Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The size of the wheat flour market at present is about 40 million tones per annum. According to the Mckinsey report by 2005 the packaged atta market is likely to see the emergence of flour to fi e large regional players with turno er in e!cess of "s #000 crore and o er $4 crore %ndians consuming branded atta. Thus the potential is huge waiting to be unleashed. &ut in order to succeed in this sector the marketer needs to ha e a complete understanding of the consumer's psyche( his needs and re)uirements and his e!pectations from a daily use product like atta. This will enable a marketer to satisfy the needs and re)uirements of his consumer in an optimum way. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES $. To determine the consumer perception and attitude towards packaged *branded+ and chakki *unbranded+ atta. 2. To determine the benefits percei ed by the consumer in branded s. unbranded atta. #. To determine the le el of in ol ement of the lady of the house in the purchase of atta. 4. To determine the perception of consumers towards arious atta brands in the market on arious attributes and hence draw a perceptual map. 5. To determine the psychographic profile of consumers of branded s. unbranded *chakki,loose+ atta. -. To design a strategy for the successful positioning of a new atta brand in the market. A sample of $00 consumers was di ided into 2 parts for the purpose 50 users of branded atta 50 users of unbranded atta

%%MT( M.."/T

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

The main findings were as follows : %n order to con ert the consumer using unbranded *chakki,loose+ atta to start using branded atta the person in the house hold that the marketers should target is the lady of the house. This is because she is the prime decision maker in conte!t of the type of atta that will be used in the house. The positioning adopted should be We select good quality wheat Our milling technology retains nutrients This results in the atta retaining more water All this makes the roti more soft This se)uential e!planation will con ince the consumer on the role of the marketer in the process and help her e!cept the fact that branded atta can be of better )uality than pro ided by her chakki atta. &oth the users of branded and unbranded atta agreed to the fact that branded atta was more con enient than chakki atta therefore the marketer should first con ince the final )uality being pro ided by him and then also add the con enience platform. The company should educate the consumer on the relationship between the colour of atta and its )uality and introduce atta in the colour as acceptable to the consumer. 0rom the analysis done to find the relationship between the three ariables it was seen that of the three ariables 1rice,2uality,1ackaging the consumer attaches greatest importance to )uality then to price and lastly packaging. 3 er all the most accepted combination is a high )uality 4 poly pack packaging 4 low price. 1sychographically 4 it was seen that the user of branded atta is an opinion seeker and does not mind paying e!tra for a well known brand in case she is con inced of the )uality. %t was also seen that user of branded atta is some what opinion leader. 5o the marketer can use the current branded users to act as opinion leaders and spread the irtues of the brand they use.

%%MT( M.."/T

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE
COMMODITIES AND BRANDS The word commodity describes products and ser ices that are highly standardized such as poultry( sulfuric acid( cement etc. %f a product class is percei ed by buyers to be homogeneous( then buyers will buy it from whoe er charges the lowest price. The marketer has two options6 3ne is to claim that the items in the class are not all identical7 there is enough ariation in )uality or performance to 8ustify slight price differences. Thus some cement companies make their cement with higher strength and better binding properties or e en colour. 9hen this matters to the buyers( they will pay more for the company:s cement. A company has a second option e en when the items in a class are nearly identical. The marketer can differentiate the offer surrounding the product. %nstead of thinking that the company is selling a ; commodity ;( the company must see itself selling as handling an ; undifferentiated product ; waiting to be turned into a ; differentiated offer ;. As <e itt pointed out in ; Marketing success through differentiation of anything ;( an offer can be augmented by offering more reliable deli ery( training( technical assistance( longer payment terms and so on. 1art of the answer lies in recognising that buyers ha e different needs and are therefore attracted to different offers. The real challenge is to identify customer needs that are not being met and for which customers would pay a premium. &randing of atta would need a similar kind of positioning. &ut before going deep into that first let me e!plain what e!actly is a brand.

%%MT( M.."/T

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

WHAT IS A BRAND A brand is a name term sign symbol or design or a combination of them intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or grou! of sellers and to differentiate them from those of com!etitors" A brand is essentially a seller: promise to consistently deli er a specific set of features( ser ices and benefits to the buyers. A brand can con ey upto si! le els of meanings. $. ATT"%&/T.5 2. &.=.0%T5 #. >A</.5 4. ?/<T/". 5. 1."53=A<%T@ -. /5." BRANDING DECISION The decision is whether a company should de elop a brand name for its product. %n the past most products went unbranded. 1roducers and middlemen sold their goods out of barrels( bins and cases( without any supplier identification. The earliest signs of branding were in the efforts of medie al guilds to re)uire crafts men to put trademarks on their products to protect themsel es and consumers against inferior )uality. %t is interesting to understand as to why the sellers prefer to brand their products when it clearly in ol es a cost 4 packaging( labeling( ad ertising( legal protection 4 and a risk if the product should pro e unsatisfying to the userA %t turns out that branding gi es the seller se eral ad antages. $. The brand name makes it easier for the seller to process orders and track down problems. 2. The sellers: brand name and trademark pro ide legal protection of uni)ue product features( which would otherwise be copied by the competitors. #. &randing gi es the seller the opportunity to attract a loyal and profitable set of consumers. &rand loyalty gi es sellers some protection from competitors and greater control in planning their marketing program.

%%MT( M.."/T

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

4. &randing helps the seller segment markets. .!. %nstead of B<< selling a simple detergent( it can offer a number of different ariants each formulated differently and aimed at specific benefit seeking segments. 5. Cood brands help build the corporate image. &y carrying the company:s name( they help ad ertise the )uality and size of the company. ?onsumers want brand names to help them identify )uality differences and shop more efficiently. This clearly shows that branding is a desirable feature for all the participants of the marketing program. BRANDING A COMMODITY &randing a commodity is a marketing e!ercise at a ery fundamental le el. %t in ol es o erturning the operating rules of the market i.e. establishing new selling propositions in a market( which has( so far( been dri en largely by price. And e erything from positioning( pricing( brand alues and packaging takes on a new sensiti ity. How do you offer sufficient value to the consumer to induce the shift from commodities to brands? Who do you target? What role does the degree of involvement play in the buying decision? What is an appropriate price-quality position that offers sufficient volumes and long term growth? How do you communicate that position? Where do the marketing investments need to be channeled? How does one reign in distribution and packaging costs to maintain a healthy bottomline? These are some of the issues( which are tackled in the course of the study so that marketers can be successful in the whole game of branding of commodities.

THE WHEAT FLOUR ( 'atta' ) OPPORTUNITY IN INDIA

There are two factors that make the %ndian wheat sector inherently attracti e6 1. It s sheer si!e ". The #entralit$ of wheat to the diets of a %er$ large n&m'er of (eo(le.
%%MT( M.."/T 5

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

The %ndian wheat sector is enormous. 3 er -050 million tons of grain are grown and consumed e ery year. Despite its importance( howe er the industry is at a ery early stage of e olution. There is conse)uently much scope for impro ement. Today( unbranded wheat grain is largely sold as a commodity( with negligible alue addition. 3 er the ne!t ten years the entry of large players in combination with the rising incomes of the masses of %ndia will dri e the transformation of this sector. &y 2005 the packaged atta market is likely to see the emergence of four to fi e large regional players with turno ers in e!cess of "s.#000 crore.

Branded atta will grow to Rs. !"### crore by $##!

