Awareness, Attitude & Usage Study Executive Summary

Transcription

1 Awareness, Attitude & Usage Study Executive Summary

2 Background The National Pecan Shellers Association (NPSA) is interested in encouraging the consumption of Pecans, particularly increasing the frequency of Pecan snacking. The NPSA is also interested in: Understanding the current consumption habits for Pecans for both snacking and baking. Identifying awareness, attitudes, usage and consumption patterns of nut varieties. Determining specific health benefit claims as a motivator for the consumer to purchase and consume Pecans. This information will be used to develop marketing programs (PR campaigns and other media messaging) and serve as a baseline for future research programs. 2

3 Study Design Blue Chip Marketing Worldwide conducted an online study June 17-19, 2011 utilizing the MarketTools consumer opinion panel. 1,004 past year eaters of nuts across the United States were surveyed: Men and women 18+. Either make majority of the grocery shopping decisions or share the grocery shopping decisions. National market selection scope. All respondents were asked about attitudes, usage and awareness of 7 nut varieties, including: Pecans as snacks, baking/desserts, salads and meals. Perceptions of each nut variety. Health benefit claims about pecans. Statistically significant differences are noted in CAPS, calculated at the 95% confidence level. 3

4 Executive Summary & Recommendations 4

5 Executive Summary Peanuts, Cashews and Almonds represent the nut varieties with the highest topof-mind awareness, penetration and most frequent levels of consumption. Snacking is by far the most common eating occasion for nuts. Pecans trail the top three nut varieties in top-of-mind awareness and rank 5 th in consumption as a snack among the top six nut varieties. Outside of snacking, Pecans enjoy great breadth of usage. It is one of the two leading nut varieties eaten in baked goods and desserts. In terms of form preference, Pecan snack eaters prefer: Pecan halves. Plain/unsalted, salted and roasted Pecans or Pecans as part of a nut/snack mix. When used in cooking and baking, Pecan halves are the preferred form. 5

6 Executive Summary (cont d) The largest barriers to consumption of Pecans as a snack are taste and texture: Pecans generate lower ratings than Almonds and Cashews: the leaders in snack nuts for quality, taste, texture and nutrition. There are several key perceptual differences between the nut category overall and Pecans; evident in the open-ended responses: Respondents think about nuts in general with positive taste, health/nutrition and snacking associations. However, they think about Pecans in the context of desserts (i.e., pie) and baked goods. Snacking and health associations are less likely to be associated with Pecans. In fact, a majority of respondents (54%) are not aware that Pecans offer specific health benefits. 6

7 Executive Summary(cont d) Four of the eleven health statements tested regarding Pecans reducing risk of heart disease, lowering cholesterol, providing a good source of vitamins and minerals and representing a source of protein are the most motivating claims among total respondents and current Pecan users. Health claims for Pecans resonate more strongly with females than males among total respondents, driving significantly higher purchase interest and talk value. Health claims for Pecans also resonate more strongly as purchase influencers with older adults (35-64) than younger adults (18-34). 7

8 Implications and Recommendations While the universe of Pecan snackers is smaller than other nut varieties, it is nonetheless sizeable. The NPSA should focus efforts on getting these current users to snack on Pecans more often. At the same time, the taste associations of Pecans with baked goods/desserts (i.e., pie) offers a worthy strategic springboard for consideration. In this regard, increasing Pecan snack usage among current Pecan baking/cooking users who do not use Pecans as a snack would appear to be a well-primed opportunity. There is also ample opportunity to expand the cooking/baking repertoire of Pecan users into new occasions with recipe and serving suggestions. Given that the barriers to usage among those who do not currently snack on Pecans are primarily taste and texture-based, investment is this target is not recommended. The health benefits of Pecans are significantly underleveraged at present. This study confirms a range of highly salient, motivating health promises. Recognizing the gap that exists in believability between the attribute-based and health-benefit promises tested, education and support/reason to believe will be important if these health-benefit rewards are pursued. In terms of specific health-benefits, both the reducing risk of heart disease and lowering cholesterol benefits can be powerful platforms From a demographic targeting standpoint, NPSA marketing efforts which seek to leverage the health benefits of Pecans, should be concentrated against women

