Developing concepts for food products appealing to Nordic consumers

The Nordic taste project looks at Nordic consumers food preferences in relation to European consumers. Particular subjects of interest have been the consumers reasons for choosing domestic food rather than imported food. First, a theoretical review was conducted and a review-paper was written and published in The International Journal of Business and Social Science. The review focused upon the development of food preferences and different food choice models. Second, a qualitative study was conducted further looking into consumers reasoning behind choosing domestic food. This study utilized a short focus group method called Currocus-groups where the respondents started by filling in a short questionnaire guiding them into the subjects that are going to be discussed. Afterwards the interview took place in a semi-structured mattered, lasting no longer than 30 minutes. The data was analyzed using a Grounded Theory approach leaving us with two main categories and seven subcategories which all are different reasons for choosing domestic food. This study resulted in the paper Ethnocentrism and domestic food choice: an insight from an affluent protectionist market, which was accepted in Journal of Food Products Marketing. Third, based on the qualitative data we constructed a survey to further investigate consumers choice of domestic food and particularly look into which mechanisms and personality differences affect their intention. The survey was based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and looked into the interaction effects of self-construal and consumer ethnocentrism. We confirmed the TPB-model but found that the effect of it changes for people who are high on consumer ethnocentrism and people who score high on collectivism. The survey resulted in a paper entitled A theory of planned behavior explanation of domestic food choice: The moderating effects of Ethnocentrism and Self-construal, which will be submitted in British Food Journal.

The main goal of this project is to develop consumer insight tools in order to actively differentiate us from the multinational companies and increase our competitiveness. Nordic Taste and Nordic Foods has for the past few years been at the focus of publ ic processes and research projects in the Nordic nations. Research and gastronomy has been at the forefront of this movement, but it is now time for the Nordic business sector to develop commercial offerings that can meet the preferences of Nordic consum ers of today and tomorrow. A deeper scientific-based consumer understanding will add to the industry partners' inherent expertise and allow for more cost-effective innovations in order to meet today and tomorrow?s more diversified consumption patterns. Two kinds of cross-cultural development models exist: 1) move in small steps towards joint/identical products and branding for international markets, and 2) retain characteristics of national food products. Typical features of the first one are to reduc e production costs and portfolio of products. At the same time variety and national characteristics of products may be lost. In this project we will apply the second model, where the aim is to protect the typical Nordic origin, production, raw materials and flavour characteristics. In this model it is possible to bring typical, local flavours/products to the market for which the consumers are ready to pay higher prices. State of the art on regional taste differences and methodology will be reviewed. In cooperation with TINEs and Valios reseach departments, the candidate will work on development of tools and methodology to study Nordic taste in selected European markets including Norway and Finland. Consumer studies of selected products in differe nt European markets including Norway and Finland will be done.