1.

0 INTRODUCTION

A common food product can be developed into other new food product that accepted by
consumers. Before a food product can be launch or tested, the food product need to go
through product concept. Product concept is another step after a company undergoes market
analysis and consumer research (nzifst.org.nz, 2017). Besides that, product concept consist
list of idea on customer preference at food products based on quality and product
performance. This step is beneficial as it helps company or inverter to identify the best
profile, morphology or benefit of their food product towards consumer. Example of product
concept profile or morphology is shape, size, color, packaging, price and appearance. Apart
from that, product concept is crucial in developing food product to achieve high production
efficiency, decrease cost of production and mass distribution.

2.0 OBJECTIVE

I. To investigate the suitability of packaging for displaying the food product.

II. To identify the specific morphology of food product that accepted by customers.
III. To develop healthy food product that beneficial for human health.

3.0 METHOD OF MARKET SURVEY

I. Our group members had done a questionnaire on product concept testing for the
potential consumers to answer about our new product concept in development of the
existing product which is muffin.

II. The survey was conducted through online medium form known as Google Doc.

III. The structure of the questionnaire was consisting of two sections which are
demographic details (Section A) and the concept of our product (Section B). Section
A consists of two questions while Section B had a total of 9 questions with included a
brief description on our new product concept.

IV. A total of 100 respondents were required to complete the survey form by answering
all the questions that consist of multiple choices answer given.

V. The data obtained based on the survey were collected and analysed after the number
the number of target respondents had been reached.
4.0 RESULT

Section A: Demographic Questions

37%

Male
Female
63%

Figure 4.1: Gender

1% 4%

26%
23% Below 20 years old
21 years old
22 years old
23 years old
24 years old
Above 24 years old
22% 24%

Figure 4.2: Age

Section B: Product Concept Testing

8%

Square
Circle

92%

Figure 4.3: Shape of muffin preferred by potential customers

8%

40%

Small
Medium
Big

52%

Figure 4.4: Size of muffin preferred by potential customers

 30%

Sweet
Salty
Both
65%

5%

Figure 4.5: Flavour of muffin favoured by respondents

36%

Yes

57% No
Maybe

7%

Figure 4.6: Acceptance of pumpkin taste in muffin

 16%

3%

Yes
No
Maybe

81%

Figure 4.7: Preference on muffin with filling

10%

39%
19%
One
Two
Three
Four

32%

Figure 4.8: Amount of muffin favoured in a pack

 13%

16%
Plastic Wrapper
Plastic Box
Both

71%

Figure 4.9: Type of packaging liked by respondents

6%

10%

Yes
No
Maybe

84%

Figure 4.10: Acceptance of transparent packaging

 13%

37%

RM 1 - RM 2
RM 2 - RM 3
RM 3 - RM 4

50%

Figure 4.11: Price range expected by respondents

5.0 DISCUSSION

From previous survey, we decided to choose muffin as our new product as we

planned to increase the nutritional value of the muffin by adding pumpkin as one of the main
ingredients since it contains high nutritional value and it may help to improve the appearance
of muffin since it is considered as the natural coloring agent. Thus, a survey was done again
by distributing the questionnaires in order to study the consumers’ demands and preferences
which enable us to produce a new product that can achieve the consumers’ satisfaction. 100
respondents were involved in the survey. According to Figure 4.1, there was 37% female
respondents and 63% male respondents.

Nowadays, people start to concern their health conditions so the food choices and
eating behavior become very important. Geometrical characteristics of food sometimes will
affect the food choices of consumers. Based on the Figure 4.3 and 4.4, the traditional shape
and size of muffins were preferred by consumers, which were round in shape with medium
size. Consumers will choose a familiar products than trying a new product (Crickerd &
Forde, 2015). Human desire for sweet taste spans all ages, races, and cultures. Based on the
Figure 4.5, most of the respondents (65%) preferred the sweet flavor instead of salty.
Sweetness will help to orient feeding behavior toward foods providing both energy and
essential nutrients (Drewnowski et al., 2012).
 For our new product, we planned to use pumpkin as one of our main ingredients in the
making of muffin. According to Figure 4.6, 57% of the respondents would accept the
pumpkin taste in muffin. Pumpkin is a highly nutrient-dense food and is recognized as one of
the best-known sources of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant (Ware, 2017). Consuming
foods rich in beta-carotene such as pumpkin can reduce the risk of developing certain types
of cancer, offer protection against asthma and heart disease, and delay aging and body
degeneration. Besides, our human body can convert those ingested beta-carotene into
Vitamin A. Furthermore, the fiber, potassium and vitamin C content in pumpkin are good for
heart health (Irish, 2015). For instance, consuming adequate potassium is vital in order to
decrease sodium intake for treatment of hypertension.

