Bernard Matthews - Understanding The Cooked Meats Market

Bernard Matthews Foods Ltd. is highly successful in the pre-packed cooked meats market and has been steadily developing the range over a number of years. Akadine was asked to provide market research to take stock of the market in general and to understand the role of the Bernard Matthews products within that market with particular reference to the packaging format and brand image.

The research carried out took a three-pronged approach:

(1) a series of extended group discussions among buyers at various levels in the market from Economy through to Ultra-Premium;

(2) a quali-hall using a set-piece display as stimulus and a series of structured and mini-depth interviews to examine the effect of pack style on selection and perception;

(3) hall tests to produce a Hierarchy of Needs - ranking of a wide range of factors which effect consumer choice in this market, using 'Triads', a method of trade off which allows consumers to choose from sets of three aspects.

The project provided a full understanding of the imagery attached to all aspects of the packaging, the effect of packaging on consumer assumptions and likelihood to buy, a systematic description of how consumers distinguish between economy and premium and the grades in between, an evaluation of the company's pack style per se and in relation to its main competitors. In addition the Hierarchy provides a permanent vehicle against which to measure future activity in the market.