The wheat sector in %ndia has until now been dominated by the sale of unbranded wheat( which is typically bought by indi idual households and then con erted into flour at the local chakki wallah. As a result( while %ndia produces and consumers o er 40 million tons of wheat per annum only $5 per cent of the wheat is purchased in the form of atta rather than grain and less than one per sent of the consumed atta is branded. 9hile the unbranded wheat grain sector is dominated by wheat sellers( the branded sector was until recently dominated by regional players. %t is only in the last few years that large players ha e entered this sector. D?9 Bome 1roducts( =.1? Agro and B<< are currently gaining prominence. As a result of these large players the branded flour market is now growing at o er #0 per cent a year. Bindustan <e er( which entered the market in $EE-( e!pects a turno er of nearly "s$(000 crore in branded atta by the turn of the century. This trend will make this sector one of the largest in the %ndian food industry by the year 2005( by which point it is estimated that o er $4 crore %ndians will consume branded atta.

%rowth will be driven by changing consumption patterns

The growth in the packaged atta industry will be dri en by 4 factors6 1. The first of these fa#tors and the one that dri%es all others is the rise in dis(osa'le in#omes. 5ome #4 crore households will mo e from 5ubsistence category to the &asic category o er the ne!t ten years. %t is this factor more than any other that will ensure increased consumption of packaged wheat flour.

%%MT( M.."/T

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

". The se#ond fa#tor that will #a&se a shift towards (a#)aged atta is the in#reasing %al&e man$ ho&seholds (&t on time. ?urrently o er E0 per cent of the wheat consumed in %ndia is eaten as roti and other forms of bread. %n conse)uence( bread making consumes many hours a week. ?urrently consumers buy the wheat grain( sie e it to remo e impurities( and then take it to be milled at the local mill or chakki. This process( which was the only way of assuring a consistent )uality of wheat flour until recently( is labour intensi e and time consuming. 1erpetuating this system is becoming is becoming increasingly difficult in the larger towns due to changing lifestyles. These changes( typified by the increasing numbers of nuclear families with working women( ensure that time is being percei ed as a scarce resource. This trend coupled with increasing disposable incomes of such families( combines to catalyze the demand for packaged branded atta. #. The third fa#tor dri%ing the growth of (a#)aged atta is the in#reasing demand for im(ro%ed *&alit$ and h$giene. The hygiene le els and )uality of locally procured grain and of the local chakki lea es much to be desired. &oth local organised players and large4scale players are beginning to educate the consumer about these issues. 4. The final fa#tor dri%ing the growth of 'randed wheat flo&r is the in#reasing (ress&re (&t on the e#onomies of the small+s#ale chakkis #a&sed '$ rising real estate %al&es. <ocal neighbourhood chakki wallahs face attracti e alternati es for their property including retailing. This pressure will ensure that the chakki wallah rapidly becomes a thing of the past in many of %ndia:s larger urban centers.

INTRODUCTION TO CONSUMER STUDY

As e!plained in the pre ious section it can be seen that in a country like %ndia there e!ists a tremendous potential for a mass consumption product like packaged atta *wheat flour+ on account of the large size of %ndia:s population and their food habits. &ut in order to succeed in this sector the marketer needs to ha e a complete understanding of the consumer:s psyche ( his needs and re)uirements and his e!pectations from a daily use product like atta. This would enable a marketer to satisfy the needs and re)uirements of his consumer in an optimal way.
%%MT( M.."/T F

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

At the same time 8ust understanding the consumer:s re)uirements and e!pectations from his atta will alone not help because of the deeply entrenched habit of the %ndian consumer to buy wheat and get it ground from her local chakkiwallah. 5o what is also re)uired is to ascertain the underlying reason behind this habit and the benefits which the consumers percei e are obtainable only by getting the wheat round at the chakki and not pro ide by branded *packaged+ atta. This is so because inspite of the efforts by arious companies in this sector( branded *packaged+ atta accounts for barely $ per cent of the total atta consumed in %ndia which is estimated to be 40 million tonnes per annum. 5o if the perception of the consumer towards branded and chakki atta can be determined then it will pro ide an insight into the consumer:s mind and help the marketer of branded *packaged+ atta design a strategy to induce a shift of consumers from unbranded to branded atta. CONSUMER STUDY Through this Market "esearch e!ercise % endea ored to in estigate and understand in detail the consumer perception and attitude towards branded and chakki *unbranded+ atta. % also tried to determine the benefit segmentation as percei ed by the consumer in conte!t of branded is4G4 is chakki *unbranded+ atta.

%%MT( M.."/T

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

RESEARCH PROCESS
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 1. To determine the #ons&mer (er#e(tion and attit&de towards (a#)aged ,'randed- and chakki ,&n'randed- atta. ". To determine the 'enefits (er#ei%ed '$ the #ons&mer in 'randed %s. &n'randed atta. .. To determine the le%el of in%ol%ement of the lad$ of the ho&se in the (&r#hase of atta. /. To determine the o(tim&m (ri#e (remi&m that #an 'e #harged for 'randed atta in order to ind&#e a shift from &n'randed to 'randed atta. 0. To determine the (er#e(tion of #ons&mers towards %ario&s atta 'rands in the mar)et on %ario&s attri'&tes and hen#e draw a (er#e(t&al ma(. 1. To determine the (s$#hogra(hi# (rofile of #ons&mers of 'randed %s. &n'randed ,chakki2loose- atta. 3. 4sing #on5oint anal$sis6 determine the (ri#e+*&alit$ + (a#)aging relationshi( 7 also determine the o(tim&m #o'ination of the three fa#tors. 8. To design a strateg$ for the s&##essf&l (ositioning of a new atta 'rand in the mar)et.

RESEARCH DESIGN The study conducted was Descripti e in nature. %t was done with the aim of describing the typical buyer of each of the types of atta and creating a clear image in the eyes of the marketers DATA COLLECTION METHOD a+ Se#ondar$ 9ata4 A literature sur ey was conducted before the )uestionnaire framing stage. >arious articles in books( magazines and 8ournals were consulted. Also the 0A%DA report 8ointly published by Mckinsey and ?%% was e!tensi ely referred to ha e an understanding of the %ndian food sector 4 %ts present profitability and future potential. b+ :o#&s Inter%iews 4 0ocus inter iews with company officials and arious retailers were carried out to understand the marketer:s and the retailer:s perspecti e towards branded is4 a4 is chakki , loose atta.
%%MT( M.."/T E

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

c+

;&estionnaire 4 0inally a consumer study was carried out by administering the )uestionnaire. The 1sychographic profile of the users of branded and unbranded atta was also determined . %ncluded in this were the lifestyle( interests( pastimes and media habits were determined

SAMPLE DESIGN Sam(le element : <ad$ of the ho&se Sam(le 4nit Sam(ling te#hni*&e : =on (ro'a'ilisti#6 #on%enien#e sam(ling Sam(le si!e : 1>> , 0> 'randed and 0> &n'randed -

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY $. The study was confined to Delhi city only and differences in perception and profile may e!ist for other parts of the country. 2. The sampling was based on con enience that could ha e gi en rise to errors. #. %nformation about the brands is mainly based on perceptions as knowledge of branded atta is not ery high. 4. The sample size of $00 users may not be enough to generalize the findings.

