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Projecte llegit

Títol: Exploring consumers' acceptance of a foreign food product in Spain: Kömbe

Estudiant que ha llegit aquest projecte:

Tutor/a o Cotutor/a: LÓPEZ MAS, LAURA

Departament: DEAB

Títol: Exploring consumers' acceptance of a foreign food product in Spain: Kömbe

Data inici oferta: 19-01-2024      Data finalització oferta: 19-03-2024

Estudis d'assignació del projecte:
    GR ENG ALIMENT 2016
    GR ENG SIS BIOLÒG 23

Lloc de realització:
EEABB

Segon tutor/a (UPC): KALLAS CALOT, ZEIN

Paraules clau:
Sensory analysis, Sensory acceptability, Willingness to pay, Traditional, Turkey

Descripció del contingut i pla d'activitats:
There are many successful cases of the adoption in the Spanish diets of typical foods from other cultures, such as sushi, dürüm, or poké, among many others.

In an increasingly globalized world, consumers seem willing to accept new products from other cultures, as long as they align with their preferences and acceptance.

Therefore, this study aims to assess Spanish consumers' sensory acceptability of a typical Turkish cookie, the Kömbe, to determine whether it has the potential to be launched in the Spanish market. Likewise, the willingness to pay of consumers will also be determined, as well as the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants with a greater acceptance to identify market segments with a greater potential to adopt the Kömbe.

The study's chosen methodology will be a home-use test with 300 consumers. Samples will be individually packaged and distributed among a heterogeneous sample regarding gender and age.
The student will be responsible for the elaboration of the questionnaire, the preparation and distribution of the samples among the participants, the data analysis and the writing of the dissertation report.

Overview (resum en anglès): In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the sustainability of food production. This has driven the search for products that are not only environmentally friendly, but also healthy. The need to implement more sustainable practices in the food chain, such as the use of local products, is important to reduce the environmental impact and at the same time offer products that contribute to the general welfare of the population.
On the other hand, an increase in the prevalence of diet-related diseases, such as celiac disease has been observed. This has generated a growing demand for gluten-free foods, since people with this condition must avoid this component to maintain their health. However, the availability of products suitable for coeliacs is still limited in many markets, making it necessary to develop new products or introduce products in the Spanish market that can meet the needs of this segment of the population. Likewise, knowing consumer perceptions of these products is essential for predicting their success in the market.
In this context, the aim of this bachelor's thesis is to examine the acceptability of a product suitable for celiac consumers in Spain: Kömbe, a traditional product of Turkish origin, which is usually made with gluten-containing flours. The gluten-free Kömbe was evaluated for its acceptability to consumers and their willingness to pay before (expectations) and after tasting the product (reality). The results obtained indicated that, although the appearance, color and smell of the product obtained good initial acceptance, the taste and texture experienced a significant decrease after tasting, negatively affecting the overall acceptance. In addition, consumers' willingness to pay was also probed, which also declined significantly after the tasting. As for purchase intention, most participants indicated that they would probably not buy it or probably would not buy it, thus showing a low purchase intention after tasting the product.
Finally, a market segmentation study was also conducted to identify consumer groups that could be potential buyers of the product. The results indicated that the consumer segments with the greatest interest in the product are mostly over 55 years of age and are men.
KEY WORDS: Sensory analysis, Sensory acceptability, Willingness to pay, Traditional, Turkey.

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