9 Awareness & Usage of Nut Varieties 9

10 Peanuts, Cashews and Almonds are the most top-of-mind nut varieties. Pecans trail at 19% awareness. 40% Q4: What nut varieties are you aware of? (Open ended). 35% 30% 25% 26% 28% 31% 24% 20% 19% 15% 14% 10% 5% 4% 0% Almonds Cashews Mixed Nuts Peanuts Pecans Pistachios Walnuts 10

11 Total awareness (aided) of the major nut varieties is universal. Q5: Which of the following nut varieties are you aware of? Please choose ALL that apply. 100% 97% 97% 94% 97% 94% 94% 94% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Almonds Cashews Mixed Nuts Peanuts Pecans Pistachios Walnuts 11

12 Among users of nuts in the past six months, snacking represents the most common eating occasion. Consumption of nuts in both a meal and a baked good or dessert is significantly lower. Q7-9: Thinking about the past year, how often have you eaten: each of the following nut varieties as a SNACK, a MEAL that contained the following nut varieties, a BAKED GOOD OR DESSERT that contained the following nut varieties? (% eaten in past six months) 80% 70% 70% 60% 50% 40% 45% 47% 30% 20% 10% 0% Snack Meal Baked Good or Dessert 12

13 Generally speaking, Pecans are consumed more frequently in a meal and a baked good or dessert compared to other nut varieties. Q7-9: Thinking about the past year, how often have you eaten each of the following nut varieties as a SNACK, a MEAL that contained the following nut varieties, a BAKED GOOD OR DESSERT that contained the following nut varieties? 80% 70% 70% 68% 60% 59% 50% 45% 49% 47% 40% Average 30% Pecans 20% 10% 0% Snack Meal Baked Good or Dessert Note: Percentage of Pecans eaten in past six months versus the average percentage of total nut varieties eaten in past six months. 13

14 Pecans rank 5 th in consumption as a snack among the top six nut varieties eaten in the past six months. Q7: Thinking about the past year, how often have you eaten each of the following nut varieties as a SNACK? (% eaten in past six months) 100% 90% 85% 80% 70% 60% 70% 74% 76% 68% 57% 62% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Average Almonds Cashews Peanuts Pecans Pistachios Walnuts 14

15 Almonds, Peanuts and Pecans represent the top nut varieties eaten as part of a meal in the past six months. Q8: Thinking about the past year, how often have you eaten a MEAL that contained the following nut varieties? (% eaten in past six months). 60% 54% 50% 45% 44% 49% 49% 47% 40% 30% 24% 20% 10% 0% Average Almonds Cashews Peanuts Pecans Pistachios Walnuts 15

16 Walnuts and Pecans are the leading nut varieties eaten in baked goods or desserts in the past six months. Q9: Thinking about the past year, how often have you eaten a BAKED GOOD OR DESSERT that contained the following nut varieties? ( % eaten in past six months) 60% 59% 60% 50% 47% 52% 50% 40% 30% 32% 27% 20% 10% 0% Average Almonds Cashews Peanuts Pecans Pistachios Walnuts 16

17 Among people who snack on nuts, Peanuts are the nut variety consumed most frequently as a snack (53% eat 1+ times per month) followed by Almonds and Cashews. Frequency of consumption of Pecans, Walnuts and Pistachios as snacks is much lower. Q7: Thinking about the past year, how often have you eaten each of the following nut varieties as a SNACK? 60% 53% 50% 40% 42% 40% 30% 30% 25% 30% 20% 10% 0% Almonds Cashews Peanuts Pecans Pistachios Walnuts 17

18 All nut varieties are consumed less frequently in meals. Pecans only trail Almonds and Peanuts in frequency of meal consumption (21%). Q8: Thinking about the past year, how often have you eaten a MEAL that contained the following nut varieties? 30% 25% 25% 24% 20% 17% 21% 19% 15% 10% 9% 5% 0% Almonds Cashews Peanuts Pecans Pistachios Walnuts 18

19 As in the case of meals, nuts are consumed less frequently in baked goods and desserts. Pecans and Walnuts are consumed more frequently (each 23%) than other nut varieties in baked goods or desserts. Q9: Thinking about the past year, how often have you eaten a BAKED GOOD OR DESSERT that contained the following nut varieties? 25% 23% 23% 20% 20% 17% 15% 10% 9% 7% 5% 0% Almonds Cashews Peanuts Pecans Pistachios Walnuts 19