%%MT( M.."/T

$0

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

DELHI FLOUR MARKET

%n Delhi there are $#H licensed wheat flour manufacturing units. The total monthly production of wheat flour by these mills is around ##(000 MT. The consumption of packaged flour is around 204#0I of the total flour manufactured. About $0 companies are manufacturing and marketing packaged atta in Delhi by the &rand names of 6 $. 5hakti &hog 2. "ose &rand #. ?aptain ?ook 4. "a8dhani 5. Tripti -. Ahaar* missi roti atta and wheat flour+ K5hakti &hog' is the undisputed leader in this category in the Delhi Market( followed by K"ose &rand'( K?aptain ?ook' and K"a8dhani'. F. Maharani( H. Batthi E. &al Copal $0. =i!on *for diabetic and obese people+ 5tar *distributed by Jendriya &handars+

There are a number of companies manufacturing loose flour * a ailable in E0Jg gunny packs+. 5ome of the popular brands of the E0 Jg Cunny pack category are7 $. JDM *5hakti &hog+ 2. Ahaar #. Ankoor 4. Ashoka 5. Japil -. Baathi F. Canga H. "a8dhani E. Maharani $0. $$. $2. $#. $4. $5. %ndia Cate Banuman <ion 5tar Arora 5ethi

DATA ANALYSIS

%%MT( M.."/T

$$

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

5ince the study aimed at understanding the perception of users towards branded *packaged+ and unbranded *chakki, loose+ atta hence the sample of $00 was di ided into 2 parts. 50 users of branded *packaged+ atta 50 users of unbranded *chakki, loose+ atta As a result the analysis aims at finding the perception * both similar and aried+ of each of the two segments. The first 4 )uestions were asked in order to determine the le el of in ol ement of the lady of the house in the purchase of atta $. 3n asking the respondent to indicate as to who in the house decides which brand or type of atta to buy the following responses were obtained. Branded atta &sers @3/"5.<0 @3/" B/5&A=D @3/"5.<0 A=D B/5&A=D T3C.TB." @3/" 1A".=T5, %=4<A95 0AM%<@ T3C.TB." 5.">A=T @3/"5.<0 A=D 5.">A=T 5-I 04I $0I $HI 0-I 04I 02I

0rom the abo e data it can be clearly seen that in 5-I of the cases the lady of the house independently decides on the type of atta which the family should consume. %f we were to include those cases also where she in combination with some other member of the family decided then the figure 8umps up to F4I.

#This im!lies that in the case of branded atta users the lady of the house is very conscious of the atta coming into her house and takes the decision in this regard usually on her own" $t was also seen that in no case were the children the sole deciders as to which brand of atta the family should consume" $t was only in
%%MT( M.."/T $2

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

about %& cases that the family as a whole decided on the brand to use " This shows that atta being a very im!ortant and serious item of consum!tion for the family so the mother !robably would want to buy the brand she feels is the best for the family and hence uses her own 'udgment in this regard"( &hakki2 loose atta &sers @3/"5.<0 @3/" B/5&A=D @3/"5.<0 A=D B/5&A=D T3C.TB." @3/" 1A".=T5, %=4<A95 0AM%<@ T3C.TB." 4-I $0I $4I $-I $4I

The data for users of unbranded atta is )uite similar to the users of branded atta. 0rom the abo e data it can be clearly seen that the lady of the house 4-I of the time independently decides on the type of atta which the family should consume . %f we were to include those cases also where she in combination with some other member of the family decides then the figure 8umps up to F4I. This clearly shows that 8ust like branded atta users e en in the case of unbranded* chakki, loose+ atta users the lady of the house is ery conscious of the atta coming into her house and takes the decision in this regard usually on her own. 2. 9hen the respondent was asked as to who in the house usually buys the groceries the following responses were obtained. Branded atta &sers @3/"5.<0 @3/" B/5&A=D 5.">A=T 1A".=T5, %=4<A95 3TB."5 50I $0I $2I $-I $2I 4n'randed atta &sers 4-I 22I $2I $2I 0HI

#. 9hen the respondents were asked whether they in)uire about the atta:s )uality etc. it was seen that of the respondents who bought the atta themsel es HFI in)uired about the atta:s characteristics while $#I of the respondents did not in)uire. This indicates a high le el of in ol ement of the consumers with the atta they are using. 4. 9hen the respondents who use branded atta were asked whether they asked the retailer for a specific brand or 8ust asked the retailer to gi e atta and bought whiche er brand he ga e then the following response were obtained.
%%MT( M.."/T $#

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

As) for a s(e#ifi# 'rand of atta J&st tell the retailer to gi%e atta and '&$ whi#he%er 'rand he gi%es

8.? 13?

#The res!onses from the first ) questions clearly indicate that the lady of the house is highly involved with the atta that they are using as atta is a basic food item consumed by the family and the lady of the house who considers herself as the !rovider feels that the ty!e of atta being used should be the best for the family and she uses that !articular ty!e* brand which satisfies her discerning eyes in all res!ects"( 5. The sample had been taken in such a manner so that there were 50 users of branded and 50 users of unbranded atta. 3f the unbranded atta users a further di ision was made 4n'randed atta &sers + 0> The consumer buys wheat and gets it ground at the chakki Directly buy loose, chakki atta .3 1.

-. The following )uestion aimed at determining the benefits as obtained by users of branded atta from their brand of atta. #The sum of the res!onses e+ceeds %,, as the res!ondents were allowed to tick more than one o!tion( ' ()* +,&-,%*. /BR,0.*.1 ,22, B*&,()* %s more con enient than buying wheat and getting it ground at the chakki -0I More pure, hygienic than chakki or loose atta Trust in brand &etter )uality than chakki, loose atta <ea es less dust than chakki atta More fresh More nutritious 4HI #4I 22I $4I $0I 0HI

Thus it can be seen that the most important reason for using branded atta is the con enience factor as -0I of the respondents ha e chosen this option. 4HI of the users belie ed that branded atta is more pure, hygienic than chakki or loose atta and
%%MT( M.."/T $4

Consumer Behaviour Study for Packaged Atta

hence used branded atta. #4I of the respondents had trust in their brand and hence used it. &ut it was surprising that only 22I of the respondents felt that it was of better )uality than chakki atta and only HI felt that branded atta was more nutritious( though )uality,nutrition is the most important benefit that a user looks for when choosing a particular type, brand of atta. #This im!lies that the quality* nutrition !latform has not been used effectively by the marketers of branded-!ackaged. atta as shown from the above results and this factor should be ke!t in mind when designing a !ositioning strategy for a new brand of atta"( F. The following )uestion aimed at determining the benefits as obtained by users of unbranded *chakki+ atta from their atta. 9hen the users of unbranded *chakki+ atta were asked their reasons for using unbranded atta the following responses were obtained #The sum of the res!onses e+ceeds %,, as the res!ondents were allowed to tick more than one o!tion"(

%%MT( M.."/T

$5

' ()* &H,--' ,22, B*&,()* Cetting the wheat ground in front of you gi es you greater satisfaction and surety about the )uality More nutritious than packaged *branded+ atta More fresh More pure <ess e!pensi e than branded atta Trust in the chakki wallah -4I 44I 44I #HI $-I $2I

Thus it can be seen that the most important reason for using chakki atta is the fact that getting the wheat ground in front of you gi es you greater satisfaction and surety about the )uality as -4I of the respondents ha e chosen this option. 44I of the respondents belie ed that chakki atta is more nutritious than packaged atta and hence they used it . The same number felt that chakki atta was more fresh than branded atta. #HI of the respondents felt that chakki atta was more pure than branded atta. All these perceptions can be attributed to the fact that the lady bought a desired )uality of wheat and got it ground in front of her which would gi e her greater surety of the atta:s )uality as the whole process is under her ision and hence she is sure of the )uality. #Only if the marketer can convince the consumer that even a brand can give the same quality !urity and freshness only then can he induce a shift of the consumer from the unbranded to the branded category.L

%%MT( M.."/T

$-

Though an attempt was made to find the purchase fre)uency and the pack sizes bought the results are only appro!imate since a number of factors come into play when going in for a decision. 0or e!ample 0amily size( The ratio of wheat,rice consumed by the family Bow often do you buy atta A &randed 3nce a month 2-I Twice a month 52I More than twice a month 22I 9hat pack size, amount do you generally buy A &randed 2 Jg #I 5Jg #-I $0 Jg -$I $0 Jg 44 /nbranded 5HI ##I EI /nbranded 44 $$I 2EI -0I

As is e ident from the results the $0 Jg pack size is the fastest mo ing as far as branded atta is concerned.

