Speciality food segments in Great Britain

Individuals seek a multitude of experiences from food which range from eating enjoyment through to ethical/moral standing. For some consumers speciality foods have a role to play in the delivery of these experiences. This chapter reports on the segmenting of British food consumers based on their speciality food orientation. A set of motivational, attitudinal and behavioural variables germane to demand for speciality foods were used for the segmentation. A nationally representative sample of 1037 respondents responsible for cooking and shopping in the household was interviewed. Five segments were identified: the speciality foodie, the foodie adopter, the traditionalist, the indifferent and the uninterested. The most speciality orientated segments were the speciality foodie and the foodie adopters. These two segments together account for 41% of the British population and provide the main market opportunities for speciality producers. These profiles provide the opportunity to develop differentiated marketing strategies. For example, with the speciality foodie, emphasis must be placed on the quality of the ingredients and authenticity of the product. For this segment premium quality will be rewarded with a premium price. In the case of the foodie adopter setting the product in the context of social events and stressing the origins of the product are important. Clearly the recession will have impacted demand for speciality food but correct market targeting should afford many speciality food producers with continued success in the British market.