20 Pecan halves are the preferred form of the snack. Q20: Which form of pecans do you prefer to eat as a snack? Pecan Form 29% 71% Halves Pieces 20

21 Plain, Salted and Roasted Pecans are the preferred varieties for snacking. Pecans as part of a nut or snack mix is also preferred. Q23: What varieties of pecans do you eat as a snack? Pecan Variety (%) (1004) Plain, unsalted 47 Salted 48 Roasted 50 Praline 29 Candied 21 Butter 22 Cinnamon 15 Orange 4 As part of nut mix/snack mix 47 Other 2 21

22 Pecan users prefer halves to pieces for cooking or baking. Q25: What varieties of pecans do you use in your cooking or baking? Pecan Variety (%) (1004) Plain, unsalted pecan halves 59 Plain, unsalted pecan pieces 48 Salted 18 Roasted 21 Praline 9 Candied 7 Butter 7 Cinnamon 5 Orange 2 As part of nut mix/snack mix 27 Other 8 22

23 Attitudes Towards Nut Varieties 23

24 When thinking about nuts in general, the first thoughts that come to mind are taste, health/nutrition and snacking associations; the uses of nuts in main meals or desserts receive less mentions. Q6: When you think about nuts, what thoughts or feelings come to mind? Please be as specific as possible. (Open ended) Category (%) (1004) Tasty/Delicious/Flavorful 26 General Health/Nutritious 26 Great Snack/Munching 18 Salty 11 Crunchy 9 High in Protein 6 Filling/Satisfying 5 Desserts/Pies/Brownies/ Ice Cream/Cookies 4 Salads/Stir Fry/Oatmeal 2 Healthy Fats 2 24

25 In contrast, most respondents (52%) think about Pecans in the context of desserts (i.e., pie) and baked goods. Snacking and health are significantly less likely to be associated with Pecans than for nuts in general. Q18: When you think about pecans, what thoughts or feelings come to mind? Please be as specific as possible. (Open ended) Category (%) (1004) Pie 31 Non-Pie Dessert/Baked Goods 21 Taste/Delicious/Flavorful 17 Like/Love Them 12 None 10 Seasons/Holidays/Homey 8 Dislike 6 Snacking/Munching 6 Healthy 4 Salad 4 25

26 Almonds and Cashews are thought to have the best quality, taste, texture and nutrition perceptions of nuts. Pecans score slightly below Almonds and Cashews, but higher than Mixed Nuts, Peanuts, Pistachios and Walnuts Q10-17: Now we are going to ask you a series of questions about different nut varieties. Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. (% Strongly agree/somewhat agree; 5 point rating scale) Almonds (A) Cashews (B) Mixed Nuts (C) Peanuts (D) Pecans (E) Pistachios (F) Walnuts (G) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (1004) (1004) (1004) (1004) (1004) (1004) (1004) Is a high quality nut variety 82CDEFG 80CDFG CDF 71CD 74CD Has a taste I like 79CEFG 84ACDEFG 69 79CEFG 74CFG Has a texture I like 74CFG 81ACDEFG 67 76CFG 73CFG Is a nut variety that is high in nutrition 84ACDEFG 72C C 69C 78BCDEF 26

27 Pecans, Walnuts and Almonds score the highest of all nuts as an ingredient in baking and desserts, while Almonds, Cashews, Mixed Nuts and Peanuts score higher for snacking. No nut variety is perceived as more than adequate in main dishes or salads, although there are clear preferences. Q10-17: Now we are going to ask you a series of questions about different nut varieties. Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. (% Strongly agree/somewhat agree; 5 point rating scale) Almonds (A) Cashews (B) Mixed Nuts (C) Peanuts (D) Pecans (E) Pistachios (F) Walnuts (G) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (1004) (1004) (1004) (1004) (1004) (1004) (1004) Is a nut variety that s great for snacking Is a nut variety that s a great ingredient in desserts and baked goods Is a nut variety that s a great ingredient in main dishes Is a nut variety that s a great ingredient in salads 80EFG 85AEFG 82EFG 85AEFG 71 75EG 67 74BCDF 45C 29 56BF 80ABCDF 41 77BCDF 61BCDEFG 49CDF 21 44CF 51CDF 27 51CDF 68BCDEFG 49CDF 26 34C 58 33C 63BCDEFG 27

