Banana Flour Goes to Market: the Marketing Parameters to Introduce Banana Flour to the Consumer Market

Abstract

Purpose: With the main points to be researched being, the consumer perspectives on the four Ps of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion. We also explored the consumer attitude towards the banana flour being introduced to the market place.   Design/Methodology/approach: These quantitative and qualitative research projects focused on the reactions of consumers to the marketing mix of banana flour in Thailand. The study was conducted with a random sample of four hundred participants by using questionnaires as the tool among shoppers in local grocery stores in Surin Province, Nakhon Ratchasima  Province and Buri Ram Province This research project concentrated on the perceptions of the banana flour shoppers.   Finding: The results show that the consumers are aware of the banana flour product. The product has the right consistency is in unbleached and sold in packages of pound or a kilogram. The banana flour price, the health conscious consumers do not mind to pay a premium price for premium product. Sales promotions help introduce banana flour to the general consumers and the promotion on-line appears to be more effective than printed media. The sales person may actually be the most effective way of promoting the product as it still requires a lot of education and convincing Promotion and distribution appears to go hand in hand importance from the perception of the consumers.   Research limitation/implication: This study has certain limitations that suggest future research. First, its findings are based on data from Thailand, whose consumer experience may not be easily transferable to other economies (Ahlstrom & Ding, 2014). Thus, it is vital to explore whether the findings can be generalized beyond the banana flour industry. It is highly recommended to follow up the study with a larger sample in other parts of Thailand and Asia.   Original/Value: Most people think Banana flour is the flower of the banana tree – wrong. Banana flower is still relatively unknown in the western world. Banana flour (BF) is in fact the starch of green bananas (Musa spp.) and has been used as substitute for wheat flour in Africa Asia and South America – as it is hard to grow wheat in those regions. However, banana flour needs to be introduced to consumers world-wide through the design of an appropriate marketing mix.