FOOD QUALITY, STORYTELLING AND CONSUMER EXPERIENCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY

Transcription

1 FOOD QUALITY, STORYTELLING AND CONSUMER EXPERIENCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY AARHUS UNIVERSITY, DENMARK præsen TATION 1

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3 TELLING STORIES ABOUT FOOD HAS BECOME MAINSTREAM It is supported by consumer trends in health, sustainability, authenticity How do stories about the food affect the perception of food quality? 3

4 MAIN HYPOTHESIS Current consumer trends have opened up new possibilities for storytelling when marketing food products The more we tell good stories about our food products, the higher there is a danger of consumer disappointment 4

5 FOOD QUALITY PERCEPTION: THE CLASSICAL VIEW Quality cues Intrinsic: physical product Extrinsic: Brand, price, store, communication, price Perceived food quality before purchase Taste Convenience Healthiness Perceived food quality after purchase Taste Convenience Healthiness Confirmation / Disconfirmation Satisfaction Intention to repurchase Grunert, K. G. (2005). Food quality and safety: Consumer perception and demand. European Review of Agricultural Economics, 32,

6 FORMATION OF EXPECTATIONS AND PURCHASE INTENTIONS TWO ROUTES Quality cues Intrinsic: physical product Extrinsic: Brand, price, store, communication, price, storytelling Perceived food quality before purchase Taste Convenience Healthiness Purchase intention Purchase Effect of cues on purchase intention is cognitively mediated for example: because it is organic, I believe it will taste better and be more healthy Cognitive route to to purchase intention

7 FORMATION OF EXPECTATIONS AND PURCHASE INTENTIONS TWO ROUTES Quality cues Intrinsic: physical product Extrinsic: Brand, price, store, communication, price, storytelling Perceived food quality before purchase Taste Convenience Healthiness Purchase intention Purchase Pre-purchase affect Cues elicit positive affect that impacts purchase intention: I like organic Affective route to purchase intention

8 EXAMPLE Think of a new range of premium pork products inspired by the Scandinavian kitchen. Regional spices such as wild garlic, berries and roots contribute to each meal with a characteristic flavour of the North. Apart from the taste the products are traditionally processed, such as smoked or salted. The Scandinavian kitchen reflects simplicity, purity and freshness of food products. Attached cooking suggestions to the product packaging enable each consumer to experience the true taste of Scandinavia. One package contains 500g (ideal for two portions). Scandinavian kitchen products are available in selected retail stores and gourmet sections at department stores.

9 New range of premium pork products QUALITY TASTY HEALTHY GOOD VALUE 0.15 Regional spices such as wild garlic, berries and roots Scandinavian kitchen reflects simplicity, purity and freshness ACCEPTANCE LIKING INTENTION

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11 2,50 2,00 1,50 No specific benefit claimed Safety benefit claimed Health benefit claimed 1,00 0,50 0,00 PASTURE RAISED ENHANCED NOVEL PACK -0,50

12 STORIES ABOUT THE WAY THE PRODUCT IS PRODUCED CAN IMPACT PURCHASE INTENTIONS IN TWO WAYS: BY RAISING QUALITY EXPECTATIONS BY ELICITING POSITIVE AFFECT 12

13 WHAT HAPPENS AFTER PURCHASE? Mainly determined by information, storytelling Perceived food quality before purchase Taste Convenience Healthiness?? Perceived food quality after purchase Taste Convenience Healthiness Mainly determined by sensory experience Pre-purchase affect Post-purchase affect 13

14 WHAT HAPPENS AFTER PURCHASE? Is the quality as expected? Are taste and convenience as expected? Is healthiness, sustainability, authenticity still credible? Is post-purchase affect as positive as pre-purchase affect? Because of a great taste experience? Because the story that led to the purchase still lingers on? 14

15 WHAT HAPPENS AFTER PURCHASE? Does the story create expectations about a specific taste and about certain health properties that the consumer will find confirmed after purchase? Or does the story elicit high positive affect because of the many positive keywords, and then the consumer finds out that it is only ham cubes in a sauce? 15

16 WHAT HAPPENS AFTER PURCHASE? Does the good conscience that is being elicited here and that leads to willingness to buy still prevail after purchase and during consumption? Or is this, after purchase, just a chocolate, and positive affect and repurchase intention will be largely determined by the sensory properties? 16

17 HOW CAN A PRODUCT LIVE UP TO A GOOD STORY? The sensory experience is such that the affect resulting from consumption can live up to the pre-purchase affect caused by the story The story is kept alive in the mind of the consumer even after purchase and during consumption 17

18 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOOD SERVICE AND HOME CONSUMPTION 18

19 Product Name Preparation information A B Heather-smoked shoulder filet Fried major marinated in honey and blackthorn schnapps Trimmed shoulder filet Dry-cured Smoked with beech-wood and heather twigs Cured Major Marinated in Danish honey and Danish blackthorn schnapps prepared from blackthorn collected in West Jutland Fried to a core temperature of 62ºC Saeed, F., Grunert, K. G., & Therkildsen, M. (2012). How product trial changes quality perception of four new processed beef products. Meat Science.

20 Healther-smoked shoulder filet Info on preparation Expectation of good taste Expectations of healthy product Buying intention Marinated fried major Info on preparation Expectation of good taste Expectations of healthy product Buying intention

21 6,5 6,4 6,3 6,2 6,1 6 5,9 5,8 5,7 5,6 5,5 5,4 5,3 5,2 Before trial Heather-smoked shoulder filet After trial Taste Healthfulness Overall quality Purchase intention 6,4 6,2 6 5,8 5,6 5,4 5,2 5 4,8 4,6 4,4 4,2 4 Before trial Marinated fried major After trial

22 STORIES ABOUT THE PRODUCT PROCESS CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON FIRST PURCHASE INTENTION, BUT INTENTION TO BUY AGAIN WILL FOLLOW THE TASTE EXPERIENCE 22

23 IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY Stories about the origin and way of processing of food can raise expectations about quality and create positive affect, which in turn can affect purchase intention: The potential of storytelling 23

24 IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY While expectations about sensory quality can be confirmed or disconfirmed, it is questionable whether stories about the origin still elicit positive affect during and after consumption Therefore, the sensory experience must be excellent and should match the story that is being told 24

25 IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY To which extent positive affect elicited by stories about origin and processing can carry on throughout consumption will in part depend on to which extent the source of the story is in control of the information flow during preparation and consumption The story does not necessarily travel with the physical product 25

26 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION 26