Besides, we would like to evolve the muffin by the addition of cream cheese filling.
Based on Figure 4.7, majority of the respondents (81%) would like to try and purchase the
muffin with filling since it was considered as the dairy-based product due to the use of cream
cheese. Consuming dairy-based products is beneficial to our health as it may boost up the
calcium intake and enhance the bone health. Moreover, dairy-based product also provides
certain additional nutrients, such as proteins, minerals like potassium and magnesium and
vitamins (Rozenberg, et al., 2015). As for the serving size, according to Figure 4.8, 39%
respondents prefer to have 1 muffin per package while 32% respondents preferred to have 2
muffins per package.

Product packaging also became an important aspect that will influence the consumer’s
food selections (Inge, 2010). For our product, we had decided to use transparent plastic
wrapper to package the muffins since it was the most preferred material chosen by the
respondents as shown in Figure 4.9 and Figure 4.10. Transparent packages are pervasive in
food consumption environment. There was a study showed that the transparent packages will
enhance food salience which increase food consumption (Deng & Srinivasan, 2013). The
visually attractive foods with smaller size will dominate the salience effect where people will
eat more from a transparent package. The study had suggested that marketers should offer
small foods in transparent package to attract consumers to purchase it. Therefore, we would
like to pack the muffins with transparent packages so that people will be attracted.

Figure 4.11 depicts the suggested price range for the muffin. According to the survey,
50% of the total respondents were willing to pay RM2.00 to RM3.00 in order to purchase the
muffins. The normal price of usual muffin sold in cafeteria was between RM1.50 and
RM2.50. Thus, we shouldn’t sell the products that are priced too high or too low, or else our
business would be affected. In fact, good pricing strategy might aid in determining the price
point at which the profits earned on the sales of products can be maximized. Some
considerations have to make during the setting of retailed price for the product, for instance,
the costs for production and distribution, and the base of business’ target customer.

6.0 CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, based on the product concept testing survey, we decided to develop medium
size of round shaped muffin according to customer preferences. We also take consideration to
make some modification on the original plan such as put filling in the muffin. Most of the
respondents can accept the pumpkin taste in muffin as it gives sweet taste that they preferred
for muffin. The ideal quantity of muffin will be one since it can fill the stomach in between
meals time. Respondents also preferred muffin packaged in transparent plastic as muffin
appearance can be visible to them.

7.0 REFERENCES

Crickerd, K. M. (2015). Sensory Influences on Food Intake Control: Moving Beyond

Palatability. Etiology and Pathophysiology, 17(1), 18-29.
Deng, X. Y. (2013). When Do Transparent Packages Increase or Decrease Food
Consumption. Journal of Marketing, 77(4), 104-117.
Drewnowski, A. M. (2012). Sweetness and Food Preference. The Journal of Nutrition,
142(6), 1142-1148.
Inge, R. (2010). In the Eye of the Consumer: The Influence of Package Shape and Package
Color on Perceived Product Healthfulness. London: Miley.
Irish, Y. (2015). Health Benefits of Consuming Pumpkin. London: Jewish Community Center.
Rozenberg, S., Body, J.-J., Bruyere, O., Bergmann, P., Brandi, M. L., Cooper, C., . . .
Reginster, J.-Y. (2015). Effects of dairy products consumption on health: benefits and
beliefs- a commentary from the belgian bone club and the european society for
clinical and economic aspects of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal
diseases. Calcified Tissue International, 1-17.
Ware, M. (2017). Pumpkins: Health benefits and nutritional breakdown. Healthline Media
UK Ltd.
“Creating New Foods the Product Developer’s Guide”. Retrieved on 11th October 2017 from
http://www.nzifst.org.nz/creatingnewfoods/product_concepts2.htm