Segmentation of the buffalo meat consumer market in Belém, Pará, Brazil

Abstract

-The objective of this study was to identify different market segments for buffalo meat with target groups defined in the city of Belém, Pará, Brazil. Paired samples of beef and buffalo meat were given to 447 volunteers, and a sensory analysis of the products was conducted. After the tasting, a questionnaire was administered to obtain demographic (age, educational level, marital status) and economic (household income) data as well as information on the habits of respondents and preferences regarding buffalo meat. The factors were estimated using the principal components method and the factors with characteristic roots greater than one were extracted. To check the suitability of the factorial model, Bartlett's sphericity test and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test were used. A factor analysis was performed, identifying five factors with common variability dimensions. The study has helped identify four distinct market segments which, combined with a targeted marketing strategy, can be used to leverage the productive chain: I -Young and interested, II -Mixed and indifferent, III -Graduates and successful, and IV -Healthy women. All had positive responses to buffalo meat; clusters I and III stood out with regard to several indicators, especially those related to the preference for buffalo meat and the predisposition to purchase and include it in meals. The sensory analysis indicated that consumers showed a greater acceptance of buffalo meat based on the characteristics of flavour, colour, succulence and tenderness. The study helps to identify market segments with distinct features that, combined with a targeted marketing strategy, can be used to leverage the supply chain

Water buffalo production in the Brazilian Amazon Basin: a review

“…Buffaloes slaughtered after being finished in a feedlot present desirable features on sensory panel testing, and therefore the use of young buffaloes for meat production with excellent sensorial qualities should be stimulated (Naveena and Kiran 2014). Studies showed that consumers in Pará state accept better buffalo meat based on characteristics such as taste, color, succulence, and tenderness (Marques et al 2016;Pontes et al 2018). Nonetheless, in order to improve the commercialization of buffalo meat in the local market, it is necessary to process young animals, improve traceability mechanisms, standardize, and properly label the final product being sold.…”

Application of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) assay to detect fraud by substitution of bovine meat cuts with water buffalo meat in Northern Brazil

“…Of the locations with a higher incidence of fraud by substituting beef meat cuts with water buffalo meat, Marajó (PA) and Macapá (AP) lead the ranking in the studied region, probably because these regions possess a larger number of buffaloes than other localities. Unlike other places like Egypt, Vietnam, and the European Union, in which buffalo meat is valued, in Brazil, especially in the northern region, this material presents a low commercial value, being 20% cheaper than beef, according to Marques et al (2016). Hossain et al (2017) found similar results when analyzing the authenticity of meat products in Malaysia, and identified the total replacement of beef by buffalo, as this is cheaper.…”

“…Moreover, although Brazil has a tracking system (SISBOV), it has many limitations in its application (IBGE, 2017;Rodrigues & Nantes, 2010). All these factors contribute to the occurrence of commercial fraud by substitution of beef meat with water buffalo meat (Marques et al, 2016).…”

Current Knowledge on River Buffalo Meat: A Critical Analysis

“…However, the main determinant for four out of the five sensory traits was income, with low-income people giving the highest scores. Another interesting study carried out in Brazil on consumers' attitude towards buffalo meat highlighted that it was appreciated especially by young people, who stated that information about the product characteristics would favour their willingness to buy, and that they would also a higher price if presented with a certification of quality [149]. This kind of analysis offers interesting insights into the interpretation of the results of sensory analysis and can suggest possible marketing strategies.…”