Meal Mapping

Food Quality and Preference, Vol. 30, pp. 47-55, 2013

Posted: 29 Jul 2013

See all articles by Joachim Scholderer

Joachim Scholderer

Arhus University; University of Zurich

Jens Oliver Kügler

Independent

Nina Veflen Olsen

Independent

Wim Verbeke

Ghent University - Department of Agricultural Economics

Date Written: 2013

Abstract

A new methodology is introduced that allows the design of meal solutions (such as chilled and frozen ready meals, menu choices in catering and food service) based on empirical assessments of fit between meal centres and side components. The necessary input data are collected by means of a consumer survey. Survey participants are asked to indicate, for a list of relevant meal centres, which side components they typically combine with the meal centres. In the first step of the statistical analysis, a parametric model of centre-side combination is estimated. In a second step, the predicted probabilities are subjected to multiple correspondence analysis and mapped into low-dimensional space. In a third step, the principal coordinates representing meal centres and side components in the correspondence analysis solution are subjected to cluster analysis to identify distinct groups of compatible centre-side combinations. The methodology is demonstrated in the context of a pan-European study of meals with fresh and minimally processed pork products as meal centres. The best-fitting solution suggested five meal segments: a ‘‘from the grill’’ segment (skewers or sausages served with condiments and beer or spirits), a ‘‘Sunday roast’’ segment (shoulder, gammon roast, collar roast or medallions served with potatoes and sauce, combined with beans, carrots or cabbage), a ‘‘Bolognese’’ segment (minced meat with pasta), a ‘‘lean cuisine’’ segment (tenderloin or small cuts combined served with rice, combined with tomatoes, sweet peppers or lettuce plus wine) and a miscellaneous segment of rarely consumed products.

Keywords: Meal solutions, Ready meals, Food service, New product development, Segmentation, Generalized estimating equations

Suggested Citation

Scholderer, Joachim and Kügler, Jens Oliver and Olsen, Nina Veflen and Verbeke, Wim, Meal Mapping (2013). Food Quality and Preference, Vol. 30, pp. 47-55, 2013, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2302582

Joachim Scholderer (Contact Author)

Arhus University ( email )

Department of Economics and Business Economics
Fuglesangs Allé 4
Århus V, 8210
Denmark
+45 871 65019 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://person.au.dk/js@econ.au.dk

University of Zurich ( email )

CCRS
Zähringerstrasse 24
Zurich, 8001
Switzerland
+41 44 634 40 61 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.ccrs.uzh.ch

Jens Oliver Kügler

Independent ( email )

Nina Veflen Olsen

Independent ( email )

Wim Verbeke

Ghent University - Department of Agricultural Economics ( email )

Coupure Links 653
Ghent, 9000
Belgium

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