11-9

J. X. GUINARD, Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, R. Baron, Baron Communications, Inc., 5001 LBJ Freeway, Suite 930, Dallas, TX 75244, and P. Esquerré, Esquerré Property Company, Ltd., 5403 Monticello, Dallas, TX 75206.

Consumer testing for product development usually involves quantitative procedures in which the attitudes of consumers, and their acceptance of a concept or product, are assessed using various scales (nine-point hedonic, just-right, frequency-of-use, agree/disagree). Qualitative methods (focus groups, ethnography) have typically been underused in that process.

Our objective was to develop and test an approach that combined qualitative and quantitative methods for concept/product testing during the development of a frozen food line.

The approach involved (1) a set of four focus groups of 10 consumers each to evaluate the elements of the marketing mix and the product (week 1), (2) home-use tests by the same consumers on a subset of the products (weeks 2 and 3), and (3) call-back (focus) groups with the same consumers to explore concept-product fit and user customization of the product, and to re-evaluate the mix and product reformulated following the initial groups (week 4).

Responses to the concept and product improved significantly from the focus groups to the home-use tests, with repeated use and trial of various cooking and serving options. The concept was well received (with a mean of 7.5 + 1.5 on a nine-point hedonic scale). The vegetable products in the line matched the expectations set by the concept (means from 6.9 to 7.7), but the meat and fish products did not (means from 4.4 to 5.8).

This approach speeds up product development, reduces biases inherent to quantitative testing protocols, and generates information regarding the concept, the product, and the goodness-of-fit between them. It also accesses the beliefs and attitudes of the consumers and uncovers potential product functionalities (e.g., health benefits, convenience of preparation, sensory pleasure).