A DISSERTATION

ON

CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR TOWARDS THE READY

TO EAT PRODUCTS”

WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON

ITC & MTR”

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR

THE BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

OF

IMS UNISON UNIVERSITY, DEHRADUN

SUPERVISED BY: SUBMITTED BY:

Research Guide

Name: Dr. Rajesh Katiyar Vishal Kumar

Designation: Asst. Professor 15BBA117
IMS UNISON UNIVERSITY
DEHRADUN
Page 1
 DECLARATION
I student of IMS Unison University of
Management Batch (2015-18) declare that every part of the Project Report “A
Dissertation On Consumer Buying Behavior Towards Ready To Eat
Products With Special Focus On ITC & MTR” that I have submitted is
original.

Date of Project Submission:

Signature of the Student:

Faculty’s Comments:

Signature of the Faculty:

Name:

Signature of the Research Methodology: ………………………………

Name: …………………………………………………………………..

Page 2
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The making of any report calls for contribution and cooperation from many
others, besides the individual alone. It is the result of meticulous efforts put in
by the many minds that contribute to the final report formation. I duly
acknowledge my gratitude to each one of them.

During the perseverance of this project, I was supported by different people,

whose names if not mentioned would be inconsiderate on my part.
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to my project guide
Dr. Rajesh Katiyar , for extending valuable guidance and encouragement from
time to time, without which it would not have been possible to undertake and
complete this project. The Project was an enriching experience and taught me
various critical factors that influence Ready-To-Eat Industry. Additionally, this
project helped me in understanding that how actual research is conducted and
the various challenges that researches face while conducting a research.
I would also like to thank my friends and different people for their support and
patience in filling up the questionnaires and hence in the successful completion
of the project.
Above all I would like to thank the divine intervention who backed me at all the
time and provided me enough motivation to accomplish this voyage.

Vishal Kumar

Page 3
 Table of Contents
Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………04

Executive Summary…………………………………………………………..06

India’s Food Processing Industry…………………………………….……07

Introduction………………………………………………………………….08

Section 1 Background for the Study……………………………………….09

1.1 Motivation for Study…………………………………………………11

1.2 Literature Review……………………………………..……………...13

Section 2 Theoretical Reviews……………………………………….………14

2.1 Company Profile……………………………………………….…….18

Section 3 Research Methodology………………………………………….37

Section 4 Results and Findings…………………………………………….40

4.1 Observation…………………….……………………………………47

4.2 Conclusion & Recommendation…..………………………………...49

Bibliography…………………………………………………………………54

Annexure………………………………………………………………………55

Page 4
 Executive Summary
India has made lot of progress in agriculture & food sectors since independence
in terms of growth in output, yields and processing. It has gone through a green
revolution, a white revolution, a yellow revolution and a blue revolution. Today,
India is the largest producer of milk, fruits, cashew nuts, coconuts and tea in the
world, the second largest producer of wheat, vegetables, sugar and fish and the
third largest producer of tobacco and rice. Indian Government is providing more
infrastructures for this sector. Excise duty is now ZERO % on RTE and 100 %
tax deduction for the first 10 years for new units. This allows manufactures to
bring down their prices & spreads its flavors to the world.
Now the time is to provide better food processing & its marketing infrastructure
for Indian industries to serve good quality & safest processed food like ready to
eat food.

The current project is aimed at gaining a deeper insight of consumer buying

behavior towards RTE products, Comparative analysis of two giant FMCG
Companies i.e. ITC & MTR and all the issues and problems faced by an FMCG
company for branding and popularizing its products.

Along with it I consider this project work as the best medium to communicate
and share my learning and experiences & constraints faced and learning made
during this unforgettable journey.

Page 5
 India’s Food Processing Industry
India’s Food Processing industry is one of the largest industries in the country.
It has been ranked fifth in terms of production, consumption, export and
expected growth. The Indian food industry is estimated to be worth over US$
200 billion and is expected to grow to US$ 310 billion by 2015. India is one of
the world’s major food producers but accounts for only 1.7 per cent (valued at
US$ 7.5 billion) of world trade in this sector – this share is slated to increase to
3 per cent (US$ 20 billion) by 2015. The Indian food processing industry is
estimated at US$ 70 billion. The industry employs 1.6 million workers directly.
Food processing is a large sector that covers activities such as agriculture,
horticulture, plantation, animal husbandry and fisheries. The Ministry of Food
Processing, Government of India has defined the following segments within the
Food Processing industry:
• Dairy, fruits & vegetable processing
• Grain processing
• Meat & poultry processing
• Fisheries
• Consumer foods including packaged foods, beverages and packaged drinking
water.
Although the industry is large in terms of size, it is still at a nascent stage in
terms of development. Out of the country’s total agriculture and food produce,
only 2 per cent is processed. The highest share of processed food is in the Dairy
sector, where 37 per cent of the total produce is processed, of which 15 per cent
is processed by the organized sector. Primary food processing (packaged fruit
and vegetables, milk, milled flour and rice, tea, spices, etc.) constitutes around
60 per cent of processed foods. In comparison, the organized sector is relatively
small, with around 516 flour mills, 568 fish processing units, 5,293 fruit and
vegetable processing units, 171 meat processing units and numerous dairy
processing units at state and district levels.

Page 6
Introduction

Page 7
 1. Background for the Study
The ready-to-eat (RTE) market in India, currently estimated at Rs. 128 crore
(2006) is expected to expand and to reach Rs. 2,900 crore by 2015, according to
an analysis done by Tata Strategic Management Group (TSMG). In its analysis,
TSMG said that the factors contributing to the growth would be changes like
cold chain development, disintermediation, streamlining of taxation, economies
of scale on the supply side, coupled with increasing disposable incomes,
diminishing culinary skills and the need for convenience on the demand side.