H.

The likert scale was used to ascertain the perception of the users towards the

following issues. 0or each statement the mean score for the users of both branded and unbranded atta has been determined in order to understand the similarities and ariations in their perception to branded atta. a- Rotis made from Branded ,(a#)aged- atta taste 'etter . BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE 1.81> 4=BRA=9E9ATTA ..A1>

As e!pected it can be seen that the users of branded atta feel that the rotis made from branded atta taste better and the agreement is )uite strong on the issue. 3n the other hand the users of unbranded atta disagreed with the statement though the disagreement was not so strong.

%%MT( M.."/T

$F

'- Branded atta is more h$gieni# than chakki atta BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE 1./"> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA ..8/>

%t can be seen that the users of branded atta percei e it to be more hygienic than chakki atta and the agreement is ery strong on this issue. 3n the other hand the users of unbranded atta disagreed with the statement though the disagreement was not so strong. #- Branded ,(a#)aged- atta is more #on%enient than getting atta from chakki BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE 1.1"> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA "..1>

This statement brings to light some interesting results . The users of branded atta agreed strongly to the statement as can be made out from their mean score . &ut what came out as an interesting fact was that e en the users of unbranded * chakki, loose+ atta somewhat agreed with the statement. This clearly shows that branded *packaged+ atta scores ery high on the con enience platform but the users of chakki atta still use chakki atta because by getting the wheat ground in front of her she feels that she is getting better )uality and the time spent at the chakki is not considered to be a waste. d- Branded atta is made from s&(erior wheat as #om(ared to chakki atta BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE ".1"> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA /.1">

The users of branded atta were somewhat neutral on this issue whereas the users of chakki atta strongly disagreed with the statement. This shows that e en the users of branded atta were not ery sure of the )uality of grain used in making their atta and hence were not really certain of its )uality. 3n the other hand since the users of chakki atta got the wheat ground in front of them hence were con inced of its )uality. e- Branded atta is 'etter %al&e for mone$ than chakki or loose atta
%%MT( M.."/T $H

BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE "./1>

4=BRA=9E9 ATTA /.>/>

The users of branded atta somewhat agreed on the issue but the agreement was ery weak. 3n the other hand the users of unbranded atta strongly disagreed with the statement. This implies that the user of branded atta realizes that branded atta is somewhat e!pensi e than unbranded atta but probably owing to the con enience pro ided she percei es it to be >0M though the agreement is not ery strong and she can be easily swayed. The user of unbranded atta disagrees because the atta so obtained turns out to be cheaper and for her the time spent at the chakki is not considered to be a waste( hence for her chakki atta gi es her alue for her money. f- Branded atta is more fresh as #om(ared to an$ other atta BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE ".1>> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA /..8>

The users of branded atta were somewhat neutral on this issue whereas the users of chakki atta strongly disagreed with the statement. This is mainly because of the fact that the unbranded user has the satisfaction of getting the wheat ground infront of her eyes and hence is that much surer( whereas the branded user may not be sure of the freshness incase he does not trust his brand.

%%MT( M.."/T

$E

g- Branded atta is more (&re as #om(ared to chakki atta BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE "."/> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA /..">

The users of branded atta somewhat agreed on the issue. 3n the other hand the users of unbranded atta strongly disagreed with the statement. h- Branded atta is more #onsistent in taste and *&alit$ than chakki atta BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE 1.88> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA ..11>

The users of branded atta somewhat agreed to the statement whereas the users of unbranded atta somewhat disagreed( but the disagreement is not ery strong . This im!lies that the milling technology leaves much to desire as it does not give consistent quality and taste time to time" i- Branded atta is more n&tritio&s than an$ other atta BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE ".1>> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA /."/>

The users of branded atta were somewhat neutral on this issue whereas the users of chakki atta strongly disagreed with the statement. This im!lies that the users of branded atta were not very sure of the nutrition value of their brand of atta whereas the users of chakki atta were very sure of the nutrition value of their atta as they had the satisfaction of buying the wheat themselves and getting it ground in front of them"

E. Another <ikert scale was used to determine the perception of the respondents to certain general issues like their food habits( consumption patterns etc. a- I reall$ lo%e #oo)ing and do so reg&larl$

%%MT( M.."/T

20

BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE ".1">

4=BRA=9E9 ATTA 1.A>

/sers of both branded and unbranded atta seem to agree on this issue( which shows that choice of atta does not influence their cooking habits. '- I 'elie%e that (a#)aged atta #annot 'e fresh or h$gieni# BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE ..A"> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA "./>

The users of branded *packaged+ atta disagree with the statement while users of unbranded atta are somewhat neutral on this issue which im!lies that they are not averse to using branded -!ackaged. atta !rovided they can be assured of its quality and nutrition value" #- Be s(end la%ishl$ on food at home BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE "../> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA ".>1>

&oth types of users seem to agree on this issue though the agreement is not ery strong and hence shows that a hefty price tag on the branded atta will not find many takers. d- I atta#h great im(ortan#e to the 'rand of atta in m$ home BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE ".>8> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA ".1>

The users of branded atta somewhat agree with this statement whereas the users of unbranded atta lie between somewhat agree and neutral. This im!lies that the current users of unbranded atta are not averse to using branded atta and there e+ists a !ossible chance for their conversion !rovided the marketers can understand their requirements and o!timally satisfy those" e- Bomen who &se 'randed atta are more o&tgoing and (rogressi%e

%%MT( M.."/T

2$

BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE .."">

4=BRA=9E9 ATTA ..81>

The users of branded atta are neutral to this statement whereas the users of unbranded atta somewhat disagree with the issue though the disagreement is not ery strong. This shows that there is no convincing evidence which can show any relationshi! between the ty!e of atta used by the lady and whether she is outgoing and !rogressive" This is because both the categories of res!ondents were somewhat neutral towards this issue and hence it can be said that there is no relationshi! between the ty!e of atta used by the lady and whether she is outgoing and !rogressive" f- The whiter the #olo&r of the atta 6 'etter is its *&alit$ BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE ..18> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA ..A8>

The users of both branded and unbranded atta were seen to disagree on this issue. This implies that the whiter the atta ( poor is its )uality as percei ed by the respondents. g- Bomen who #are for their famil$Cs health get the wheat gro&nd from the chakki BRA=9E9 ATTA @EA= SCORE ../>> 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA ".//>

The users of branded atta disagree with the statement whereas the users of unbranded *chakki,loose+ atta somewhat agree with the statement but the agreement is ery weak. This im!lies that branded atta is not 'ust regarded as a mere convenience aid but is also !erceived to be beneficial to the family/s health not only by its current users but also to some e+tent by the users of unbranded atta" h- Bor)ing women generall$ &se 'randed ,(a#)aged- atta BRA=9E9 ATTA 4=BRA=9E9 ATTA

%%MT( M.."/T

22

@EA= SCORE

1./8>

".1">

The users of branded atta strongly agree with the statement while the users of unbranded atta are bordering between somewhat agree and neutral. This im!lies that it is an acce!ted fact that working women more commonly use branded atta" $n case this misconce!tion can be cleared by the marketers of branded atta it can result in a massive switching from the unbranded segment to the branded segment" $0. Through this )uestion % tried to determine the price premium that a respondent currently using unbranded *chakki, loose+ atta would be ready to pay for branded *packaged+ atta brought out by a reputed company. After analyzing the data a mean figure of "s $.H per kilo was obtained. This implies that the price premium that a company selling branded atta can charge should not e!ceed Rs " (er )ilo . %ncase it charges any amount greater than "s 2 per kilo it will not be able to induce a switch of the users of unbranded atta to branded atta.

