TOWARDS A NEW STRATEGY FOR ORGANIC MILK MARKETING IN HUNGARY

In Hungary, organic food market has both demand and supply oriented aspects: several times not necessary products are distributed, while the selection and volume of certain products are not satisfactory. Thus, our aim was to develop a coordinated benchmark strategy to increase the trade of organic products. To get more details on the Hungarian organic milk market, we conducted professional deep interviews and simultaneously applied the mystery shopping method. Nowadays, the market of organic milk and dairy products is slowly increasing in Hungary, however, there is no available statistical data. In the selection there are mostly Hungarian originated products, but some yoghurt, milk, and butter assortments are imported. Partial responsibility belongs to small sale shops' habit of risk-avoidance. Without a proper selection of products, stores are unable to satisfy consumers' needs; thus they focus on pushing certain products to increase demand. According to our results, 'low price category', 'local/regional product', and 'prestige product' strategies with attached in-store marketing elements are able to reverse the effects of an unfavourable marketing process.