When customer needs to eat, the food item pouch is either put in microwave
oven to warm it or keep in heated water for a few minutes and then serve to eat.
Such ready to eat meals have been especially given to soldiers in army of many
countries who require carrying their rations while on war front or while located
far away from their main unit.
The market for food is simply huge and as of January 2010 estimated to be Rs
5000 billion annually. It is growing for two main reasons: population growth
and improvement in consumers’ spending ability.

Major Players in the Ready to Eat Segment

 MTR
 Kohinoor Foods
 ITC
 Haldiram
 Tasty Bites
TYPES OF READY TO EAT FOOD
Veg Food Non Veg Food
Alloo Matar Chicken Curry
Palak paneer Butter Chicken
Sarso Ka Saag Karahi Chicken
Chana Masala Mughalai Chicken
Kadi Pakora Mutton Masala
Cheese Tomato Mutton Korma
Dal Makhani Karahi Mutton
Rajma Masala Mutton Biryani

Deserts
Gajar Ka Haluaa / Sugi Ka Haluaa / Milk Kheer etc.

Page 8
Retort & Its Packaging

The water RETORT is an equipment or vessel or sterilization module through

which steam (at 130 degree centigrade for 25 minutes) is applied on food
products packed in retort pouches.
The retorts use water or steam/air combination as processing medium to heat the
container/packages. Compressed air or additional steam is introduced during the
processing cycle to provide the overpressure (any pressure supplied to the retort
in excess of that which can be normally achieved under steam at any given
retorts temperature). Overpressure is important in preventing package damage
or loss of seal integrity (like bursting), during the heating process.
Retort pouches is a flexible packaging material that basically consist of
laminates or bounded layers of different packaging films of Polyster-Nylon-
Aluminum-polypropylene that can withstand high process temperature &
pressure.
Their most important feature is that they are made of heat-resistant plastics
unlike the usual flexible pouches. This makes the retort pouches unique which
are suitable for the processing of food contents at temperatures around 120
degrees Celsius. That is the kind of ambient temperature prevalent in the
thermal sterilization of foods.
There is lesser time to spend in cooking food themselves and so ready to eat
foods are preferred.

Advantages Of Retort Packaging:

• Pouch laminates permits less chance to overcook during the retorting thus
products having better color, texture & less nutrients loss.
• It requires less energy for sterilization.
• It requires less disposal & storage space.
• Low oxygen & moisture permeability.
• Shelf stable for longer time & requires no refrigeration.
Some Salient Features of RTE Market:

 Globalization of Indian food and its culture are the core factors for
popularization of ready to eat foods.
 Retail outlet culture is now growing rapidly in India.
 Shelf life of these foods is at least 12-18 months.
 Quality, Taste and Flavor of these foods remains as good as fresh up
to the expiry date.
 More working bachelors staying away from homes.
 Cost effective in comparison to the Indian cuisine served by the
restaurants in foreign countries.
Page 9
 Motivation for the Study

According to ITC press release on March 2008, Indian RTE market is worth
around Rs 80-100 crore. The market is somewhat in a stagnant state and the
growth is minimal.

According to reports by CNBC-TV18, despite gradual duty cuts on Ready to

Eat and instant mixes the sector is not doing well and growth is minimal. The
concept behind RTE is that urban families are strapped for time and will
definitely buy RTE packs to save on cooking time however this doesn’t seem to
be so because in India people still prefer food cooked and served piping hot by
someone else or themselves so people hire cooks instead of buying RTE packs.

Hence, this study was undertaken to understand the psyche behind consumers
and what factors goes into influencing their buying decision making.
This is a dilemma faced by marketers of Ready to eat Industry. Marketing being
very close to my heart and strategic marketing is my passion and hence I took
up this study to understand the problems that marketers face and what are the
different mean which can prove strategically beneficial in overcoming these
hurdles.

Objectives of the Study

 To study the market penetration of Ready-To Eat food.

 To study the consumer perception of Ready-To-Eat foods.
 To identify the buying pattern of Ready-To-Eat (RTE) packs.
 To identify the factors influencing buyer behavior of RTE packs.

Research Problem

This Study deals with the Ready to eat Industry in India. The study also aims at
understanding the factors influencing buying decision making of the RTE
products. The factors under consideration are advertising, price, Product, Value
proposition etc.

Page 10
Scope of the Study

The project is a study of the factors affecting consumer buying behavior of

Ready to Eat Meals in India. The study is undertaken to understand all the
negative and positive perceptions about the Ready to Eat products.

In the study I have highlighted the following points:

 Percentage of people aware about RTE & have purchased it;

 Percentage of people buying an RTE product on monthly basis vs.

emergency basis;

 Critical areas where communication is required to draw a change in the

perception/attitude of customers towards RTE segment;

 SOPs for preferring RTE products by the people as an option when

needed;

 Range of ITC and MTR’s RTE products available in the market and
their awareness amongst the people;

 Comparative analysis of ITC and MTR products (RTE) on the basis of

certain parameters i.e.; taste & preferences, price, quality, availability etc.

Limitations of the Study

 For a generic study like this where the consumers are spread across
a wide area and shortage of time, the sample size taken was very
limited i.e. 60.

 Lack of firsthand knowledge of conducting research.

Page 11
Literature Review

Page 12
 2. Theoretical Review

The ready to eat meal industry consists of two categories, frozen ready meals
and canned ready meals. The market for ready meals in India increased at a
compound annual growth rate of 13.7% between 2003 and 2008.The canned
ready meals category led the ready meals market in India, accounting for a share
of 60.3%.

Leading players in Indian ready meals market include ITC Limited, Al Kabeer
Group of Companies and Orkla Foods.

The ready to eat foods have gained momentum in Urban India where even
women are working and there is time crunch to cook. The market for RTE
industry is NRIs and bachelors.

