Mondelez International, a global leader in snacking, has effectively incorporated Virtual Reality (VR) into its research and development (R&D) processes. This initiative, aimed at enhancing collaboration and innovation across global teams, is comprehensively detailed in a case study published by Meta.
Key Objectives
Mondelēz was determined to sustain and enhance its global leadership in snacking by revolutionizing its product development and consumer testing processes. Eager to reduce the time frames for developing new products and improve the fidelity of consumer testing, Mondelēz aimed to integrate sketching and prototyping while recreating snacking environments of consumers for more effective testing. Additionally, the company sought to leverage its global R&D capabilities more effectively, enhancing collaboration and innovation across its widespread teams.
Source: Meta for Work
Why VR and Meta?
VR enhances collaboration and inclusiveness within organizations, especially for geographically dispersed teams. As noted by Jay Gouliard, Senior Vice President at Mondelēz International, VR enables developers from around the world to come together for immersive collaboration and co-creation.
Mondelēz specifically chose Meta due to the best-in-class experience provided by their world-class VR and XR (Extended Reality) tech hardware that comes with a dependable and long-lasting tetherless design that can encourage their R&D team to adopt the technology.
Why Arthur?
Mondelēz chose Arthur virtual office software for its capability to host over 100 users simultaneously in extended reality, featuring lifelike avatars, a suite of productivity tools, robust security features, and customizable environments tailored with a distinct Mondelēz finish, making it an ideal platform for secure and effective collaboration.
We love that, with Arthur, teams are able to customise meeting rooms and transform their experience without necessarily having any coding skills.
- Matthew Tomlinson, Extended Reality and Metaverse Lead (R&D), Mondelēz International
Solution and Results
To enhance global collaboration within its R&D teams, Mondelēz developed a digital innovation center named Simoja, using Arthur. The name Simoja blends "Simul" (Latin for "together") and "Pamoja" (Swahili for "together"), emphasizing the center’s focus on togetherness. Simoja features specialized virtual spaces like an Oreo-torium, exhibition halls, and meeting rooms that have revitalized R&D efforts and streamlined processes. The launch included a 24-hour global event showcasing VR’s continuous capabilities, where employees engaged in activities like designing Toblerone Christmas trees and exploring interactive chocolate exhibits. Additionally, using tools like Gravity Sketch, Mondelēz accelerated the industrial design of new snacks and enhanced consumer testing by simulating real-life environments, such as a virtual living room for snack tasting.
Looking ahead, Mondelēz plans to introduce digital twins of its facilities to improve new employee onboarding and further integrate virtual experiences into everyday operations. The initiative has already achieved significant milestones, including over 1,000 employees collaborating in Simoja with an 8+ Net Promoter Score (NPS), the reduction of 3D concept design phase from weeks to hours, and a 400% YoY increase in new XR experiences, contributing to a transformative shift in how Mondelēz approaches work.
Conclusion
Mondelēz International’s adoption of VR technology, as detailed in Meta’s case study, illustrates a forward-thinking approach to enhancing global collaboration and accelerating innovation. This summary of the case study reflects the successes and transformative outcomes as Mondelēz continues to leverage VR to shape the future of its R&D processes.
Source: Mondelēz International and VR: How a virtual innovation centre revolutionised R&D and collaboration