28 The biggest barriers to consumption of Pecans as a snack are taste and texture. Q10-17: Now we are going to ask you a series of questions about different nut varieties. Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. (% Strongly agree/somewhat agree; 5 point rating scale; by segments); S = Significantly higher than the average rating. Eat Pecans as A Snack (%) Do not eat Pecans as a Snack (%) Gap (# Percentage Points) (736) (268) Is a high quality nut variety 84S Has a taste I like 84S Has a texture I like 83S Is a nut variety that is high in nutrition Is a nut variety that s great for snacking Is a nut variety that s a great ingredient in desserts and baked goods Is a nut variety that s a great ingredient in main dishes Is a nut variety that s a great ingredient in salads 79S S S S S

29 Pecan Health Claims 29

30 A majority of respondents (54%) are not aware that Pecans offer specific health benefits. Q26: Are you aware of any health benefits of pecans? Please be as specific as possible. Category (%) No 54 Healthy in General 12 Protein 9 Good Fat 6 Fiber 5 Heart Health 3 Lowers Cholesterol 3 Vitamins 2 Anti-oxidants 2 Oils 2 Omega

31 Among the claims tested, two health statements reducing risk of heart disease, lowering cholesterol are most likely to drive interest in eating Pecans as a snack. Three statements (vitamins and minerals, fiber, protein) emerge as the most salient attributes. Q27 How do each of the following statements influence your interest in eating pecans as a snack? (% Much more interested/somewhat interested; 5 point rating scale); S = Significantly higher than the average rating. Interest in Eating Pecans as a Snack Total Respondents (%) (1004) Average Rating 64 Research has shown that pecans can help diabetics better manage their condition 50 Research indicated that pecans can play a role in protecting the nervous system 65 Pecans contain more antioxidants than any other nut variety 67 Research suggest pecans can help reduce the risk of heart disease Research has shown that pecans lower cholesterol levels 70S 69S Pecans may aid in weight loss and maintenance since they make you feel fuller, longer 64 90% of the fats in pecans are unsaturated fat 63 Pecans contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals One ounce of pecans provides the recommended Daily Value for fiber Pecans are a natural, high quality source of protein 68S 67S 70S Pecans are naturally sodium-free 58 31

32 Health claims for Pecans resonate more strongly with females than males among total respondents, driving significantly higher purchase interest and willingness to tell others. Interest in Eating (%) Males (456) Females (548) Research has shown that pecans can help diabetics better manage their condition Research indicated that pecans can play a role in protecting the nervous system 60 70S Pecans contain more antioxidants than any other nut variety 61 73S Research suggest pecans can help reduce the risk of heart disease 66 74S Research has shown that pecans lower cholesterol levels 65 71S Pecans may aid in weight loss and maintenance since they make you feel fuller, longer 55 71S 90% of the fats in pecans are unsaturated fat 56 68S Pecans contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals 62 72s One ounce of pecans provides the recommended Daily Value for fiber 62 71S Pecans are a natural, high quality source of protein 63 72S Pecans are naturally sodium-free 51 64S 32

33 Health claims for Pecans also resonate more strongly as purchase influencers with older adults (35-64) than younger adults (18-34). Interest in Eating (%) Adults (273) Adults (516) Research has shown that pecans can help diabetics better manage their condition Research indicated that pecans can play a role in protecting the nervous system Pecans contain more antioxidants than any other nut variety 62 69S Research suggest pecans can help reduce the risk of heart disease 61 74S Research has shown that pecans lower cholesterol levels 57 72S Pecans may aid in weight loss and maintenance since they make you feel fuller, longer 58 67S 90% of the fats in pecans are unsaturated fat 51 68S Pecans contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals 61 70S One ounce of pecans provides the recommended Daily Value for fiber 59 71S Pecans are a natural, high quality source of protein 62 70S Pecans are naturally sodium-free 47 59S 33