THE CONCEPT AND HABIT OF CONSUMERS USING COCONUT PRODUCTS IN COVID-19 PANDEMIC PERIOD

Abstract

Coconut water is one of the most popular coconut products in all over the world. Currently,  canned coconut water has been exported to many foreign countries. Now, COVID-19 pandemic is spreading around the world and the domestic consumption should grow and the food companies make more products for domestic market’s demand as well as consider  coconut drink suitable ingredient for the other product is necessary. This study was carried out with 247 consumers (50 males and 197 females) by SurveyMonkey online system. The goal of this study is to: (1) identify the concepts that consumers are associated to when to hear/think about “coconut” word and (2) coconut consumption habits: habits of using some coconut products, especially coconut water products and demographic information such as age, gender, career. The main results showed that 80% of the concepts of coconut are associated with coconut products (63%) and 17% of the properties of coconut products (sweetness, fatty taste ...) and the remaining 20% ​​associated with places, product uses. Among the coconut product groups, coconut products are associated with the frequency and the usage; taste and texture attributes are more interested than others by consumers. The idea of ​​using coconut products as raw materials for making other products is highly appreciated by consumers. This research has implications make processed foods as input materials for consumer-oriented dispensed beverages and the opportunity to develop coconut products adapted to the potential domestic market.