%%MT( M.."/T

2#

CO=JOI=T A=A<DSIS
Through this e!ercise the price 4 )uality 4 packaging relationship and their optimum combination was sought to be determined. 0rom the data so obtained if % were to rank the combinations the ranking in the decreasing order of preference would appear as follows. $. Bigh )uality 4 1oly pack 4 2. Bigh )uality 4 Cunny bag 4 #. Bigh )uality 4 1oly pack 4 <ow price <ow price Bigh price

4. Bigh )uality 4 Cunny bag 4 Bigh price 5. Medium )uality 4 1oly pack 4 <ow price -. Medium )uality 4 Cunny bag 4 <ow price F. Medium )uality 4 1oly pack 4 Bigh price H. Medium )uality 4 Cunny bag 4 Bigh price 5o if these combinations and rankings are analyzed it can be clearly seen that of the three ariables 1rice( 2uality and 1ackaging the consumer attaches greatest importance to 3uality" then to +rice and lastly +ackaging. This implies that the utility function is highest for the 2uality ariable then the 1rice ariable and finally the 1ackaging ariable. This implies that the consumer would be ready to trade off price and packaging as long as she gets the desired )uality. 3nce she gets the desired )ualities she would be pushed to trade off the packaging as long as she gets the desired price. 5o it can be seen that the importance of the three ariables in the decreasing order is as follows 1. ;4A<ITD ". ERICE .. EACFAGI=G The marketer should keep this in to account while designing any strategy 1. ;&alit$ + High *&alit$ is (referred to medi&m *&alit$. ". Eri#e + <ow (ri#e is (referred to High (ri#e.
%%MT( M.."/T 24

.. Ea#)aging + Eol$ (a#) (a#)aging is (referred to G&nn$ 'ag (a#)aging. 3 erall the most accepted combination is the High *&alit$+Eol$ (a#) (a#)aging+<ow (ri#e while the least accepted combination is @edi&m *&alit$+G&nn$ 'ag (a#)aging+High (ri#e.

%%MT( M.."/T

25

ESDCHOGRAEHIC ERO:I<E
Through this analysis % ha e tried to find out the differences *if any + in the psychographic profile of a typical user of branded and unbranded atta. &asically % would like to find out what makes such a person tick in life. %f % were to list the mean alues for the arious parameters the list would look like this
BRA=9E9 1 " . / 0 1 3 8 I am &s&all$ amongst the first ,from m$ friends- to tr$ o&t a new (rod&#t Career is more im(ortant to me than other things in life I donCt mind (a$ing eHtra for a well )nown 'rand I &s&all$ ta)e othersC o(inion 'efore '&$ing a (rod&#t I ha%e se%eral friends and li)e meeting new (eo(le 1.1> I am *&ite inde(endent in life I often hel( m$ friends in their (&r#hase de#isions ".>8 ".>1 ".0/ ".1> ..1> 1.A" ".8/ "..> ".>> ".A> ".A1 ".11 ".>/ ".38 4=BRA=9E9

I wo&ld feel %er$ #omforta'le in addressing a 'ig a&dien#e ".11

0rom the abo e alues it can be seen that e!cept on two parameters4socially mobility and opinion seeking and leadership( the psychographic profile of the users of branded atta is )uite similar to that of the users of unbranded atta. 5o the o erall profile is as follows6 $. 5he is almost neutral to arious inno ations in the market. This could be the reason for the hesitancy on the part of the consumer to shift from unbranded to branded atta owing to the deep lying food habits and resistance to inno ation. 2. #. 5he is neutral to career orientation. This implies that neither is she a headstrong career oriented woman nor is she obli ious to her career. 5he doesn:t mind paying e!tra for a well known brand. This is a good sign for being marketer of branded atta and can be used to induce a shift from the unbranded to the branded ariety. 4. 5he sometimes take others: opinion before buying a product. This implies that she is somewhat of an opinion seeker( though the association is not ery
%%MT( M.."/T 2-

strong. 5o if the marketer can determine who plays the role of the opinion leader his message can reach his target audience more effecti ely through the opinion leader. 5. -. 5he is somewhat confident in life though the association is not ery strong. 5he is an independent woman in life. =ow we come to the two parameters on which the two users are much different. $. The user of branded atta is mobile socially as can be seen from the mean score of $.- whereas the unbranded user is somewhat socially mobile as indicated by the mean score of 2.#. Also our result is confirmed by seeing the number of parties attended and the number of times dined out in a month which are 2.and 2.E for branded users and $.H and 2.0 for unbranded users. 2. The second different factor is the concept of opinion leadership. The user of branded atta is somewhat an opinion leader whereas the unbranded atta user is neutral to this parameter. %f we compare this with the results of the opinion seeking parameter we see the re erse4the branded users are neutral whereas the unbranded users are opinion seekers. This is an important result as the current branded users can act as opinion leaders and spread the irtues of the brand they use. Also through the testimonial route this effect can be accomplished. 5he is an a id magazine reader with an a erage readership of 2 magazines per person. The readership patterns are as follows 6
BRA=9E9 4SERS 4=BRA=9E9 4SERS

%=D%A T3DA@ 0.M%=A ".AD."5 D%C.5T ?35M313<%TA= 0%<M &A5.D MACAM%=.5

-2I 4HI 40I 22I $HI

50I 52I #4I 2-I $-I

4=BRA=9E9 4SERS

The T> iewership patterns are as follows 6

BRA=9E9 4SERS

M.. 5TA" 1</5 53=@

%%MT( M.."/T

F0I 5HI #0I

-2I 4HI #HI

2F

D33"DA"5BA= &&?, D%5?3>."@

25I #2I

54I 2-I

.!cept for the other channels where the iewership pattern were seen to be )uite similar ( in the case of Doordarshan it was seen that it was that it was occasionally watched by the users of branded atta but fre)uently by the users of unbranded atta. This is an important finding. 9hen in)uired about the e ents that they regularly isited the following responses were obtained 6
BRA=9E9 4SERS 4=BRA=9E9 4SERS

ery

M3>%.5 M/5%?A< 1."03"MA=?.5 1<A@5 A"T .NB%&%T%3=5 3TB."5

52I #0I $-I $4I #2I

52I $HI $2I $-I 22I

%%MT( M.."/T

2H

EERCEET4A< @AE
% ha e performed the analysis for both the users of branded atta as well as users of unbranded atta in order to find out the perception of the present users and the potential users. This would enable the arious brands in the market to understand how their brands are percei ed by their current users and how the non users percei e them so that they can take steps to ade)uately change their positioning in order to get the ma!imum switches from the unbranded category.

