Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 12 No. sp1 (2025): Recent Advances in Agriculture by Young Minds - II

Assessing consumer preferences for plant-based ice cream: A conjoint analysis of soy and almond milk varieties

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.6029
Submitted
21 October 2024
Published
22-01-2025

Abstract

India, as the world's largest producer of milk, faces significant challenges due to the perishability of dairy products, driving demand for alternative value-added options like frozen desserts. Plant-based ice cream made from soy and almond milk offers a sustainable and healthier alternative to traditional dairy-based options. This study aims to explore consumer preferences for plant-based ice cream, addressing the growing demand for dairy-free and health-conscious dessert options. Using Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis (CBC), a survey was conducted among 120 respondents in Coimbatore, India, to evaluate preferences for plant-based ice cream across four key attributes: health benefits, taste, price and product form (cone vs. cup). Low-fat content significantly influenced purchasing decisions under the health benefits attribute. Chocolate emerged as the preferred flavour, with a utility value of 0.362, while cones were favoured over cups with a utility value of 1.612. Price was the most influential attribute, contributing 46.5% to consumer decision-making, followed by health benefits. The optimal product configuration included a cone-shaped, chocolate-flavoured, low-fat plant-based ice cream priced at Rs. 70. The findings provide crucial insights for manufacturers, highlighting the importance of competitive pricing and health-focused innovations to meet the demand for healthier, plant-based ice cream varieties in India. These results can guide product development and marketing strategies in the expanding frozen dessert market.

References

  1. Sunilkumar SM, Dixit K. Factors influencing consumption pattern of ice cream in Bengaluru market. Indian J Dairy Sci. 2016;69(4):492-497.
  2. Sarkar A, Dutta A. Challenges and opportunities of dairy sector in India vis-à-vis world: a critical review. Exploratory Animal & Medical Research. 2020;10(1).
  3. Goff HD, Hartel RW, Goff HD, Hartel RW. The ice cream industry. Ice cream. 2013:1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6096-1_1
  4. Massaut KB, Siqueira MFF, Moreira AN, da Silva WP, Fiorentini ÂM. Consumer perception, preferences and purchase intention towards ice cream in brazilian regions. Observatório de la Economía Latinoamericana. 2023;21(10):16764-89. https://doi.org/10.55905/oelv21n10-121
  5. Market Xcel. India Vegan Ice Cream Market Assessment 2023. 2023. Retrieved from https://www.marketresearch.com/Market-Xcel-v4265/India-Vegan-Ice-Cream-Assessment-35013045/
  6. Pimentel TC, de Oliveira LIG, de Souza RC, Magnani M. Probiotic non-dairy frozen dessert: Technological and sensory aspects and industrial challenges. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2021;107:381-8. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0307.12821
  7. Caso D, Guidetti M, Capasso M, Cavazza N. Finally, the chance to eat healthily: Longitudinal study about food consumption during and after the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. Food Quality and Preference. 2022;95:104275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2021.104275
  8. Tadhani MB, Shah SP, Karia PM, Marg VS. Consumers’ perceptions and awareness towards ice cream as functional food with respect to Ahmedabad City, India. Tourism and Hospitality Management. 2010:17-23.
  9. Sipple L, Racette C, Schiano A, Drake M. Consumer perception of ice cream and frozen desserts in the “better-for-you” category. Journal of dairy science. 2022;105(1):154-69. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21029
  10. Nik Hassan NF, Ahmad N, Abu Kassim AR, Hamzah Y. The customers’ consumption trends on healthy ice cream. Jurnal Intelek. 2021;16(2):89-98.
  11. Sarkar S. Probiotic icecream as a functional food-a review. Nutrition & Food Science. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-02-2024-0036
  12. Hardini SYP, Pakpahan R, Gandhy A, Yoheanto C, editors. The purchase decision and marketing mix of Wall’s Matcha ice cream. AIP Conference Proceedings; 2024: AIP Publishing.
  13. Patil AG, Banerjee S. Variants of ice creams and their health effects. MOJ Food Process Technol. 2017;4(2):58-64. https://doi.org/10.15406/mojfpt.2017.04.00088
  14. Khantyanissa H, Ervina E, editors. Consumer preferences of artificial and natural flavours: a case in soft ice cream. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science; 2024: IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1352/1/012088
  15. McFadden D. The measurement of urban travel demand. Journal of public economics. 1974;3(4):303-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/0047-2727(74)90003-6
  16. Oyatoye E, Otike-Obaro AE, Golda Nkeiruka E. Using conjoint analysis to study the factors important to University students in Nigeria when they select a laptop computer. Peer reviewed, University of Lagos, Nigeria. 2016.
  17. Ong AKS, Prasetyo YT, Libiran MADC, Lontoc YMA, Lunaria JAV, Manalo AM, et al. Consumer preference analysis on attributes of milk tea: A conjoint analysis approach. Foods. 2021;10(6):1382. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10061382
  18. Sethuraman R, Kerin RA, Cron WL. A field study comparing online and offline data collection methods for identifying product attribute preferences using conjoint analysis. Journal of Business Research. 2005;58(5):602-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2003.09.009
  19. Vishnu S, Kurian AC, Sathyan AR. Brewing the perfect cup: Understanding consumer preferences for attributes of packed tea. Journal of Tropical Agriculture. 2024;62(1):59-64.
  20. Wedowati ER, Singgih ML, Gunarta IK. Determination of modules in pleasurable design to fulfil customer requirements and provide a customized product in the food industry. Designs. 2020;4(1):7. https://doi.org/10.3390/designs4010007
  21. Vag A. Simulating changing consumer preferences: a dynamic conjoint model. Journal of business research. 2007;60(8):904-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2007.02.012
  22. De Pelsmaeker S, Schouteten JJ, Lagast S, Dewettinck K, Gellynck X. Is taste the key driver for consumer preference? A conjoint analysis study. Food Quality and Preference. 2017;62:323-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.02.018
  23. Jain B. Development and acceptability evaluation of soy milk obtained from soy. Research & Reviews: Journal of Dairy Science and Technology. 2015;4(1):10-14. https://sciencejournals.stmjournals.in.
  24. Johnson LW, Ringham L, Jurd K. Behavioural segmentation in the australian wine marketusing conjoint choice analysis. International Marketing Review. 1991;8(4). https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000001541
  25. Kanetkar V. Conjoint and discrete choice designs for pricing research. Unpublished notes for COST. 2002;6060.
  26. Dlamini NN, Mayhew EJ, Nolden AA. Unpacking consumer preferences: perceptions and sustainability of packaging material for orange juice. Sustainability. 2024;16(14):6202. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146202
  27. Hong BX, Ichihashi M, Ngoc NTB. Analysis of consumer preferences for green tea products: a randomized conjoint analysis in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam. Sustainability. 2024;16(11):4521. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114521
  28. Salgaonkar K, Nolden AA. Exploring consumer preferences and challenges in hybrid meat products: a conjoint analysis of hotdogs. foods. 2024;13(10):1460. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13101460

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.