The Indian food processing industry has changed considerably in recent years to
adapt to the demands and lifestyles of domestic consumers, particularly the
growing middle class. This is also due to the rapid expansion of the retail
distribution system replacing mall stores and wet markets with modern
supermarkets, superstores and convenience stores. Dairy products, deli
products, snack foods, ready-to-eat and ready-to-prepare meals are currently the
most rapid growth product categories in the domestic market.

The current scenario

The ready-to-eat (RTE) market in India, currently estimated at Rs. 128 crore
(2006) is expected to expand to reach Rs. 2,900 crore by 2015, according to an
analysis done by Tata Strategic Management Group (TSMG). The report also
highlights that the RTE market in India has remained under-penetrated owing to
factors such as consumers’ penchant for freshness, low affordability and the
Indian housewife’s preference for home-cooked food. According to data in the
reports, packaged foods in India have grown at about seven per cent a year
between 2000 and 2005, with RTE foods being the fastest-growing, at a CAGR
of 73 per cent. the factors contributing to the growth would be changes like cold
chain development, disintermediation, streamlining of taxation, economies of
scale on the supply side, coupled with increasing disposable incomes,
diminishing culinary skills and the need for convenience on the demand side.

Page 13
Market
There is a huge untapped market opportunity arising due to rapid demographic
shifts in income, urbanization, and proportion of urban working women in
India. The industry needs to concentrate on broadening the market and
increasing penetration amongst Indian consumers.

The analysis also pointed out that industry players would have to significantly
improve their price competitiveness with respect to other options such as
domestic help, eating out and ordering in, available to the Indian consumer.
Besides price consideration, the product range offered by industry players will
have to be strengthened.

Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) is India's largest

food products marketing organization. Apart from being known for its dairy
AMUL products, Amul has ventured into the ready-to-eat industry and includes
Processed Cheese, Pure Ghee, Shrikhand, Nutramul and Mithaee Gulab
Jamuns among its offerings.
The traditional Indian Sweet-Maker from a small set up has transformed into
a full fledged processing food industry and taking its wares beyond the
HALDIRAM S domestic frontiers to the Western World. Offers packaged Bhel puri chats
such as Sev Puri, Chana Masala, Samosa, Pakoras, Alu Tikki, Pao Bhaji, Gol
Gappa, Dhokla among others
Aashirvaad and Kitchens of India’ products from the ITC stable of India
ITC include a wide assortment of ready to cook foods and dishes ranging from
Bukhara (Uzbek recepie) to Murgh Methi and other exoctic cuisines and
includes "regular" Biryanis, Curry Pastes and dishes.
ITC's Flagship brand 'Kitchens of India ' has begun to carry this exotic taste of
KITCHENS OF Indian cuisine beyond the shores of India . Connoisseurs of Indian food in the
INDIA US, UK, Switzerland, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Hongkong, Tanzania, Canada and
Australia now have the opportunity to taste these delicious recipes.
Amongst the top five processed food manufacturers in India, the company
claims to "market and export a wide range of packaged foods to global
MTR markets" that include USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore,
UAE and Oman. MTR foods currently comprises twenty-two delicious and
completely authentic Indian curries, gravies and rice.

Page 14
Recently, on Aug 1, 2008, ITC Foods has drawn up plans to extend its Kitchen
of India brand to frozen foods. ITC’s Branded Packaged Foods business
continues to expand with sales growing by 23% over the previous year. Apart
from the development costs of new products, the business has had to contend
with the recent economic slowdown and severe cost increases in input
commodities including wheat, vegetable oil, maize and skimmed milk powder,
in addition to the soaring fuel prices.
Having acquired reasonable scale in a relatively short span of time, the business
is progressively focusing on consolidating the portfolio in certain categories,
improving market servicing and driving supply chain efficiencies.
As per the latest data the market share of these major players of RTE industry
has been segregated as:

Market Share RTE Industry

Kohinoor
8% Others
9% MTR
35%

MTR
ITC
Kohinoor
ITC
48% Others

Page 15
The retort processed foods do not require rehydration or cooking and can be
consumed straight from the pouch with or without pre-warming, depending
upon the requirement of the users and the weather conditions. These foods meet
the specific needs of convenience, nutritional adequacy, shelf stability, storage,
distribution to the centers and have become very popular after the year 2002.
Some of the mouth-watering dishes in retort pouches include sooji halwa, upma,
chicken curry, mutton curry, fish curry, chicken madras, chicken kurma, rajma
masala, palak paneer, dal makhni, mutter paneer, potato-peas, mutter
mushroom, vegetable pulav chicken pulav, and mutton pulav, etc. The pioneer
introduction of retorting technology has made the sale of ‘Ready-to-Eat’ food
products commercially viable with great taste.

Under-serviced

At the moment, the regional cuisine and non-vegetarian cuisine markets are
relatively under-serviced with concentration on the vegetarian North Indian
meals.

Pankaj Gupta, Practice Head-Consumer & Retail, Tata Strategic, said,

“According to our analysis, India provides an attractive opportunity for both
Indian and international players with a mix of demand and supply side changes.
If consumer demands of affordability, availability and enhancing acceptability
are met, the RTE foods market has the potential market size of 2,900 crore by
2015 from its existing Rs. 128 crore.

Challenges
The Rs 130 crore markets have stayed stagnant over the past three years. That's
because in India people still believe in cooking and serving food. Additionally,
The RTE foods have to compete with restaurants, cooks and consumers
penchant for cooking. Over and above, the pricing is higher range which has
made it an occasional purchase item rather than regular buying.
Page 16
Company
Profile

Page 17
Page 18
ITC is one of India's foremost private sector companies with a market
capitalization of over US $ 30 billion and a turnover of US $ 6 billion.* ITC is
rated among the World's Best Big Companies, Asia's 'Fab 50' and the World's
Most Reputable Companies by Forbes magazine, among India's Most Respected
Companies by Business World and among India's Most Valuable Companies by
Business Today. ITC ranks among India's `10 Most Valuable (Company)
Brands', in a study conducted by Brand Finance and published by the Economic
Times. ITC also ranks among Asia's 50 best performing companies compiled by
Business Week.

