CONSUMER ATTITUDES AND EXPECTATIONS OF GINSENG FOOD PRODUCTS ASSESSED BY FOCUS GROUPS AND CONJOINT ANALYSIS

Ginseng food products in the U. S. A. have mostly been limited to beverages despite the growth of functional foods market. The objectives of the study were to: (1) probe consumer attitudes and expectations of ginseng food products in the U. S. A., and (2) identify ginseng food product concept(s) that possess market potential in the U. S. A. Focus group panel (n = 14) experienced limited types of ginseng food products from the Asian market and suggested that new ginseng food products be developed on the basis of preexisting product types in the U. S. A. Conjoint analysis (n = 400) was performed with four categories and five elements from each category, which were generated based on findings from preceding focus groups. Participants had a low level of initial interest in ginseng food products. Sweetness and ginseng chocolate had the highest utility values. Findings suggested that the original ginseng flavors, including bitterness and earthiness, be minimized in order to establish potential for success in the U. S. market.