DOI: 10.14457/tu.the.2017.469
title: A study of Thai consumer behavior toward high protein yogurt drinks in Bangkok

description: Nowadays, emergence of the health and wellness trend has changed global lifestyles and initiated new ways of active living which have an impact on how young adults eat and exercise. The public has become more aware of the benefits of protein as a functional ingredient to live active and healthy lifestyles. In Thailand, the protein trend invaded the dairy market a few years ago, mostly applied in pasteurized milk and communicated as high protein sports drinks. Even though the shift toward high protein yogurt drinks in Thailand presents a great opportunity for dairy product producers, there are few studies related to high protein consumer behavior, and none of them focus on high protein yogurt drinks.“A Study of Thai Consumer Behavior toward High Protein Yogurt Drinks in Bangkok” applies contemporary marketing to focus on health issues and opportunities. There are five main study objectives. The first is to evaluate consumer perceptions of key brands in the yogurt drinks market. The second is to identify consumer attitudes toward high protein yogurt drinks. The third is to identify important attributes that impact on consumer purchase decisions regarding high protein yogurt drinks. The fourth is to identify the behavior of potential consumers of high protein yogurt drinks, and the last is to determine the profile and segmentation for consumers of high protein yogurt drinks.This research utilized both exploratory and descriptive methods with qualitative and quantitative data collection. Qualitative research  included in-depth interviews, while quantitative research was used to collect data from 300 respondents. The quantitative research was comprised of both online and offline surveys distributed throughout Bangkok and upcountry metropolitan cities. Target respondents were Thai consumer who showed  an intention to purchase high protein yogurt drinks. Results were based on data collection from secondary research, in-depth interviews, and the questionnaire survey. SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) was used to analyze and summarize the data which was reported as tables, graphs and a descriptive essay. The results validated the great opportunity to capitalize on recent increased consumer interest in the high protein yogurt drinks in Thailand. Potential consumers of high protein yogurt drinks were classified into five segments, derived from factor analyses of correlated lifestyle and attitudes. The attractive consumer segments for high protein yogurt  drinks are Busy Dieters, Active Dieters and Active Explorers, respectively. These three segments show high purchase intention toward the high protein yogurt drinks concept. Moreover, they tend to have a higher frequency of consumption than the other two segments and contribute more to market value. All Findings will be beneficial for marketing managers of Thai dairy product brands and people interested in the yogurt drinks industry to thoroughly understand the consumer behavior and attitudes of Thai consumers regarding high protein yogurt drinks. This will assist readers to develop effective marketing strategies to capture the high protein trend, and also find the right marketing mix for maximum impact of new product launches to target Thai consumers.