and Dr Jonathan Godfrey, who were an invaluable source of knowledge, support and encouragement throughout my PhD journey.”

Interested in starting a career in food technology? Learn more about the only degree in Australasia that combines food science, food engineering and food business: Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours.