View of A STUDY OF CONSUMER AWARENESS REGARDING SOY PRODUCTS IN INDORE

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Vol.04,Special Issue 05, (ICIR-2019) September 2019, Available Online: www.ajeee.co.in/index.php/AJEEE

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A STUDY OF CONSUMER AWARENESS REGARDING SOY PRODUCTS IN INDORE Professor Shobhana Jain

Shree Cloth Market Institute of Professional Studies, Indore M.P.

Abstract - In recent years the marketing has acquired a great significance in the economy.

In earliest years the production of the soybean and soy products has increased several times. It has been an important world commodity because it has a wide range of geographical adoption, unique chemical composition, good nutritional value, functional health benefits and versatile end uses. Soy products are available in the market in form of fermented and non-fermented whole soy food products, soy as food additives or and ingredients. Around 80% of the world’s soybeans are processed for soybean oil and soybean meal, and 95% of soybean meals are converted into animal feed. Soy food and beverage products are prepared by processing soybeans. Health benefits of soybean majorly high protein and fiber content with complete absence of cholesterol has made soy food more popular. Yet at present, only a small portion of annual production is used for food consumption and the majority of the rest still goes to animal feed. Soybean is used in various forms and its products can be used as the supplementary products and they are very nutritious and good for health. They can be used as food products, animal feed products and for industrial uses also. The soy products are emerging in the food market so this study will help the entrepreneurs who want to establish themselves in this field. The study will provide valuable insights to the marketers of soy products and will help them in formulating their promotional strategies. This study will also be useful for the researchers, scholars and the students who are seeking information regarding soy products.

The paper has been written to study the general awareness among consumers regarding soy products, there uses and benefits specially of soy milk, soy paneer (tofu), soy oil and soy nuggets (soy badi). It will also helpful to study the factors affecting their purchasing decisions. For this purpose a sample of 100 respondents has been taken. Data has been collected through well structured questionnaire and survey. Analysis and interpretation of data have shown very informative results and findings. At the end of the study some recommendations have been given for strengthening the present set up more effective.

Key Words:- Soy market, soy food market, nuggets, tofu, Isoflavones, nigari.

1 INTRODUCTION

It has been known for a long time, the varied and very large usages of soybean for the benefit of mankind. It is only recently that the true value has been accorded to the usages of soybean when USFDA approved soybean products as healthy foods and authorized companies to market nutritious and healthy products based on soybean. There are various reasons for the soybean and soy products to be the most economical and valuable commodities. These are a good adaptability towards a wide range of soil and climate, unique chemical composition, nutritious and functional health benefits. Although soybean oil is almost all for human consumption, soy meal is mainly served as an animal feed. Only a small portion processed into soy protein products, which serve as functional ingredients for human food. These include soy milk, soy paneer, soy oil, soy nuggets, soy flour etc. The consumers are not very much aware towards the usages and benefits of the soy products.

There are many constraints associated with it i.e. low concentration of manufacturers, marketers and even government towards its publicity, less effective promotional strategies, low quality, high price, poor protein digestibility and low consumer acceptance.

1.1 Objective of the study

The main objective of the study is to explore the awareness level of consumers for soy products especially of soy oil, soy milk, soy tofu and soy nuggets. The purpose of the study is to find out the awareness of the consumers about the soy products’s uses and benefits. It also aims to know the major factors affecting their purchasing decisions like price, health reason, quality etc.

1.2 Rational of the study:-

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This study will help to provide valuable insights to the marketers of soy products and will help them in formulating their promotional strategies, entrepreneurs to establish themselves in this field. The students, researchers and the scholars will also be benefited in getting relevant information regarding soy products through this study. Consumers may aware of the usages and benefits of soy products.

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES

The study is mainly based on primary data. The primary data has been collected from 100 respondents, through a well-structured questionnaire. Respondents have been selected from the various parts of Indore city. This was purposive-cum-convince sampling method.

In addition to primary data, secondary data also have been used. Various journals, magazines, books, electronic sources have also been consulted for collecting relevant and appropriate data.

Soy Products:-

Presently there are many soy products are available in the market. The study is mainly concentrated on the soy oil, tofu, soy milk and soy nuggets only. The brief description of these products is as follows:-

Soyoil:-

Soy oil is the natural oil extracted from whole soybeans. It is the most frequently consumed oil in the United States, accounting for nearly 75 percent of our total vegetable oil intake.

Oil sold in the grocery store under the generic name "vegetable oil" is usually 100 percent soy oil. But "vegetable oil" isn't always soy oil. Be sure to read the label to make sure cooking oils don't contain fats that are highly saturated like palm kernel oil or coconut oil.

Soy oil also is used by the food industry in a variety of products including mayonnaise, coffee creamers, margarine, sandwich spreads and salad dressings.

Using Soy oil

Use soy oil in any recipe that calls for vegetable oil. Soy oil is light is of lavones and has almost no odor. Cooking with soy oil allows the flavor of other foods in a recipe to shine through. Soy oil also has a high smoking point: 440° F. It won't fill your kitchen with smoke when you are frying at high temperatures.

Nutritional Value of Soy oil

Like all vegetable oils, soy oil is cholesterol-free. It is also low in saturated fat. Soy oil has a unique blend of two types of fatty acids called omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids.

The omega-3 fatty acids in soy oil are similar to the type of fat found in fish oil, which has been shown to support better heart health. Soy oil is 100 percent fats. One teaspoon of soy oil contains about 5 grams of fat and 45 calories.

Soymilk:-

Soymilk is the rich creamy milk of whole soybeans. With its unique nutty flavor and rich nutrition, soymilk can be used in a variety of ways. For those interested in soymilk, newer naturally concentrated products are available with much better flavor than retail soymilk products. Because of a patented, natural concentration process, just 1 retrieve bar or shake contains the amount of is of lavones found in 6 cups of a typical soymilk. A faux soymilk can be made from soy flour or soybean.

2.1 Buying & Storing Soymilk

Soymilk is sold in supermarkets, health food stores and specialty food shops. It is most commonly found in aseptic (non-refrigerated) quart and 8-ounce containers, but is also sold refrigerated in plastic quart and half-gallon containers. Unopened, aseptically packaged soymilk can be stored at room temperature for several months. Once it is opened, the soymilk must be refrigerated. It will stay fresh for about 5 days. Soymilk also is sold as a powder, which must be mixed with water. Soymilk powder should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

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Types of Soymilk

Soymilk is available as a plain, unflavored beverage or in a variety of flavors including chocolate, vanilla, carob and almond. With the growing interest in lower-fat products, a number of "liter" soymilks, with reduced fat content, are appearing on the market.

Nutritional Value of Soymilk

Plain, unfortified soymilk is an excellent source of high-quality protein, B-vitamins and iron. Some brands of soymilk are fortified with vitamins and minerals and are good sources of calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B-12. Soymilk is free of the milk sugar lactose and is a good choice for people who are lactose intolerant. Also, it is a good alternative for those who are allergic to cow's milk. Children can enjoy homemade or commercially prepared soymilk after the age of 1 year. Infants under 1 year of age should be fed breast milk, commercially prepared infant formula or commercial soymilk infant formula.

Tofu

Tofu, also known as soybean curd, is a soft, cheese-like food made by curdling fresh hot soymilk with a coagulant. Traditionally, the curdling agent used to make tofu is nigari, a compound found in natural ocean water, or calcium sulfate, a naturally occurring mineral.

Curds also can be produced by acidic foods like lemon juice or vinegar. The curds then are generally pressed into a solid block. For those interested in tofu, newer naturally concentrated products are available with much better flavor than tofu products. Because of a patented, natural concentration process, just 1 revival bar or shake contains the amount of isoflavones found in about a pound of tofu. Tofu was first used in China around 200 B.C.

Although the discovery of the process for making tofu is lost to the ages, Chinese legend has it that the first batch of tofu was created by accident. A Chinese cook added nigari to flavor a batch of purred, cooked soybeans; the nigari produced the curd that we know today as tofu. Today, tofu is a dietary staple throughout Asia. This delicate food is made fresh daily in thousands of tofu shops and sold on the street. In recipes, tofu acts like a sponge and has the miraculous ability to soak up any flavor that is added to it. Crumble it into a pot of spicy chili sauce and it tastes like chili. Blend it with cocoa and sweetener and it becomes a double for chocolate cream pie filling. Cubes of firm tofu can be added to any casserole or soup.

Types of Tofu

Three main types of tofu are available in American grocery stores.

1. Firm tofu is dense and solid and holds up well in stir fry dishes, soups, or on the grill any where that you want the tofu to maintain its shape. Firm tofu also is higher in protein, fat and calcium than other forms of tofu.

2. Soft tofu is a good choice for recipes that call for blended tofu, or in Oriental soups.

3. Silken tofu is made by a slightly different process that results in a creamy, custard- like product. Silken tofu works well in pureed or blended dishes. In Japan, silken tofu is enjoyed "as is," with a touch of soy sauce and topped with chopped scallions.

Tofu Nutrition Facts:-

Tofu is rich in high-quality protein. It is also a good source of B-vitamins and iron. When the curdling agent used to make tofu is calcium salt, the tofu is an excellent source of calcium. While 50 percent of the calories in tofu come from fat, a 4-ounce serving of tofu contains just 6 grams of fat. It is low in saturated fat and contains no cholesterol.

