An Exploratory Market Study on UPLB-IFST Ready-To-Drink Calamansi- Dragon Fruit- Acai Juice Blend in the Selected Areas in Laguna

Date

5-2024

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Arwen Francine S. Allado

Committee Member

Gemma U. Reyes, Cris Edwin B. Bonalos, Melodee Marciana E. De Castro

Restrictions

Restricted: Not available to the general public and to those bound by the confidentiality agreement. Access is available only after consultation with author/thesis adviser.

Abstract

Fruit juice blends or mixed fruit juice products are gaining traction around the world due to its potential health benefits and economic benefits. It is the process of combining two or more concentrates from different kinds of fruits to produce an innovative and new flavor in the market (Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations, 2022). In an experiment conducted by Shamsudin et al. (2020), it was discovered that that fresh pineapple-mango juice blend exhibited a longer shelf storage and contained better quality of physicochemical and nutritional properties. However, the fruit juice market in the Philippines is still dominated by single flavor juice drinks and mixed fruit juice is yet to be popular in the local market. Imported mixed fruit juice are often inaccessible and expensive for many consumers.

This study intends to address the current pain-points of fruit juice drinkers who want to explore new innovative flavors of fruit juice by offering a ready-to-drink fruit juice blend that contains calamansi, dragon fruit, and acai berry. There may be limited exploration on mixed fruit juice drinks but the Philippines has a big local market for food and beverage processed products due to the increasing demand for quality product variety and growing consumption for on-the-go food and drinks. Hence, the study aims to determine the market acceptability of the UPLB-IFST RTD Calamansi-Dragon Fruit-Acai Berry Juice Blend to propose marketing strategies that can best introduce the product in the market.

The study involved 60 respondents from Calauan, Los Baños, and Calamba City in Laguna. Convenience sampling was employed due to lack of list of fruit juice consumers population in the study areas. Additionally, the researcher used statistical tools under exploratory and descriptive research design to analyze the data obtained from the market and consumer survey, product test, and price test. The study analyzed patterns using cross- tabulations but the results were only applicable to the respondents and cannot be generalized to the rest of the population.

Based on the examined data from the market and consumer survey, there was an equal proportion between female and male respondents who were mostly around 31 to 40 years old.

The majority of the respondents were working professionals with a college degree. In terms of the consumption behavior, the results showed that most of the respondents who claimed to be consumers of ready-to-drink fruit juice products are health-conscious and their most cited reasons are for drinking were from refreshment and good taste. Analyzed patterns have revealed that respondents drink 1 to 2 glasses of fruit juice when they feel like it during snack time. They usually consume fruit juice drinks when they are outdoors. Furthermore, evidences from the purchasing behavior exhibited that majority of the respondents usually buy 1 to 2 bottle of fruit juice products in grocery stores once a week. The most popular size was 250 ml which is approximately equivalent to 1 glass and they prefer plastic materials for the packaging. Lastly, the respondents consume more single flavor fruit juice drinks than other types of fruit juice and the main attributes considered when purchasing were health benefits and price.

A 5-point Likert Scale was used to determine which attributes of fruit juice were important for the respondents. aroma, color, taste, aftertaste, temperature, price, and packaging are perceived as satisfiers by the respondents. Hence, the respondents are more motivated to buy fruit juice when there is better quality of each attribute. On the other hand, the respondents’ basic requirement is for a fruit juice to have a good taste and consistency as they were regarded as satisfiers. The results of the attribute importance rating showed that attributes were rated between “4.73 to 4.88” which is interpreted as “very important”. Furthermore, the actual product test results presented an average rating of “4,28” which was interpreted as “good”. When it comes to the price, the acceptable price range is between Php 35.00 and Php 55.00.

The product was found to be acceptable among the respondents. Recommendations and marketing strategies were formulated to introduce the product to the market. Based on the sensory evaluation, product development is necessary to enhance the intrinsic properties of the juice. The color needs to be lighter, the aroma should be improved, there should be a balanced between sourness and sweetness of the taste, the consistency should be sediment-free, and the product should be refrigerated or better served with ice to keep its refreshing quality. According to the marketing mix strategies proposed, the potential target market for this product is working professionals belong to the age group 21 to 30 years old and 31 to 40 years old. It was also observed that female respondents from these age groups consume more frequently. It is recommended to set the price between Php 45 and Php 55 and to implement penetration pricing strategy. In terms of promotion UPLB-IFST may introduce the fruit crops and their health benefits through establishing partnership s with health organizations and social media campaigns. Lastly, distributing to small local grocery stores and online stores may be a more feasible option for UPLB-IFST since it still improving the fruit juice. Continuous improvement and innovations should be done to satisfy and retain loyal customers.

Language

English

LC Subject

Beverages, Fruit juices--Health aspects, Market surveys

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993 2024 M17 A45

Document Type

Thesis

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