ITC has a diversified presence in Cigarettes, Hotels, Paperboards & Specialty

Papers, Packaging, Agri-Business, Packaged Foods & Confectionery,
Information Technology, Branded Apparel, Personal Care, Stationery, Safety
Matches and other FMCG products. While ITC is an outstanding market leader
in its traditional businesses of Cigarettes, Hotels, Paperboards, Packaging and
Agri-Exports, it is rapidly gaining market share even in its nascent businesses of
Packaged Foods & Confectionery, Branded Apparel, Personal Care and
Stationery.

As one of India's most valuable and respected corporations, ITC is widely

perceived to be dedicatedly nation-oriented. Chairman Y C Deveshwar calls this
source of inspiration "a commitment beyond the market". In his own words:
"ITC believes that its aspiration to create enduring value for the nation provides
the motive force to sustain growing shareholder value. ITC practices this
philosophy by not only driving each of its businesses towards international
competitiveness but by also consciously contributing to enhancing the
competitiveness of the larger value chain of which it is a part."

ITC's diversified status originates from its corporate strategy aimed at creating
multiple drivers of growth anchored on its time-tested core competencies:
unmatched distribution reach, superior brand-building capabilities, effective
supply chain management and acknowledged service skills in hoteliering. Over
time, the strategic forays into new businesses are expected to garner a
significant share of these emerging high-growth markets in India.

ITC's Agri-Business is one of India's largest exporters of agricultural products.

ITC is one of the country's biggest foreign exchange earners (US $ 3.2 billion in
the last decade). The Company's 'e-Choupal' initiative is enabling Indian
agriculture significantly enhance its competitiveness by empowering Indian
farmers through the power of the Internet. This transformational strategy, which
has already become the subject matter of a case study at Harvard Business
School, is expected to progressively create for ITC a huge rural distribution
infrastructure, significantly enhancing the Company's marketing reach.

Page 19
ITC's wholly owned Information Technology subsidiary, ITC Infotech India
Ltd, provides IT services and solutions to leading global customers. ITC
Infotech has carved a niche for itself by addressing customer challenges through
innovative IT solutions.

ITC's production facilities and hotels have won numerous national and
international awards for quality, productivity, safety and environment
management systems. ITC was the first company in India to voluntarily seek a
corporate governance rating.

ITC employs over 26,000 people at more than 60 locations across India. The
Company continuously endeavors to enhance its wealth generating capabilities
in a globalizing environment to consistently reward more than 3,96,000
shareholders, fulfill the aspirations of its stakeholders and meet societal
expectations. This over-arching vision of the company is expressively captured
in its corporate positioning statement: "Enduring Value, for the Nation, for the
Shareholders.

Vision and Mission

Sustain ITC's position as one of India's most valuable corporations through

world class performance, creating growing value for the Indian economy and
the Company’s stakeholders.

To enhance the wealth generating capability of the enterprise in a globalizing

environment,
delivering superior and sustainable stakeholder value.

Core values of ITC:

ITC's Core Values are aimed at developing a customer-focused, high-

performance organization which creates value for all its stakeholders:

Trusteeship:

As professional managers, we are conscious that ITC has been given to us in

"trust" by all our stakeholders. We will actualize stakeholder value and interest
on a long term sustainable basis.

Customer Focus:

We are always customer focused and will deliver what the customer needs in
terms of value, quality and satisfaction.

Page 20
Respect For People:

We are result oriented, setting high performance standards for ourselves as

individuals and teams.

We will simultaneously respect and value people and uphold humanness and
human dignity.

We acknowledge that every individual brings different perspectives and

capabilities to the team and that a strong team is founded on a variety of
perspectives.

We want individuals to dream, value differences, create and experiment in

pursuit of opportunities and achieve leadership through teamwork.

Excellence:

We do what is right, do it well and win. We will strive for excellence in

whatever we do.

Innovation:

We will constantly pursue newer and better processes, products, services and
management practices.

Nation Orientation:

We are aware of our responsibility to generate economic value for the Nation.
In pursuit of our goals, we will make no compromise in complying with
applicable laws and regulations at all levels.

Corporate Governance:

Definition and Purpose:

ITC defines Corporate Governance as a systemic process by which companies

are directed and controlled to enhance their wealth generating capacity. Since
large corporations employ vast quantum of societal resources, we believe that
the governance process should ensure that these companies are managed in a
manner that meets stakeholders’ aspirations and societal expectations.

Page 21
Core Principles:

ITC's Corporate Governance initiative is based on two core principles. These

are:

i. Management must have the executive freedom to drive the enterprise

forward without undue restraints; and

ii. This freedom of management should be exercised within a framework of

effective accountability.

ITC believes that any meaningful policy on Corporate Governance must

provide empowerment to the executive management of the Company, and
simultaneously create a mechanism of checks and balances which ensures
that the decision making powers vested in the executive management is
not only not misused, but is used with care and responsibility to meet
stakeholder aspirations and societal expectations.

ITC’s RTE Products Portfolio:

ITC's foray into the Foods business is an outstanding example of successfully

blending multiple internal competencies to create a new driver of business
growth. It began in August 2001 with the introduction of 'Kitchens of India'
ready-to-eat Indian gourmet dishes. In 2002, ITC entered the confectionery and
staples segments with the launch of the brands Mint-O and Candyman
confectionery and Aashirvaad atta (wheat flour). 2003 witnessed the
introduction of Sunfeast as the Company entered the biscuits segment. ITC's
entered the fast growing branded snacks category with Bingo! in 2007. In just
six years, the Foods business has grown to a significant size with over 150
differentiated products under six distinctive brands, with an enviable
distribution reach, a rapidly growing market share and a solid market standing.

