Rovai Dominic, Gupta Saloni, Watson Megan, Drake MaryAnne
Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
J Food Sci. 2025 Jun;90(6):e70329. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.70329.
Oat milk is a popular nondairy milk with high sensory appeal. The objective of this study was to understand trial and repeat purchase motivations, and the extrinsic attributes that influence consumer preference for oat milks. An online survey (n = 415) and focus groups (n = 24 participants across four groups) were conducted with oat milk consumers. Survey techniques included sliding scale questions to compare consumer perceptions towards different types of milk; CATA, single select, and free response questions to document consumption occasions and frequency for oat milk consumption; Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint (ACBC) and Kano analysis to understand ideal attributes and tradeoffs for oat milk; and Maximum Difference Scaling (MaxDiff) to understand preferences for oat milk label claims. Survey data were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Key themes were identified from focus groups. Oat milk was perceived as sustainable and heart healthy (p < 0.05). Consumers were motivated to try oat milk because it fit their dietary restrictions and was trendy. Repeat consumption was motivated by unique flavor and texture. Two consumer clusters were identified. Consumers in both clusters valued the same oat milk attributes but differed in price sensitivity. The ideal oat milk was original flavor with claims of excellent source of calcium, vitamins A & D, and free from artificial flavors and colors (p < 0.05). These insights may be useful to dairy and non-dairy product developers to understand oat milk consumer behavior when purchasing and using oat milk. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Plant-based alternatives have grown in popularity as consumers increasingly seek out alternatives to dairy products. This research examined consumer perception and preferences for oat milk-a fast growing nondairy milk alternative. These findings provide insights into why consumers tried oat milk for the first time, why they continue to purchase it, and how they value tradeoffs for purchase decisions. Understanding these motivations and behaviors will help guide product development and marketing for oat milks. Insights from this research may also aid in the development of other plant-based alternative products.
燕麦奶是一种广受欢迎的非乳制奶，具有很高的感官吸引力。本研究的目的是了解试用和重复购买的动机，以及影响消费者对燕麦奶偏好的外在属性。对燕麦奶消费者进行了一项在线调查（n = 415）和焦点小组访谈（四个小组共24名参与者）。调查技术包括用滑动量表问题来比较消费者对不同类型牛奶的看法；用CATA、单选和自由回答问题来记录燕麦奶的消费场合和频率；用自适应基于选择的联合分析（ACBC）和卡诺分析来了解燕麦奶的理想属性和权衡；用最大差异量表法（MaxDiff）来了解对燕麦奶标签声明的偏好。通过单变量和多变量分析对调查数据进行评估。从焦点小组中确定了关键主题。燕麦奶被认为是可持续的且有益心脏健康（p < 0.05）。消费者尝试燕麦奶的动机是它符合他们的饮食限制且很时尚。重复消费的动机是其独特的风味和口感。确定了两个消费者群体。两个群体的消费者都看重相同的燕麦奶属性，但在价格敏感度上有所不同。理想的燕麦奶是原味的，宣称是钙、维生素A和D的优质来源，且不含人工香料和色素（p < 0.05）。这些见解可能有助于乳制品和非乳制品开发商了解消费者在购买和使用燕麦奶时的行为。实际应用：随着消费者越来越多地寻求乳制品的替代品，植物基替代品越来越受欢迎。本研究调查了消费者对燕麦奶（一种快速增长的非乳制奶替代品）的认知和偏好。这些发现揭示了消费者首次尝试燕麦奶的原因、他们继续购买的原因以及他们在购买决策中如何权衡利弊。了解这些动机和行为将有助于指导燕麦奶的产品开发和营销。本研究的见解也可能有助于其他植物基替代产品的开发。
