Analysis of perceptions and preferences of food and beverage consumers in coffee shops in Ambato city

Abstract

In Ecuador the food and beverage sector is an activity of high demand and that drives the economic advancement of the country that according to data from the SRI (internal revenue services) (SRI, 2022) in the year 2021 was recorded a collection by activity of $115,104,005 of dollars, 13% more in the year 2020; however, in 2019 was recorded a total collection of the sector of $134. 896,344 of dollars, 17% more than in the year 2022, indicating that the food sector has not recovered its economic stability in its entirety, prior to the economic and social events that reflected a drastic change in all sectors categorized as non-strategic.
Although it is true that the slow global recovery of this sector impacts in relation to its income, it is gradually recovering its stability, which implies that the actors of this sector should seek strategies and actions that generate competitive advantages, and that allow one or more actors to stand out, using the research of the factors of choice and tastes and preferences of a typical consumer so that the actions are more efficient, in an increasingly competitive environment and in a sector that is slowly recovering.
The development of research with the criteria and variables associated with consumer behavior is extensive, and its foundations are associated with field research that allow standardizing and regulating intervening factors at the time of decision making.
The present research focused on the analysis of tastes and preferences of consumers of food and beverages specifically directed to cafeterias establishments, provides an overview of some criteria considered by the researcher and evaluated through a quantifiable and measurable instrument, of how is the behavior of the typical consumer with respect to the intervening factors at the time of decision making and on their consumption habits.
The analysis is based on the conceptualization of the variables and the findings in an interpretative manner, relating the field research with such information and marketing concepts; expanding the vision to take definitions on consumer behavior in the frequency of purchase, purchase motivators, product preferences, the competitive environment against which the sector will have to consider its participation, and define thanks to the research a consumer profile for coffee shops in the city of Ambato.