Functional and organic eggs as an alternative to conventional production: a conjoint analysis of consumers' preferences

BACKGROUND: In the current context of growing consumer demand for foodstuffs that are healthy and safe and that are obtained in a manner respectful to the welfare of animals, the analysis of consumer preferences towards attributes of this type takes on particular importance. These trends are especially clear in the case of the consumption of eggs because of their strong negative association with cholesterol levels and their extremely intensive systems of production. The introduction of variants that are more in harmony with current consumer demands represents an interesting market alternative. RESULTS: The present study was aimed at investigating the preferences of Spanish consumers for these alternative types of egg that are entering the market. The survey was conducted with 361 consumers from October 2007 to March 2008. The conjoint analysis allowed us to estimate the relative importance of the main attributes that affect consumer preferences for eggs and to distinguish segments of consumers with similar preference profiles. CONCLUSION: It was found that price is the most important attribute determining consumer preferences, followed by the hens' feed and their rearing conditions. It was also found that only some groups of consumers are willing to pay the premium necessary for alternative methods of production. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

A preliminary study of the relationship between Australian wine consumers' wine expertise and their wine purchasing and consumption behaviour

Few Australian wine companies have the resources to acquire consumer relevant information to assist their strategic decision-making. This exploratory study examined the relationship between Australian consumers' wine expertise and their self-reported wine related behaviours, such as wine purchasing and consumption. A measure of consumer wine expertise developed specifically for the Australian consumer, comprising a wine knowledge test and an aroma identification (sensory) test, was used to segment 61 wine consumers into three expertise levels. A large positive correlation between wine expertise and formal wine training was demonstrated. Data showed that females dominated the low and males the high expertise groups, respectively. The high expertise level consumers spent more on wine, purchased more bottles and fewer casks per month and consumed more wine in a week than the low and medium expertise groups. Analysis revealed significant differences between the styles of wine consumed by the various expertise levels. A combination of Factor and Cluster analyses generated three distinct consumer segment profiles based on wine purchase drivers. These preliminary data indicate that wine consumers' wine behaviour may be influenced by their wine expertise.     

Volatile composition and aromatic attributes of wine made with Vitisvinifera L.cv Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in the Xinjiang region of China: effect of different commercial yeasts

The Xinjiang region is a major grape- and wine-production area in China, but the region’s notably high temperatures in the summer and year-round intense sun exposure play negative roles in the aroma, complexity, and elegance of Cabernet Sauvignon wine. In this study, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes harvested in this region were fermented on an industrial scale using four commercial yeast strains (L2323, D254, RVA, and CECA) and spontaneous yeast (NF). The results showed that a total of 123 volatile compounds were detected and 15 volatile compounds significantly contributed their flavor notes to the wine’s overall aroma. The use of RVA and CECA strains resulted in wine with higher concentrations of higher alcohols, terpenes and norisoprenoids. However, the D254-fermented wine showed high level of esters and carbonyl compounds. Wine fermented with the L2323 and D254 strain possessed a stronger fruity aroma, whereas the RVA strain enhanced the herbaceous, chemical, and fatty aromas in wine. Principal component analysis revealed that a significant aromatic feature difference was observed in these wines after alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. The use of different commercial yeast strains altered the aromatic profile of Cabernet Sauvignon wine.     

Understanding consumption choice of prosecco wine: an empirical analysis using Italian and German Homescan data

This study analyses the degree to which wine consumers are truly able to intrinsically evaluate the meaning of a designation of origin certification or whether they generally consider such a certification to be a vague credence attribute. This issue was addressed through an empirical analysis of Homescan Panel data in the Italian and German markets, using a Heckman probit model to assess the role of consumers’ characteristics and habits in the choice of ‘Prosecco’ wines characterized by two different levels of the denomination of origin certification. Our results suggest that Prosecco sparkling wine is perceived as a product of medium-high positioning and is preferably purchased by households that buy wines with a higher unit price. In contrast, consumers who appreciate sparkling wine did not show any preference towards a specific type of Prosecco, especially outside the area of production, such as in the German market, which suggests that they still do not completely understand the difference between the certification levels.     

Protein stabilisation of Chardonnay wine using trisacryl and bentonite: a comparative study

The stabilisation of a Chilean Chardonnay wine by SP-Trisacryl-M and bentonite was investigated, evaluating protein, polyphenol and polysaccharide adsorption, turbidity and wine quality. The wine could be stabilised by adding at least 0.3 kg m⁻³ of bentonite or 12 kg m⁻³ of trisacryl, removing 95% and 76% of the wine proteins, respectively. The protein adsorption data for bentonite and trisacryl were fitted using the Freundlich isotherm. The wine protein adsorption isotherm on trisacryl was unfavourable. Protein removal from Chardonnay by trisacryl in a packed column at continuous operation was about 50% during the first 70 bed volumes (BV) of treated wine and decreased progressively until the end of the treatment (100 BV). The adsorbents showed a higher selectivity for proteins than for polyphenols and polysaccharides. A sensorial panel could not detect statistically significant differences between the bentonite and trisacryl treatments of wine at P  ≤ 0.05.     

