A Study of Consumer Behavior and a Guideline for Khanom La Product Development of Community Enterprise Groups in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province

Abstract

This research aims to study customer behaviors towards crispy Khanom La, traditional Khanom La, and Khanom La stuffed in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, and propose a guideline for Khanon La product development. The population of this parcipatory action research comprised of a) a women’s community enterprise group for processed sweets, Tambon Pak Phun, Mueang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat, b) a community enterprise group for Khanom La products, Tambon Tha Som, Hua Sai District, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and c) a group of tourists who consumed Khanom La in Nakhon Si Thammarat. We visited the considered areas for data collection and collected basic information of the Khanom La production process from the community enterprise groups for supply chain analysis. We also collected the information from 35 tourists who consumed Khanom La, based on the structured interview questionnaire. For data analysis, there were two methods. For description data, content analysis was used to analyze consumer behaviors, while for quantitative data, crosstabs analysis was applied using a statistical program to determine results of Khanom La tasting and liking scores of the consumers.      

The results showed that from 35 customers bought Khanom La due to colorful products, beautiful patterns, various flavors, sweet taste/and delicious, fragrant, clean and safe, freshness, and unique to the local area. Also, the objectives for buying Khanom La were to give souvenirs to others and use them in various ceremonies. Here, Khanom La with the original tasting was preferred and selected. Most customers bought Khanom La from souvenir shops, festivals, community shops, fresh markets or flea markets, local exhibition centers, and manufacturing sources. Secondly, The results of Khanom La tasting and liking scores of the consumers indicated that customer behavior was based on the customer’s age or generation. The customers in the Baby boomer and Gen X groups preferred Khanom La with banana stuffed. The customers in the Gen Y and Gen Z groups preferred Khanom La with chocolate stuffed. From this result, Khanom La with stuffed was preferred by the customers and It could be more responsive to the target customer market. It could increase value-added products and provide stable income to the local people in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Finally, we found from the customer behavior analysis, that customer behavior was changed according to the customer’s age or generation. The community enterprise groups had to adapt their midstream supply chain segments in the product processing process to support customer behavior and produce a new value chain and more income to the community enterprise groups.