Generally, the softer the tofu, the lower the fat contents. Tofu is also very low in sodium, making it a perfect food for people on sodium-restricted diets.

Soy Nuggets:-

Soy nuggets or soy badi in Hindi is widely made at home and known to most of the peoples this is used since so long it is easy to prepare and rich in taste as well as in nutrients in value. Its easiness in preparation made it more useful for house wives. This is also known for its extraordinary nutritional benefits as well as its versatility.

Advantages of soy nuggets:-

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1. Soy nuggets are cheap:- If prepared at home they are easy to prepare and not cost too much.

2. Rich in nutrients:- These are very rich in protein. This protein is of very high quality because it contains all essential amino acids.

3. Easy to digest:- An additional benefit of nuggets is that it is extremely easy to digest.

3 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

The data is collected from 100 respondents of Indore city including house wives, students and working class people

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First question was to know the no. of respondents who know about the use and benefits of soy products and the findings was as follows:-

50% of the respondents know about the soy milk 60% of the respondents know about the tofu

72% of the respondents know about the soy nuggets 100% of the respondents know about the soy oil.

When researched about the no. of respondents who use the soy products, the response was as follows:-

20% of the respondents use soy milk 25% of the respondents use tofu

45% of the respondents use soy nuggets 80% of the respondents use soy oil.

When researched about the channel of knowing about soya products, the response was as follows:-

55% of the respondents came to know through friends,

45% of the respondents came to know about only soy oil through advertisements, 11% of the respondents came to know through packaging,

35% of the respondents came to know through retailers, 35% of the respondents came to know through internet

When researched about the satisfaction of consumers about the price and quality of soy products:-

35% of the consumers were satisfied with the price of the soy milk

65% of the consumers were satisfied with the price and quality of soy nuggets, 60% of the consumers were satisfied with the price of soy oil,

52% of the consumers were satisfied with the quality of soy oil,

76% of the consumers were satisfied with the price and quality of tofu.

Factors affecting purchasing decisions:- 1. Economy:-

Price of soy products mostly affects the purchasing decision of the respondents. As per the findings the price is the major factor which plays a very crucial role in deciding whether they buy the product or not. As the tofu is very economic so the respondents use it as the substitute of the cow milk paneer. Soya oil is cheaper than the groundnut oil.

2. Health Benefit:

The soya products are very nutritious. Soya milk improves bone health, because it has is flavones which may help to reduce the osteoporosis risk, it reduces the risk for heart diseases and prevent certain cancers. Soya products reduce cholesterol. Thus for the health benefit purpose the respondents use the soya products.

3. Timely Availability:-

It is also a major factor which affects the decision to purchase it or not. The soya oil and soya nuggets are easily available in the market and at the local confectionary stores.

4. Quality of the products:-

Quality of products also influences the purchasing decisions of the consumers. The better quality can improve the sale of the product. So the soya products should be of good quality.

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5. Promotional Strategies:-

Effective and good promotional strategies play a positive role in purchasing decisions. Soya product manufacturers have not good promotional and marketing strategies so it adversely affects the buying behavior of the consumers.

4 RECOMMENDATIONS

On the basis of the study conducted, the following recommendations and suggestions are made to improve the awareness of the consumers regarding soy products:-

1. The price is an important factor affecting purchasing decision so it should be minimized.

2. Present state of advertisement in this field is not enough so it should be given maximum importance to increase its sales volume. Marketers should prepare effective promotional strategies.

3. Government should pay proper attention to this field. Government has to make some effective policy regarding this.

4. Quality plays an important role in making purchasing decisions. So the manufacturers should concentrate on taste and quality on these products.

5. Physical distribution policy should be proper and effective.

6. Consumer awareness should be increased by showing the benefits of soy products through different and effective communication network.

5 CONCLUSIONS

Through the above study we can say that the soy market is an emerging market and the soy products are the emerging food products but still the consumer awareness level is low and no attempt has been made from the manufacturers, marketers and even government side for increasing the awareness level. The consumers don’t know well about the benefits of the soya products. Maximum consumers know about and use only the soy oil and soy nuggets.

Only some are aware of the benefits of soy products. The brands which are available in the market are costly so the manufacturers should try to reduce the price so that the middle class people can have approach to these products, especially to soy milk.

There is still a great scope in this industry. But the manufacturers, marketers and the government have to pay attention towards the advertisements, promotional strategies and effective marketing strategies that can result in huge growth of soy industry. It also can be concluded that soy products are in use because of its nutritional values over the other products. But consumer awareness should be increased by different ways.

REFERENCES

1. Marketing Management by “Philip Kotler”

2. Magazines and Journals 3. www.soyfood.com 4. www.soyconnection.com 5. www.nutraceuticalsworld.com