Page 22
Kitchens of India

‘Ready To Eat’ Products from ‘Kitchens of India’

Keeping alive long forgotten culinary traditions, ‘Kitchens of India’ presents its
range of ready-to-eat cuisines. Each one of these legendary delicacies has been
created by the Master Chefs of ITC Hotels, following rare, closely guarded
recipes, handed down through the ages, from one generation to the next. These
delicacies are now available in imported 4-layer retort pouches that keep them
fresh for as long as 24 months (Vegetarian) & 12 months (Non Vegetarian and
Desserts) from the date of packaging.

Bukhara

Bukhara, a village in Uzbekistan, was a meeting place for the traders from Asia
and Europe. It was also a spot on the fabled Silk Route, a passage commonly
used by traders, scholars and nomads. It was on this route that the unique
Bukhara style of cooking was born.

The Master Chefs of ITC Hotels have whipped up the delectable bite into
history with this cuisine from the North-West Frontier Province with a
masterpiece like Dal Bukhara.

Dal Bukhara

Dal Bukhara is an exquisite culinary treat made from Whole Black Lentils
simmered with prized Indian Spices over a coal fire, for long hours on end.

Dum Pukht

The art of ‘Dum’ cooking (cooked in its own juices) traces its origin to the
times of the ‘Nawabs of Awadh’ who ruled the Northern Provinces of India
during the 18th century. ‘Kitchens of India’ has currently introduced ‘Mirch Ka
Salan’ in this range.

Page 23
 Mirch Ka Salan

An extravagant delicacy made from succulent green chillies, delicately cooked

in a thick gravy of roasted peanuts, almonds and sesame seeds.

Mughlai Paneer

Fresh cubes of Paneer prepared with khus-khus, ground watermelon seeds and
fine onion paste, spiced with coriander leaves and cardamom powder.

Dakshin

This cuisine reflects the tradition and culture of the southern Indian peninsula.
‘Kitchens of India’ offers you Chicken Chettinad and Chicken Stew.

Chicken Chettinad

Succulent chunks of tender chicken in a dark, spicy paste of curry leaves and
freshly ground pepper. Showcasing the distinctive tastes and fragrances of the
South.

Page 24
Malabari Chicken Stew

Tender nuggets of chicken in a mild, coconut gravy.

Gharana

A pan-Indian cuisine specially created by ITC’s Hotels Master Chefs.

Paneer Darbari

Soft, fresh and juicy cubes of cottage cheese simmered in an aromatic tomato
gravy to create an unforgettable delicacy.

Chicken Darbari

A superb blend of juicy and tender chicken chunks in an aromatic tomato gravy,
laced with butter.

Murgh Methi

Discover the delights of Nawabi cuisine in every serving of Murgh Methi.

Tender chunks of chicken, spiced mildly, and simmered for long hours in a
gravy of green coriander and fenugreek.

Page 25
 Paneer Malai

Fresh chunks of Paneer, sautéed with onions and green peppers, immersed in a
creamy tomato sauce.

:: 'Kitchens of India' Biryanis

By far, one of the most popular delights from the Kitchens of India spectrum,
these have been masterfully blended by the Master Chefs following ancient and
authentic recipes. These absolutely irresistible dishes have been skillfully
cooked under precision and a knack of adding just the right amount of fragrant
spices in just the right proportions, so that you can savour the Biryanis exactly
as they were meant to be.

Noormahal Biryani

Minced tender chicken koftas slow-cooked with saffron flavoured Basmati

Rice. From the Royal kitchens of India.

Page 26
Bohri Biryani

Delicately spiced chicken layered in Basmati Rice, enhanced with exotic dry
fruits. A feast fit for the kings.

Yakhni Pulao

Succulent chicken chunks marinated in creamy yogurt and cooked in saffron

flavoured Basmati rice.

Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani

Delicious mutton pieces cooked to perfection with cinnamon flavoured Basmati

rice form this Nawabi extravaganza.

:: 'Kitchens of India' Desserts

Kitchens of India royal, authentic Indian Desserts is the perfect way to make
any occasion a celebration. A grand finale to a perfect meal. The Master Chefs
of Kitchens of India bring to you a uniquely packaged range of royal desserts
prepared from the finest of ingredients. Go ahead, re-live the royal experiences.

Page 27
 Jodhpuri Moong Dal Halwa

This Rajasthani delicacy made from split Moong dal and a generous mix of dry
fruits, is served only during the choicest of occasions. Each ingredient is
blended with the other in the right proportions by our Master Chefs, to give
your taste buds a royal treat after a gourmet meal.

Hazoori Petha Halwa

This dessert, perfected in the royal kitchens of Agra is prepared with fresh,
grated petha cooked in ghee. Simmered to perfection with milk and khoya, and
garnished with raisins, the distinctive flavours of this halwa make it the perfect
dessert for any occasion.
The Ready-To-Eat range also comprises eleven more dishes and two Combo
packs. The dishes on offer currently are Rajma Masala, Navratan Korma, Dal
Makhani, Aloo Mutter, Palak Paneer, Pindi Chana, Pav Bhaji, Mutter Paneer,
Yellow Dal Tadka, Pongal and Gajar Ka Halwa. Rajma Masala & Basmati Rice
and Yellow Dal Tadka & Basmati Rice are available in Combo packs.The
unique packaging form, using a retort process, ensures that the original
freshness and taste of the recipes is protected without the use of preservatives.

Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
The history of MTR Foods backs to 1924, when the Maiya family started a
small restaurant in Bangalore. In 1951 the restaurant came to be known as
Mavalli Tiffin Room as it was situated in the area called Mavalli. It is famous
for the owner’s passion for perfection and the super quality of its south Indian
cuisine. The legacy of purity and perfection continues at the eatery, now called
MTR restaurant.