BRA=9E9 ATTA 4SERS

@a( on the dimensions of *&alit$ ,$ aHis- and Eri#e ,H aHis;&alit$ C A R Eri#e S

C O ?aptain ?ook A O Jissan Annapurna R O "ose &rand S O 5hakti &hog ;4A<ITD + ?aptain ?ook and 5hakti &hog rate positi ely on the )uality attribute indicating that that the users are satisfied with the )uality of the atta of these companies. Jissan Annapurna was rated slightly negati e on this attribute which could probably due to the fact since the atta has been launched recently its message may still not ha e filtered across the current users of other brands. "ose brand atta was rated e!tremely negati e indicating that the respondents were not satisfied with the )uality of its atta. ERICE + "ose brand( Jissan Annapurna and ?aptain ?ook rate negati ely on the price attribute indicating that the users were not satisfied with the price of
%%MT( M.."/T 2E

these companies atta as compared to the other brands whereas 5hakti &hog was the only brand which rated positi ely on price . ?aptain ?ook was rated the most negati e on price which shows that e en though the respondents percei ed it to be pro iding the best )uality yet its price was too high not 8ustifying its )uality. @a( on the dimensions of (a#)aging ,H+aHis- and freshness ,$+aHis:reshness A C S R Ea#)aging

The users tended to percei e a product that is well packaged as fresh and ice4 ersa. ?aptain ?ook and Jisan Annapurna fare positi ely and are ery close to each other whereas "ose &rand fared negati ely as compared to others. AVAI<ABI<ITD 4 5hakti &hog and ?aptain ?ook rate high on a ailability whereas "ose &rand and Jissan Annapurna rate negati ely on a ailability though Annapurna rates only slightly negati e. Annapurna being a new entrant to the market could be facing distribution problems. 3nce these are sorted out ( then its rating on this attribute should impro e.

%%MT( M.."/T

#0

4=BRA=9E9 ATTA 4SERS

@a( on the 9imensions of ;&alit$ ,$+aHis- and Eri#e ,H+aHis;&alit$ C S A Eri#e R

;4A<ITD +

5hakti &hog( ?aptain ?ook and Jissan Annapurna rate

positi ely on the )uality attribute. "ose &rand was rated highly negati e on this attribute which shows that e en though the respondents ha e not used this brand still they don:t consider its )uality to be as good as the other brands. ERICE + 5hakti &hog( ?aptain ?ook and Jissan Annapurna rate positi ely on the 1rice attribute. "ose &rand was rated highly negati e on this attribute which shows that e en though the respondents ha e not used this brand still they don:t consider it to be pro iding alue for money.

%%MT( M.."/T

#$

@a( on the 9imensions of Ea#)aging ,$+aHis- and :reshness ,H+aHisEa#)aging A C S :reshness R

EACFAGI=G and :RESH=ESS 4 The users percei e a product that is well packaged is fresh and ice ersa. ?aptain ?ook and Jissan Annapurna fare positi ely whereas 5hakti &hog and "ose &rand slightly negati e. AVAI<ABI<ITD 4 ?aptain ?ook and Jissan Annapurna rate high on a ailability whereas 5hakti &hog and "ose &rand rate negati ely on a ailability though 5hakti &hog rates only slightly negati e. This shows that on the 2uality( packaging and freshness attributes the perception of both the users and non users of branded atta towards the arious brands in the market is )uite similar whereas it is different on the other parameters. fare negati ely as compared to ?aptain ?ook and Jissan Annapurna but 5hakti &hog is ery

RESEARCH HDEOTHESIS

%%MT( M.."/T

#2

1. I=CO@E =&ll H$(othesis H# 4 2here is no relationship between the household income and the type of atta used in the house. "esult 6 The chi s)uare alue for this relationship was found out to be $2.4$0# with degree of freedom df H. The chi s)uare table alue for E5I confidence le el with df H is $5.5$. Thus at E5I confidence le el we can accept the null hypothesis. ". AGE =&ll H$(othesis H#$ 4'n case of users of branded atta there is no relationship between the age of the lady of the house and the type of atta used "esult 6 The chi s)uare alue for this relationship was found out to be 2-.2 with df 4. The chi s)uare table alue for E5I confidence le el with df 4 is E.4E. Thus at E5I confidence le el we can re8ect the null hypothesis. %nfact it is seen that a greater proportion of young respondents use branded atta. .. CAREER ORIE=TATIO= =&ll H$(othesis H#5: 2here is no relationship between the career orientation of the respondent and the type of atta used in the house. "esult 6 The chi s)uare alue for this relationship was found out to be -.#-E with df H. The chi s)uare table alue for E5I confidence le el with df H is $5.5$ .Thus at E5I confidence le el we can accept the null hypothesis.

%%MT( M.."/T

##

/. BORFI=G BO@E= =&ll H$(othesis H#6: 2here is no relationship between the type of atta used in the house and whether the woman is working. "esult 6 The chi s)uare alue for this relationship was found out to be F5.H with df 4. The chi s)uare table alue for E5I confidence le el with df 4 is E.4E .Thus at E5I confidence le el we can re8ect the null hypothesis. This implies that working women generally use branded atta. 0. O4TGOI=G A=9 EROGRESSIVE =AT4RE =&ll H$(othesis H#!: 2here is no relationship between the type of atta used in the house and whether the woman is outgoing and progressive. Res&lt : The chi s)uare alue for this relationship was found out to be $$.#4-# with df H. The chi s)uare table alue for E5I confidence le el with df H is $5.5$. Thus at E5I confidence le el we can accept the null hypothesis.

%%MT( M.."/T

#4

CO=C<4SIO= A=9 RECO@@E=9ATIO=S

%t was clearly seen that in both the cases of users of branded as well as unbranded atta the lady of the house is highly in ol ed with the atta used in the house by the family and irrespecti e of who purchases the atta ( she retained her position as the prime decision maker. 5o in order to con ert the consumer using unbranded * chakki, loose+ atta to start using branded atta the person in the household that the marketers should target is the lady of the house. This is because she is the prime decision maker in conte!t of the type of atta that will be used in the house. %t was also seen that the most important factor taken into consideration by the respondents when buying atta is the )uality *purity+ and the freshness of the atta. This is the most important reason as to why the users of unbranded atta buy chakki atta because the act of buying a desired )uality of wheat and getting it ground in front of her would gi e her greater satisfaction and surety of the atta:s )uality as the whole process is under her discerning ision. 3n the other hand the users of branded atta were mainly using it on account of the con enience it pro ided is4G4 is chakki atta as shown by the fact that -0I of the respondents used it because it was more con enient than engaging in the process of buying wheat and getting it ground. 9hereas only HI of the respondents used it because they felt that it was more nutritious *better )uality+ than chakki atta. This clearly shows that branded atta needs to be positioned on a )uality with con enience platform i.e. %t is not only more con enient than chakki atta but also gi es more nutrition and better )uality as compared to chakki atta. The companies selling branded atta should not only show but also pro ide better )uality than chakki, loose atta.

