Sensory benefits, emotions and usage patterns for olives: using Internet-based conjoint analysis and segmentation to understand patterns of response

Conjoint analysis was used in an Internet-enabled format in order to understand the drivers of interest at the concept level for olives, a common but not well-researched snack food. The study comprised 36 descriptive phrases covering sensory properties, uses, product origins and emotions. The utility values revealed differences in interest level when respondents rated the test concepts on an intensity of craving scale. Although there were some differences in response pattern due to other variables such as hunger, the concept-response segmentation showed the largest differences, and provides an analytic strategy to uncover groups of individuals with interest in mainstream or more narrow food categories who demonstrate heightened response to specific messages and product features.