MTR Foods Ltd is amongst the top five processed food manufacturers in India.
We manufacture, market and export a wide range of packaged foods to global
market that include USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore,
UAE, and Oman.

MTR is very proud of rich heritage, their tradition of food and hospitality began
in 1924 with the establishment of the Mavalli Tiffin Room by the Maiya family
in Bangalore, India. This restaurant is a city landmark today people still stand in
a quee to savour its unique, completely authentic dishes. Culinary secrets have
been protected and handed down over the generation and their food is based on
truly authentic recipes from their region of origin. MTR’s journey to India’s
premier, processed food company has been marked by innovation and the
adoption of new technology, every MTR product will be always embody of
tradition of unmatched taste, purity and quality.

MTR The Trusted House Hold Name

 100% Natural

MTR products are 100% natural do not contains preservatives and use only the
finest, most authentic ingredients.

Page 31
  Unparalleled Taste and Flavor

Every sector of food division’s Instant mix, Ready to eat Dish, Pickles or Soups,
Ice creams all MTR products are known for their mouth watering “Home-
cooked” taste.

 Uncompromising Quality

MTR is ISO 22000 and HACCP certified company. It maintains quality

standards from sourcing ingredients to processing and packaging.

 Technology

It uses the latest technology to preserve the quality standards from sourcing
ingredients to processing and packaging. Use of Technology award from
Defense Food Research Laboratory for Ready to eat products has won the
President’s award.

 Vegetarianism

All MTR products are 100% vegetarian.

Mission

The mission of the company is to provide authentic Indian food experience to

the consumers across the world.

Vision

The vision of the company is to grow profitably to be 100 million dollar

company by 2010 and to be among the top 5 processed food brand in and from
India.

Page 32
Strategy

In terms of principles

 Launch all products under MTR market branch.

 Operate only in categories in a market where MTR is among top three
plays in that category.
 Operate only in value added foods market. When commodity driven
processed foods market like teal oil’s.
 Sell only vegetarian products under MTR branch.
 Set industry standard for hygiene and Food safety.
 Us the route of organic growth as well as acquisitions.
Quality Policy

MTR is an ISO 22000 and HACCP certified company. At MTR Quality is a

way of life, Hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP), developed by
the Codex alimenturious commission is a global food safety standard. MTR has
successfully met the stringent requirements for this certification. Our facilities
are equipped with the latest systems.

MTR Foods Pvt Ltd is committed manufacturing and marketing food products
of high quality, hygienically processed. Using state of the art technology with
the following objectives

 Creation of the MTR brand synonymous with quality and food safety.
 Continuous improvement by total committed participation by all.
 Satisfying the changing needs of consumers for total delight.
MTR Products Profile:

Soups, Ready To Eat, Frozen Foods, Rice Meals, Spice Powders, Instant Sweet
Mixes, Instant Snack Mixes, Ice Cream Mixes, Masala Powders, Chips &
Crispies, Vermicelli, Papads, Pickles, Ice Creams.

Page 33
 Soups - Babycorn & Spring Onion, Spicy Tomato, Mixed Vegetable,
Simply Tomato, Mulligatawny, Spinach & Carrot.
Ready To Eat - South Indian, North Indian, Snacks etc.
Frozen Foods - Combo Meals, snacks, Parathas etc.
Rice Meals - Bisibele Bhath, Rajma Chawal, Diet Delite, Rasam Rice,
Jeera Rice, Sambar Rice, Lemon Rice, Tamarind Rice, Masala Rice,
Tomato Rice.
Spice Powders - Turmeric Chilli, Coriander Jeera, Black Pepper.
Instant Sweet Mixes - Gulab Jamun, Badam Burfi, Badam Feast,
Chocolate Burfi, Kaju Burfi, Vanilla Burfi, Vermicelli Payasam.
Masala Powders - Instant Sambar Mix Sambar Powder, Instant Rasam
Mix Rasam Powder, Madras Sambar Powder, Madras Rasam Powder,
Pav Bhaji, Potato Sagu, Pulao Puliogare, Chutney Powder, Bisibele
Bhath, Vangibhath.
Products Portfolio: Some of the most popular RTE products of MTR are
briefly discussed as follows:
Avival: Mixed vegetables cooked in a hearty coconut sauce — a
traditional delight from Kerala.
Kesaribhath: Cream of wheat cooked with nuts and flavored with
saffron to make a divine dessert.
Kharabhath: Cream of wheat cooked with vegetables and aromatic
Indian spices to make a delicious, light savory.
Pongal: A delectable combination of lentils and rice, seasoned with
peppercorns and other spices.
Alu Muttar: Baby potatoes and green peas in a delectable curry.
Pav Bhaji: A rich combination of potatoes and vegetables cooked in the
popular Mumbai style.
Vegetable Pulao: A delicious, wholesome medley of rice, vegetables and
spices.
Page 34
Page 35
 Research
Methodology

Page 36
 3. Research Design
A research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and analysis of
data in a manner that aims to combine relevance to research purpose with
economy procedure. Research design is the conceptual structure within which
research is conducted.

There are three types of research design. The research design adopted here is
descriptive. I have made use of secondary data collection and also primary data
collection.

Steps in the research:

 Collection of data pertaining to Ready to eat market and identifying the

research problem;

 Collection of data from secondary data related to the research problem;

 Primary data collection using Questionnaire targeting a sample size of 60

people.

Data collection Methodology:

The sources of data used in this project report are both primary and secondary
data.

Primary data
Primary data consists of original information gathered for specific purposes at
hand. These are gathered for a specific purpose or for a specific research
project. Primary data was collected online as well as manually. A survey
questionnaire was made on Google Documents and the link was mailed to the
sample. Additionally, to the sample that were not net savvy printouts of the
questionnaire was distributed and the result was compiled.

Page 37
Secondary data

Secondary data consists of information that already exist and that were being
collected in the past for some other purposes. Secondary data used in this study
were collected from external sources like books, blogs, wiki etc. Some websites
which were really helpful are www.slideshare.com, www.scribd.com.