%%MT( M.."/T

#5

'f you can7t substantiate the consumer will re8ect it Marketers will ha e to battle with a deeply entrenched habit of the consumers to get the wheat ground at the chakki in order to ensure that it is fresh and of good )uality. &ecause out of this habit stems the resistance to buy branded *packaged+ atta. Will it be fresh ? What is the guarantee that it is pure ? The brand managers needs to put together a selling proposition that debunks these fears con incingly. They ha e to con ince the lady of the house that inspite of the fact that in the case of branded atta though she will not be able to see the milling process as isible in the case of chakki atta ( still the branded atta will be of better )uality and more fresh than chakki atta. @ou ha e to con ince her that by using branded atta her role of a pro ider would still be intact and by gi ing up grinding she would not be losing anything. This is because she will switch o er to branded atta only once she is con inced of the )uality( freshness and purity of the branded atta. As a company you ha e to con ince the consumer that you are playing a part in each process right from selecting good )uality grain to gi ing her pure( fresh and good )uality atta. /nless the marketer can substantiate the claim( the consumer will re8ect it. @ou ha e to gi e her a perceptible difference to switch from unbranded to branded atta. The (ositioning ado(ted sho&ld 'e : PWe select good quality wheat 9ur milling technology retains nutrients 2his results in the atta retaining more water ,ll this makes the roti more soft.: This se)uential e!planation will con ince the consumer on the role of the marketer in the process and help her accept the fact that branded atta can be of better )uality than pro ided by her chakki atta.

%%MT( M.."/T

#-

Another positioning that can be adopted could be on the HDGIE=E platform gi en the poor hygiene conditions in most chakkis. Also it was seen that the user of chakki atta feels that she didn:t get consistent )uality atta from time to time owing to the milling technology as pre alent in the chakkis. 5o the company could demonstrate its superior )uality by showing the hygienic conditions under which the wheat is ground at its factories to produce atta and hence guarantee her consistent )uality atta each time she buys atta. This can also be achie ed by dri ing home source credibility. All this will help the companies selling branded atta to fight the atta. CO=VE=IE=CE &oth the users of branded and unbranded atta agreed to the fact that branded atta was more con enient than chakki atta. &ut the sole reason as to why the unbranded user was not using branded atta was because she was not sure of its )uality. 5he rated )uality a more important factor than con enience. Therefore this also adds to the point % made earlier that the marketer should first con ince the lady of the )uality being pro ided by him and also add the con enience platform . This would induce a massi e switch from unbranded to branded atta. CO<O4R O: ATTA &oth users agreed on the fact that the whiter the atta( poorer is its )uality. Bence the company should educate the consumer on the relationship between the color of the atta and its )uality and introduce atta in the colour as acceptable to the consumers. deeply

entrenched habit of getting the wheat ground at the chakki to get superior )uality

%%MT( M.."/T

#F

ERICE + ;4A<ITD + EACFAGI=G RE<ATIO=SHIE

0rom the analysis as done to find the relationship between the # ariables it was seen that of the three ariables 1rice( 2uality and 1ackaging the consumer attaches greatest importance to 2uality( then to 1rice and lastly 1ackaging. This implies that the utility function is highest for the 2uality ariable then the 1rice ariable and finally the 1ackaging ariable. The consumer would be ready to trade off price and packaging as long as she gets the desired )uality. 3nce she gets the desired )uality she could be pushed to trade off the packaging as long as she gets the desired price. 5o it can be seen that the importance of the three ariables in the decreasing order is as follows 1. ;4A<ITD ". ERICE .. EACFAGI=G $. 2uality 4 Bigh )uality is preferred to medium )uality. 2. 1rice 4 <ow price is preferred to Bigh price. #. 1ackaging 4 1oly pack packaging is preferred to Cunny bag packaging. 3 erall the most accepted combination is the High quality-+oly pack packaging;ow price while the least accepted combination is <edium quality-%unny bag packaging-High price. The marketer should keep this into account while designing any strategy but any decision on the price 4 )uality 4 packaging relationship should also take into the consideration the cost of each option and the marginal re enue obtained from each combination before deciding upon the final combination to offer to the consumer. EACFAGI=G The packaging should support the company:s claim of good )uality because it is the packaging through which the consumer makes the first contact with the product. 5o if the company is promising a high )uality atta then the product:s packaging should reflect that claim. Also from the 1ereptual map analysis it was seen that a cluster is formed between packaging and purity, freshness. This means that consumers percei e a well packaged product to be of high )uality*purity( freshness+ and ice4 ersa. Therefore 1ackaging becomes a ery important criteria for choosing a particular brand and
%%MT( M.."/T #H

hence the company should use a good )uality packaging *poly pack+ to reflect the atta:s good )uality. The packaging should maintain the )uality o er a long time and should be tamper proof so that it is not eaten by mice( rodents etc. and retains the freshness. OETI@4@ ERICE ERE@I4@ The optimum price premium o er loose, chakki atta that a company selling branded atta can charge should not e!ceed "s 2 per kilo . %ncase it charges any amount greater than "s 2 per kilo it will not be able to induce a switch of the users of unbranded atta to branded atta. This is because though the user rates )uality as the most important factor in deciding the type of atta to consume( she still is ery price sensiti e and would not be ready to pay higher than "s.2 per kilo premium o er unbranded atta. 1sychographically we see that the user of unbranded atta is an opinion seeker and doesn:t mind paying e!tra for a well known brand incase she is con inced of the )uality. 5o if the marketer can determine who plays the role of the opinion leader his message can reach his target audience more effecti ely through the opinion leader. %t was also seen that the user of branded atta is somewhat an opinion leader. 5o the marketer can use the current branded users to act as opinion leaders and spread the irtues of the brand they use. Also through the testimonial route this effect can be accomplished.

%%MT( M.."/T

#E

RECO@@E=9ATIO=S :OR SEECI:IC BRA=9S I= THE @ARFET

1. CAETAI= COOF ?aptain ?ook rates positi ely on all factors iz. )uality( packaging. freshness and a ailability e!cept price on which it rates negati ely. This implies that consumers consider it to be a good )uality atta but does not 8ustify the price charged. This is due to the fact that atta is a price sensiti e product and captain ?ook may not be able to achie e high olumes due to this strategy. 5o either it charges a lower price to get more trials and hence garner more olumes or position itself as a niche product by putting emphasis on its high )uality offered. ". FISSA= A==AE4R=A Jissan Annapurna being a new entrant to the market is facing teething problems which shows in its slight negati e rating on the )uality and a ailability factors. %t is e!pected that as its network falls in place it will be able to sol e its distribution and a ailability problems. "egarding its negati e )uality perception it should source credibility by showing that the atta is a product of Bindustan <e er and continue with its e!isting campaign wherein the idea of the company:s role in the entire wheat chain to gi e the consumer high )uality atta is emphasized. Bopefully in due course of time this message will filter across the respondents and the atta should be able to garner high olumes. .. SHAFTI BHOG 5hakti &hog rates negati ely on 8ust one factor iz. 1ackaging and 0reshness. 3wing to the cluster between packaging and freshness if the company sorts out it packaging by introducing a well packaged product it should be able to change the perception in the minds of the consumers. /. ROSE BRA=9 "ose brand rates negati ely on all factors which implies that there needs to be a complete re amping of its strategy and marketing plan in order to do well in the market.

