Short answer
To maximize market success for edible insects, focus on understanding and catering to the diverse consumer preferences and purchasing contexts, rather than solely on the intrinsic product qualities.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Journals & Books Hosting (International Knowledge Sharing Platform) (2018)
- Method
- Hedonic Price Analysis
- Sample
- 384 participants
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Understanding the socioeconomic, environmental, and product-specific attributes that influence consumer willingness to pay is crucial for pricing and marketing edible insects. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2018 study published in Journals & Books Hosting (International Knowledge Sharing Platform). Using Hedonic price analysis with 384 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: To maximize market success for edible insects, focus on understanding and catering to the diverse consumer preferences and purchasing contexts, rather than solely on the intrinsic product qualities.
Consumer Preferences Drive Edible Insect Market Value
Understanding the socioeconomic, environmental, and product-specific attributes that influence consumer willingness to pay is crucial for pricing and marketing edible insects.
Journals & Books Hosting (International Knowledge Sharing Platform) · 2018
Key Findings
- 01Consumer willingness to pay for edible winged termites is influenced by off-farm activities and place of residence (rural vs. urban).
- 02Purchasing location (e.g., kiosk) and time taken to reach the market also affect price perception.
- 03Socioeconomic factors like education, income, group membership, and cultural background play a role, particularly for processed forms of edible insects.
- 04Product attributes themselves also influence price, especially for sun-dried varieties.
Application
Design takeaway
To maximize market success for edible insects, focus on understanding and catering to the diverse consumer preferences and purchasing contexts, rather than solely on the intrinsic product qualities.
How to apply
When developing or marketing a new food product, especially one from an unconventional source like insects, conduct thorough market research to identify key consumer drivers of value beyond the product's basic features. Use this information to inform pricing, packaging, and promotional campaigns.
Project actions
- 01When researching a niche market, consider how external factors influence consumer perception of value.
- 02Use qualitative data to understand the 'why' behind consumer purchasing decisions.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Utilizes a robust statistical method (Hedonic Price Analysis) to quantify the impact of various factors on price.
- +Includes a substantial sample size across both rural and urban settings.
Limitations
The findings are specific to edible winged termites in Kenya and may not apply to other edible insects or different cultural contexts.
Reliability & validity
The use of a pre-tested questionnaire and a large sample size across different settings enhances the reliability and validity of the findings. However, the subjective nature of 'willingness to pay' can introduce some level of variability.
Think critically
How might the 'value addition' recommended in the study be achieved through design interventions beyond simple processing?
Design Principles
"Value is co-created through product attributes and consumer context."
This research highlights that the perceived value of edible insects is not solely based on the product itself but is significantly shaped by external factors. Designers and marketers can leverage this by tailoring their product development and promotional strategies to align with consumer demographics, purchasing environments, and cultural contexts.
What This Means for Your Design
What people are willing to pay for edible insects depends a lot on their lifestyle, where they live, and their background, not just the insect itself.
How to use in your project
- 1.This research can inform the market analysis section of a design project by demonstrating the importance of understanding consumer context in pricing and product development.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Research into edible insects, such as the hedonic analysis of edible winged termites in Kenya, reveals that consumer willingness to pay is significantly influenced by socioeconomic factors, place of residence, and purchasing environment. This underscores the importance of contextual market research in design projects involving novel food products, suggesting that value is not solely inherent in the product but is co-created through consumer perception and market dynamics.
Source
Journals & Books Hosting (International Knowledge Sharing Platform)
Hedonic Analysis of Edible Winged Termites Prices in Kenya
journal · 2018
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about consumer preferences drive edible insect market value?
- To maximize market success for edible insects, focus on understanding and catering to the diverse consumer preferences and purchasing contexts, rather than solely on the intrinsic product qualities. Evidence: Journals & Books Hosting (International Knowledge Sharing Platform) (2018).
- Why does "Consumer Preferences Drive Edible Insect Market Value" matter for design?
- This research highlights that the perceived value of edible insects is not solely based on the product itself but is significantly shaped by external factors. Designers and marketers can leverage this by tailoring their product development and promotional strategies to align with consumer demographics, purchasing environments, and cultural contexts.
- How can designers apply this research?
- To maximize market success for edible insects, focus on understanding and catering to the diverse consumer preferences and purchasing contexts, rather than solely on the intrinsic product qualities.
- What were the main findings?
- Consumer willingness to pay for edible winged termites is influenced by off-farm activities and place of residence (rural vs. urban).. Purchasing location (e.g., kiosk) and time taken to reach the market also affect price perception.. Socioeconomic factors like education, income, group membership, and cultural background play a role, particularly for processed forms of edible insects.. Product attributes themselves also influence price, especially for sun-dried varieties.
- What research method was used?
- Hedonic Price Analysis with 384 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2018 journal from Journals & Books Hosting (International Knowledge Sharing Platform).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When developing or marketing a new food product, especially one from an unconventional source like insects, conduct thorough market research to identify key consumer drivers of value beyond the product's basic features. Use this information to inform pricing, packaging, and promotional campaigns.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focuses on a specific edible insect (winged termites) in a particular geographic region (Kenya), which may limit the generalizability of findings to other edible insect species or markets.