Behind the Scenes: Reveal® 3-D for Gluten

Even though facing months of unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Neogen® recently launched the new Reveal® 3-D for Gluten allergen test kit. Our Product Manager Max Wolf and his team have been working hard to overcome both typical challenges and extra complications from the pandemic to make this launch successful.

“I’d say the biggest challenge across the board is just not having as much in-person interaction. As an example, I haven't seen our allergen R&D team in months,” Max said. “I think it's been good in some ways, it forced us to communicate more effectively because we're not physically around each other all the time. It makes closing the communication gap much more important.”

Effective communication has been vital while the team has been separated, especially with many different roles involved in the launch process. “One of my roles is to keep the ball rolling,” said Max. “There's a lot of different hands involved to get across the finish line. As a product manager, my main role is to oversee the project process and help foster communication between the different teams involved. It's a complex process, and it can't be done without everybody else helping out and doing their part, I want to give them a shout out for all they do.”

Some of the changes and adjustments made during this time may become permanent, including more video demonstrations and adjusting travel plans. “We were traveling a significant amount, and while I don't think travel will ever go away completely, I think COVID has forced us to rethink how to travel smartly. Do we need to travel in this particular instance? Is this something we can handle by phone or video meeting? It forces us to think differently, more efficiently, about how we go about our business,” said Max.

Now that the product launch is underway, the team is transitioning into on-going support to ensure customers receive everything they need. “A launch is a multifaceted process. It's not just as simple as making the product and shipping it out the door. We have to make sure it's meeting what our customers are looking for,” said Max.

Despite the challenges that the pandemic has posed during this launch, the Reveal 3-D for Gluten team made it through and is stronger than ever. “When a task is difficult or when a problem arises, and we come to a solution, it gives us more confidence by nature. I think that confidence permeates throughout the rest of our job, and we’re able to work better as a team and approach other problems more effectively in the future,” said Max.

Gluten detection is taken very seriously in the food industry, especially with the significant public health concerns associated with gluten. Food manufacturers are committed to producing products that are accurately labelled for allergens, and Neogen supports these operations by providing a tool they can use in developing and validating their allergen control plans.

The Reveal 3-D for Gluten test is fast and flexible, accurately testing both food and environmental samples with results in five minutes. It can test multiple types of samples with the same simple procedure making it easier to train personnel, simplifying day-to-day operations for customers.

For more information, please contact us or call a Neogen sales representative at 517.372.9200.