%%MT( M.."/T

40

BIBLIOGRAPHY
$. Jotler( 1hilip7 Marketing Management 6 Analysis( 1lanning( %mplementation and ?ontrol( 1rentice Ball of %ndia( =ew Delhi *$EE-+ Hth .d 2. Creen( 1aul .7 Tull( Donald 5( and Albaum( Cerald6 "esearch for Marketing Decisions7 1rentice Ball of %ndia( =ew Delhi *$EE#+( 5th .d #. 0ood and Agriculture %ntegrated de elopment Action *0A%DA+ "eport6 ?%% and McJinsey Q ?ompany %nc 4. Ad ertising and Management $- 4 2H 0ebruary( $EEF 5. The 5trategist $4th =o ember( $EE5 -. The 5trategist 2-th Ranuary( $EEH F. &rand 9agon 2#rd December( $EEF H. &rand 9agon #0th August( $EE-

%%MT( M.."/T

4$

Appe !"#

%%MT( M.."/T

42

;&alities of Bheat:
5uperior )uality Durum wheat* T0$T$C12 31012. is a superior ariety of wheat known by the names of 5%"3B% and 5BA"&AT% in %ndia. %t is grown in M.1.( 5outh "a8asthan ( Baryana*Jaithal+ and 1un8ab*Jhanna+. %t accounts for nearly -4HI of total production in %ndia. %ts cost is also ery high as compared to other arieties. T"%T%?/M A?T%>/M ariety *also called Dhara in local dialect+ is grown in most of the areas of 1un8ab and Baryana and constitutes the ma8or part of wheat produced in %ndia. This ariety of the wheat is commonly used in most of the factories( producing wheat flour Ein %ndia. 5ome arieties of the type are 1&94#4 9B4HE1&942## ""422 9B44F( etc.

%%MT( M.."/T

4#

PROJECT REPORT ON A STUDY OF COSUMER BEHAVIOUR FOR PACKAGED ATTA AND STRATEGY FOR SUCCESSFUL POSITIONING

1nder the 4uidance of 5

@r. Ra5at Ai$ar

Submitted by5

Aman(riet 9hingra

=9R* )&H99; 9= <,0,%*<*02 0*W .*;H'

%%MT( M.."/T

44

;4ESTIO==AIRE
2. $ Do you use branded atta . @es =o *%f =o( go to )uestion =o. 4 directly( %f @es( go to )uestion 2+ 2. 2 Do you ask your retailer for @our specific brand 0or atta as such and buy which e er brand he gi es 2. # @ou use packaged atta becauseSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS 2. 4 0or ?hakki atta *unbranded atta users+ only a+ @ou prefer chakki atta o er packaged atta because SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS b+ Bow much e!tra are willing to pay for a good )uality brand per kg. SSSSSS 0or both branded and unbranded atta users 2. 5 9ho in the house decides which brand or type of atta to buy @ourself @our husband 1arents,in4laws 0amily

5er ant 2. - 9ho in the family usually buys groceries @ourself @our husband 5er ant 1arents,in4laws

3thers 2. F &efore buying atta do you generally in)uire about its )ualityA @es =o 2. H 9hat pack size,amount do generally buy 2 kg. 5 kg. $0 kg. T $0 kg.
;&alit$ Eri#e

2. E 1lease rate the following brands on the gi en attributes on a scale of $4$0( with $ referring to least fa ourable and $0 to most fa ourable.

:reshness

Ea#)aging

A%aila'ilit$

?aptain ?ook "ose &rand Jissan Annapurna 5hakti &hog

%%MT( M.."/T

45

2. $0 Tick the most appropriate option a+ "oties made from branded *packaged atta+ taste better 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree 5trongly disagree b+ &randed atta is more hygienic than chakki atta. 5trongly agree Agree Disagree =o opinion

5trongly disagree

c+ &randed atta is more con enient than getting atta from chakki 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree 5trongly disagree d+ &randed atta is made from superior wheat as compare to chakki atta 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree

5trongly disagree

e+ &randed atta is better alue for money than chakki or loose atta 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree 5trongly disagree f+ &randed atta is more fresh as compared to any other atta 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree

5trongly disagree

g+ &randed is more pure as compared to chakki atta 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree 5trongly disagree h+ &randed atta is more consistent in taste and )uality than chakki atta 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree

5trongly disagree

i+ &randed atta is more nutritious than any other atta 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree 5trongly disagree 2. $$ Tick the option you find most appropriate a+ % really lo e cooking and do so regularly 5trongly agree Agree Disagree

=o opinion

5trongly disagree

b+ % belie e that packaged atta can not fresh or hygienic 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree 5trongly disagree c+ 9e spend la ishly on food at home 5trongly agree Agree Disagree
%%MT( M.."/T

=o opinion

4-

5trongly disagree

d+ % attach great importance to the brand of atta 5trongly agree Agree Disagree

=o opinion

5trongly disagree

e+ 9omen who use branded atta are more outgoing and progressi e 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree 5trongly disagree f+ The whiter is the colour of atta( better the )uality 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree

5trongly disagree

g+ 9omen who care for their family's health get wheat ground from the chakki 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree 5trongly disagree h+ 9orking women generally use branded *packaged+ atta 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree

5trongly disagree

%%MT( M.."/T

4F

2. $2 Tick the most appropriate option a+ % am usually amongst the first *from my friends+ to try out a new product 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree 5trongly disagree b+ ?areer is more important to me than other things in life 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree

5trongly disagree

c+ % don't mind paying e!tra for a well known brand 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree 5trongly disagree d+ % usually take other's opinion before buying a product 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree

5trongly disagree

e+ % would feel ery comfortable in addressing a big audience 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree 5trongly disagree f+ % ha e se eral friends and like meeting new people 5trongly agree Agree =o opinion Disagree

5trongly disagree

=o opinion

g+ % am )uite independent in life 5trongly agree Agree Disagree 5trongly disagree h+ % often my friends in their purchase decisions 5trongly agree Agree Disagree

=o opinion

5trongly disagree

2. $# "ank the following in order of importance to you( $ being most important and # least important 1rice SSSSSSSSSSSSS 2uality SSSSSSSSSSSSS 1ackaging SSSSSSSSSSSSS

%%MT( M.."/T

4H

2. $4 9hat are the magazines you read %ndia Today 0imina "eader's Diegest ?osmopolitan 0ilm based

3thers *specify+ 2. $5 9hat channels do you generally watch SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. 2. $- 9hich of these do you regularly isit Mo ies Music 1erformances 1lays Art .!hibitions others *5pecify+ 2. $F 9hat is your monthly house hold income U5(000 $0(000 4 $5(000

T 20(000 2. $H 9hich age category do you fall into U 20 204#0 #0440 T 40

5(000 4 $0(000
$5(000 4 20(000

2. $E Are you a working woman A %f yes then are you Teacher Doctor &usiness 9oman

%%MT( M.."/T

4E

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This project took me through the various facets of consumer behaviour- their attitudes and perceptions towards particular brands and was a great learning experience. I gratefully acknowledge the direction, encouragement and help extended to me by my guide Mr. Rajat Aiy r under whose eminent guidance and constant support I could complete my project. I would also like to express my gratitude for his cooperation and encouragement.

%%MT( M.."/T

50

CONTENTS
S. =o. $ 2 ,cknowledgements EHe#&ti%e S&mmar$ Theoreti#al Eros(e#ti%e #. 4. 5. Commodities 6 Brands What is a Brand Branding 3ecision H E $ #45 To(i#s Eage =o.

Branding a Commodity The Bheat :lo&r O((ort&nit$ in India Introd&#tion to Cons&mer St&d$ The Resear#h Ero#ess 0esearch Ob'ectives 0esearch 3esign 3ata Collection 2ethod Sam!le 3esign

-. F. H. E. $0. $$. $2. $#. $4.

7imitations of the Study 9elhi @ar)et for flo&r 9ata Anal$sis Con5oint Anal$sis Es$#hogra(hi# Erofile Eer#e(t&al @a((ing Resear#h H$(othesis Con#l&sion and Re#ommendations Re#ommendations for S(e#ifi# Brands in the @ar)et Bi'liogra(h$ AnneH&re

$$ $2 24 22E ## #5 40 4$

%%MT( M.."/T

5$

%%MT( M.."/T

52