Consumer Preference Study on Four Brands of Brown Rice in Selected Areas of Laguna

Date

5-2017

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Mar B. Cruz

Committee Member

Loida E. Mojica, Jeanette Angeline B. Madamba, Agnes T. Banzon, Dinag Pura T. Depositario

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to determine whether preferential differences exist among four brands of brown rice that are most available in the Laguna market. The findings of the research provide an insight on the brown rice attribute preference of the Laguna residents. The findings of the research also reveal which among the four brands of commercially available brown rice considered in this study is preferred.

The specific objectives of the study were to (1) present the respondents’ profile; (2) describe the respondent’s buying and consumption behavior; (3) determine if preferential differences among attributes of brown rice exist; and (4) generate insights from the results obtained from the product test or evaluation of the four brands.

Market surveys and product testing procedures using the Central Location Testing (CLT) method and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) were done in selected research institutes and local government institution in order to complete the objectives of the research. A total of 150 respondents were selected through criterion purposive sampling. Focus group discussions, as well as store checks and observations to determine the prevalent brown rice brands in the markets were also performed. Store checks were also performed to determine which brands of brown rice was to be studied.

Since CLT was employed in the study, the price, packaging, as well as the cooking time of the four brands was not assessed in this study. Additionally, only the employees of the selected institutions were part of the study.

The market survey revealed that majority of the respondents were married females whose average monthly household income ranges from ₱ 30,000 to ₱ 70,000. Majority of the participants of the study was also revealed to be from Calamba City and Los Baños.

The market survey also revealed that majority of the respondents only had white rice in their homes with the reason that their household members did not like the overall taste of brown rice. Brown rice, however, was found to be the second most prevalent type of rice in the households of the respondents. Respondents who had brown rice in their households were usually those who were more conscious of their health.

Fifty percent of the respondents were aware of Doña Maria Jasponica while 30% respondents were aware of Doña Maria Miponica. On the other hand, 41.33% respondents were aware of Harvester’s Brown Rice while only twelve percent of the respondents were aware of Jordan Farms Brown Organically Grown Whole Grain Rice. It was found that the major source of awareness of the respondents was through seeing the brands in supermarkets. It was also revealed that only a few of the respondents have tried consuming the four brands of brown rice that were studied. Moreover, sixty-four percent of the respondents expressed willingness to make brown rice their household staple. This opinion was however, without the consideration of their other household members.

The product evaluation results revealed that only little preferential difference exist from the respondents’ evaluation of the cooked and uncooked brown rice attributes. Meaning, the respondents considered all the attributes of cooked and uncooked brown rice; only that some attributes were more important over other attributes. Meanwhile, the varied personal preferences of the respondents lead to the small preferential differences among brands.

The results of the product evaluation showed that the respondents highly preferred their uncooked brown rice to be clean and have a long shelf life. Grain length was found to be the uncooked brown rice attribute that the respondents least took into consideration when purchasing brown rice.

In terms of the attributes of cooked brown rice, nutritive value was found to be the most influential attribute. This meant that the respondents highly considered the nutritive content of the brown rice that they bought. Results also showed that flavor was the second most important attribute of the respondents.

In relation to the AHP procedure, results of the overall individual and overall aggregate uncooked brand preference revealed that the most preferred uncooked brand was Doña Maria Jasponica while the least preferred uncooked brand was Jordan Farms Brown Organically Grown Whole Grain Rice. The overall individual and overall aggregate most preferred cooked brand, on the other hand, was also Doña Maria Jasponica. The overall individual and overall aggregate least preferred cooked brand was found to be Harvester’s Brown Rice.

The results of the study were used in order to formulate for the improvement of the Doña Maria Brands. It was found that the said brands needed to improve in terms of the nutritive content of the brown rice as well as its shelf life.

The improvement points were found after the product test or evaluation done. Results showed that Harvester’s Brown Rice as well as Jordan Farms Brown Organically Grown Whole Grain Rice were more preferred by the respondents in terms of shelf life. The shelf life of the said brands was reported to be 1 month more than the reported shelf life of the Doña Maria Brands.

Additionally, both the product test or evaluation as well as the focus group discussion revealed that Harvester’s Brown Rice as well as Jordan Farms Brown Organically Grown Whole Grain Rice were more preferred in terms of their nutritive value. This was because it was found that the respondents preferred their brown rice to be low in calories, low in sodium, and low in carbohydrates.

With the improvement points revealed, it was suggested that a better variety of brown rice should be developed by the owners of the Doña Maria Brands as the attributes that the brands possessed can be linked to the variety of rice milled and sold. Hence, if the brand owners were to develop a variety that will suit the most influential attribute preferences of the respondents, then the brand can lead to more customer satisfaction.

Language

English

LC Subject

Brown rice, Consumers' preferences

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993 2017 M17 C44

Notes

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Document Type

Thesis

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