Females' attitude and preference for beer: a conjoint analysis study

In order to sustain the fast‐expanding beer industry, companies need to attract new female consumers. The main objective of this study was to identify the extrinsic and intrinsic attributes that drive female consumers' purchase of beer. A literature review and focus group (n = 6) were conducted, and six attributes were identified as purchase drivers of beer. These attributes included flavour, appearance (colour), packaging, brand, production methods and beer style. These attributes were used to design a choice‐based conjoint analysis survey. The survey was administered to 277 females (aged 35.09 ± 15.2) residing in Nova Scotia (Canada). The results indicated that sweetness has a positive effect on liking. Bitterness has a strong negative effect on liking of beer. Black colour, stouts and macro‐brewed beers also had negative effects on liking of beer products. The consumer clusters showed that generally all of the consumer groups liked sweet beers with low bitterness.     

Consumer preferences for iced coffee determined by conjoint analysis: an exploratory study with Norwegian consumers

The main aim of this study was to investigate consumer preferences for extrinsic attributes of iced coffee, explore consumers' coffee consumption habits, find new market opportunities and segment consumers based on similar products preferences. A sample of 101 consumers of iced coffee was recruited during 2012 in Norway. Twelve iced coffee products combining different levels of attributes such as coffee type, origin, calories and price were presented on screen and rated according to consumers' willingness to buy (WTB). Mixed model anova , principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA) were applied to analyse data. Results show that the most preferred products for the consumer sample as a whole were low‐price low‐calorie products, while age has a significant effect on WTB for different iced coffee products. Four different consumer segments based on type of iced coffee and country of production preferences were identified and discussed.     

Influence of evoked contexts on rating-based conjoint analysis: Case study with lamb meat

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the influence of two evoked consumption contexts on consumers’ intention to purchase lamb meat cuts using rating-based conjoint analysis. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the evoked consumption contexts: a celebratory lunch with family over the weekend (n = 157), and a dinner at home after a day’s work (n = 171). Rating-based conjoint analysis was used to evaluate the influence of four independent variables on consumers’ intention to purchase lamb meat in each of the two evoked consumption contexts: type of cut, presentation, seasoning and price. Intention to purchase scores were significantly affected by the evoked context. Consumers were more willing to purchase lamb meat when the celebratory weekend lunch context was considered, compared to the weekday dinner. In the two contexts, price was the most important variable affecting willingness to purchase lamb meat, followed by type of cut. However, at the aggregate level the utility values were similar for the two contexts: consumers expressed higher intention to purchase for leg cuts without seasoning at the highest price. In the two contexts different consumer segments were identified, which gave different relative importance to the variables included in the conjoint task. However, conclusions regarding consumers’ segmentation were affected by evoked consumption context. The findings suggest that evoked consumption contexts influence results from conjoint analysis, which suggests that they may be an interesting methodological alternative to increase the validity of conjoint tasks.     

Sensory evaluation of wine through correspondence analysis: a theoretical and empirical rationale

Sensory evaluation in wine research focuses on understanding wine preference and choice within a holistic framework. This study offers a theoretical and empirical rationale for the sensory evaluation of wine. A precondition for sustainability and success in the market arena is a clear understanding of potential interaction of sensory evaluation properties and other factors affecting consumer choice. New approaches and methodologies for preference matching and assessment of sensory properties and information queues on overall liking are of fundamental importance for wine makers. The aim of this study is to advance the understanding of sensory evaluations affecting consumer both on empirical and theoretical grounds. For the implementation of this aim, an empirical research with real wine tasting data was conducted and analyzed through the use of Correspondence Analysis (CA). The findings of this study demonstrate that this method is more appropriate in wine sensory data analysis due to their categorical and non-parametric nature. CA is a very useful technique to establish a solid knowledge for the identification of the wines based on evidence and facts of their aromatic characteristics.     

Determining consumer purchase intentions: the importance of dry matter, size, and price of kiwifruit

Abstract: Knowledge of the relative importance of food quality attributes in determining consumer purchase intention is critical for robust assessment of economic opportunities for industry growth. The aim of this study is to demonstrate how conjoint analysis methodology that incorporates tasting of fruit can be used to collect such information. Three hundred Japanese consumers took part in research designed to measure the importance of dry matter (DM), size, and price of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa “Hayward” and Actinidia chinensis “Hort16A”) for purchase intention. Measurement of consumer liking for kiwifruit of different DM content was a key first step. Liking increased as DM increased and was accompanied by increased purchase likelihood/choice probability for kiwifruit. The size of kiwifruit presented to consumers varied from “small” to “extra large.” Consumers liked “mid‐sized” kiwifruit over “small” or “extra‐large” kiwifruit. Despite these differences in liking, size was of little importance in determining purchase likelihood/choice probability for kiwifruit. Price was a very important factor in determining purchase likelihood/choice probability but was less important than DM content. As price increased, purchase likelihood/choice probability decreased. Beneath these general findings, heterogeneity existed. Some consumers placed more/less importance on the focal purchase drivers than suggested by the aggregate model. Overall, the results suggest that incentive schemes already implemented by industry should consider rewarding high‐DM fruit more than fruit size. Practical Application: This research has contributed to the New Zealand kiwifruit industry gaining a better understanding of the relative importance consumers place on DM, size, and price of kiwifruit and has resulted in changes to grower incentive schemes. The research approach presented forces consumer to tradeoff attributes of kiwifruit against each other and decide on how important two key quality attributes—DM and size—are relative to each other and relative to price. The application of conjoint analysis in this article can be transferred to other fruits, food, and beverages and help guide consumer‐led innovation.