Sample design

The sampling technique used for survey was a non-probabilistic convenience

sampling. The sample size was chosen keeping in mind the target market for
RTE segment, Hostel/paying guest, Individuals working & living in nuclear
families and bachelors between the age group of 18-40.

Tools & Techniques

Data was collected with the help of questionnaire. The questionnaire is of

structured non-disguised type. The questions are of mixed type. It can be found
in the Annexure. For online survey, questionnaire was prepared using third
party tool (www.docs.google.com), email for filling questionnaire was send to
potential respondent and response was collected on the third party site on which
questionnaire was prepared. The third party tool made data reliable owing to the
self-reported demographic attributes of the respondents.

Sample Size

The total number of respondents was 60 of the total 102 approached. The age
group in which the sample lied is 18-40.The occupation of this sample size was
a healthy mix of self employed individuals, working people and students. The
respondents included 17 people from Hostel/Paying guest which form a large
chunk of the target market for RTE foods.

Page 38
4.Results
and
Findings

Page 39
Figure 1:

The pie chart below depicts a typical Indian household mentality of cooking
food at home almost on all days (66% of respondents). It was followed by 15 %
of respondents cooking on week days.

Given a Normal Week, Meals (i.e. Lunch & Dinner)

Are Cooked At Home
12% 0%
7%
Someday
15%
All Days
66% Week Days
Week Ends
Never

Figure 2:

When the meals are not cooked at home the most favorable option that
consumers feel is ordering food from the restaurant. The percentages here might
add up to more than 100 as respondents were allowed to chose more than one
option.

On days when meals are not cooked at home, how do you

Manage? (Choose more than one if applicable.)

12
We pick up a Ready To Eat Packet
34
We order food from a restaurant
29
We visit a Restaurant
0 10 20 30 40

We visit a Restaurant We order food from a restaurant

We pick up a Ready to Eat Packet

Page 40
Figure 3:

Have you heard about RTE meals?

Yes
No

As it can be seen from the above pie chart the sample was aware of the RTE
packs hence the responses were fair and true to their experience.

Figure 4:

87% of the respondents have used the RTE meals and have given their rating
based on their usage and their experience. From this we can conclude that RTE
has penetrated sufficiently in the Indian Urban market.

Have You Ever Purchased Ready To Eat Meals?

Yes No
13%

87%

Page 41
Figure 5:

68% of the respondents said that RTE packs are part of their monthly grocery
shopping and not emergency purchase. Even for emergency purchase the 32% is
quite a huge number. Kindly take note that the sample for this question are the
one who has purchased RTE packs as seen in the previous question.

You Picked Up Ready to Eat Pack

While shopping for Monthly Grocery items
Separately during Emergency

32%

68%

Figure 6:

Majority i.e. 31% of people come to know about RTE products through TV
commercials followed by displays at different malls i.e. 27%

How Did You Come To Know About the Ready to Eat?

Other

Display at 27 Other
Malls
Display at Malls
Word of Mouth
Word of 9
Mouth TV Commercials

TV 31
Commercials

0 10 20 30 40

Page 42
Figure 7:

A Ready to Eat Pack saves lot of time and effort in cooking (all figures in %):

Strongly Agree 14
Agree 42
Neither Agree or
Disagree 04
Disagree 00
Strongly Disagree 00

Figure 8:

A pack of Ready to eat has sufficient quantity (all figures in %):

Strongly Agree 04
Agree 25
Neither Agree or
Disagree 13
Disagree 15
Strongly Disagree 03
Figure 9:

A Ready to Eat pack is easily available whenever I need it (all figures in %):

Strongly Agree 16
Agree 31
Neither Agree or
Disagree 10
Disagree 03
Strongly Disagree 0

Page 43
Figure: 10

I don’t see any sort of health problem due to the consumption of RTE:

Strongly Agree 02
Agree 13
Neither Agree or
Disagree 22
Disagree 19
Strongly Disagree 04

Figure: 11

I think a Ready to Eat (RTE) is value for money (all figures in %):

Strongly Agree 01
Agree 20
Neither Agree or
Disagree 25
Disagree 09
Strongly Disagree 05

Figure: 12

I think The RTE meal is not tasty as freshly cooked food (all figures in %):

Strongly Agree 14
Agree 27
Neither Agree or
Disagree 11
Disagree 06
Strongly Disagree 02

Page 44
Figure 13:

I will surely use RTE curry if ready to eat rotis are also made available
(all figures in %):

Strongly Agree 02
Agree 17
Neither Agree or
Disagree 15
Disagree 18
Strongly Disagree 08

Figure 14:

I know that RTE packs are manufactured at best quality standards

(all figures in %):

Strongly Agree 02
Agree 17
Neither Agree or
Disagree 33
Disagree 06
Strongly Disagree 02

Figure 15:

Reason Behind Choosing A Brand

5%
5% 10% Taste
Advertisement
25% 55% Schemes
Easy Availabilty
Other Factors

Page 45
 Observations

(Based On Above Results)

 56 respondents i.e. 93 % of respondents believe that RTE meals are a

time saving option for cooking. The marketers should use this as their
USP to the advertising and positioning should be done on these lines.

 Only 29 respondents feel that RTE packs have enough quantity and 18
feel they don’t and the rest have no opinion on this matter. It’s a mixed
reaction and response. The general conclusion that can be drawn is that
people don’t feel the quantity is enough for the money they are spending.
Some verbatim to support “Quantity should be good.”

 47 respondents i.e. 78 % of the respondents feel that the RTE packs are
easily available when needed. This shows the commendable distribution
network established by RTE marketers.

