38-1 |
Using market surveys and market research to identify demand and niches |
J. B. SCHEEL, Food Processing Center, Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, 143 Food Industry Complex, Lincoln, NE 68583-0930 To grow in this ever-changing, challenging global marketplace, food businesses need a clear understanding and insight to the dynamics of their customer base and their markets. Market research is an extremely valuable tool in today's fast paced, high technological, and rapidly growing business world that can help your business gain this understanding. Market research can help companies maintain a strong presence in their current markets while expanding into other markets. This presentation will focus on using effective marketing research to help your business understand the needs of your consumers. One of the keys to success in the food marketplace is focusing on consumers and using "product branding" to fulfill the needs of the consumer. Consumers are continually looking for satisfactory experiences. "Marketing research" is best defined by The American Marketing Association as "...a link between the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through information – information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve understanding of marketing as a process." In other words, marketing research assist food businesses by specifying the information required to address these issues, designs the method for collecting information, manages and implements the data collection process, analyzes the results, and communicates the findings and their implications. The presentation will discuss the use of secondary and primary research in gaining a better understanding of your consumers and/or your business. Secondary research will discuss using the internet for research as well as the more traditional secondary sources. Primary research will look at uses of surveys and focus groups in gathering information.
Session 38, Strategies for successful product development
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