 23 respondents feel that RTE packs are not good for health while only 15
respondents feel otherwise which is concerning statistics for the RTE
companies. When a product is considered harmful for health its
reliability decreases and brand value loses. Same is the case for RTE.
This could be one of the reasons why in spite of efforts taken by
companies the growth in RTE segment is stagnant. Well, this is very
critical factors as lot of respondents commented one the health factor of
RTE. Some Verbatim to support this, “Ready-to-eat meals, though a
time-saving option, are sometimes viewed with suspicion by many
because of the usual concerns associated with packaged food.”, “ If the
manufacturers can repose confidence by eliminating all doubts in the
consumers' minds and assure them that these products are not a health
hazard, then the consumption may increase”, “ Should have more

Page 46
 nutritional values”, “use of less preservatives”, “make it more
Healthy...RTE MEALS contains lots of unsaturated fats.”

 21 respondents feel that RTE packs are value for money while only 14
people feel they are not while the rest 25 respondents did not agree on
either. Some verbatim to support the observation, “although they are
good enough for eating but they are almost on oar sometimes costlier
than food from restaurants with respect to price. So it doesn’t make sense
to me.”
 41 respondents feel that RTE meals are not tasty as homemade meals and
only 8 people feel otherwise. This depicts unique characteristics of Indian
household which always believes that homemade foods are more tasty
and nutritious.

 As the results suggest 38 people are not sure whether ready to eat meals
are manufactured under best quality standards. “If the manufacturers can
repose confidence by eliminating all doubts in the consumers' minds and
assure them that these products are not a health hazard, then the
consumption may increase.”

Do you remember any of the Ready to Eat brands?

Maggi was the most mentioned name. It has top of the mind recall. The other
mentioned names were MTR, ITC, Top ramen, Gits, Haldiram, Ching’s ready to
eat Chinese dishes, Knor soup ACT popcorn etc.
*When we asked the respondent to rate between ITC and MTR on an average,
maximum credits were given to MTR i.e. 9, while ITC managed to get only 7
points out of the ratings of 10 based on multiple parameters viz. taste, brand
recognition, past experience, advertisement, Children’s preference and
availability.

Page 47
 Conclusion

and
Recommendations

Page 48
 5. Conclusions
On the basis of findings made, we can safely conclude that:
 Price- Indian consumers are highly price sensitive. For any new product
they judge the product based on their price and more or less the repeat
purchases are impacted by price factor. Same is the case with Ready to
Eat foods. More over ITC and MTR products are closely priced, yet the
demand for the same can be increased amongst the mass by reducing the
prices;

 Value proposition – RTE foods should be perceived as a value

proposition by customers. Value proposition means it should be able to
save lot of time and money with sufficient quantity to act as a full meal.

 Value for money - Consumers should perceive RTE packs as Value for
money i.e. they should feel the money they spent on it is well spent and
not wasted. This is where repeat buying can be induced. If consumers see
RTE as a Value for money option they won’t look for other options like
ordering from restaurant or going to a restaurant.

 Quantity and taste of food - Indians are voracious eaters and the family
size is also large. And Indians are used to eating a 3 full course meal on
any day. Hence the quantity packaged in the RTE packs should be
sufficient. And that is where the buying decision will come into play if
the quantity is insufficient to fulfill the entire family then defiantly they
won’t consider buying it again. The food should also tickle the taste buds
of consumers. As per the taste is concerned Maggie dominates the market
followed by MTR and then ITC in RTE segment.

 Easy availability - The biggest competitor for RTE foods are restaurants
which are easily available geographically and accessible with the option
of doorstep delivery. Hence RTE has to be made available in such way
Page 49
 that it can be easily accessible by the consumers during normal shopping
as well as during emergencies. While conducting the research it came to
the notice that MTR products are readily available in the market, where
as ITC’s Products are scarcely distributed in the market.

 Branding: Although almost respondents were aware of the RTE

products, but when they were asked to recall some popular brands, they
could not mention any other name except Maggie. So, branding and
abundant awareness generating efforts should be taken by these
companies to broaden their target market,

 Past Experience: It was a crucial parameter in judging the respondent’s

preference towards prominent brand like ITC and MTR. Altough MTR
managed to get some favorable responses but some respondent had a
tough experience with ITC products.

 Children’s Preference: When it comes to make the decision as to which

brand should be bought, the decision rests upon the children and it was
found that majority of households purchases the brand demanded by the
children. And their demand is largely guided by catchy advertisements
shown on the TV.

Page 50
 Recommendations

As per my study the following recommendations could be utilized by the

company’s manufacturing and marketing Ready to Eat Meals:

 As is seen from the survey the major concern for consumers is the health
aspect. They have a perception that these RTE meals are not
manufactured under good conditions. Secondly, they also feel that Ready
to eat meals is not good for health. Hence marketers have to touch upon
this point. The advertising, communication and promotion should revolve
around this point. Packaged foods are relatively new to India hence
proper awareness have to be created by companies.

 Indian Households are averse to outside food and they feel only home
cooked food can provide the taste and quality. This is a big hurdle for the
RTE industry and the efforts should be taken to improve the quality of the
food by using better manufacturing, and packing methods. “41
respondents feel that RTE meals are not tasty as homemade meals and
only 8 people feel otherwise.” This is states that need to be changed.

 The ready to Eat marketers should bank upon its strengths i.e. time
saving, effort saving and easily available option. The promotion,
Packaging should revolve around these characteristics as we all know in
the traditional Indian urban family time is less. People crave to spend
time with their family after hard day at work. However, various
limitations like cooking food etc hamper this. RTE should consider this as
their positioning strategy.

 The pricing strategy should be designed in such a way so as to be

competent with the restaurants rate. People do not mind spending more if
it saves time. However they will spend only a reasonable hike in price. If

Page 51
 there is a lot of difference between the restaurant price and RTE price
they would go for the former.

 In the previous section its is seen that the consumers came to know about
RTE packs from Television Ads and display at malls and the word of
mouth was virtually nil. This proves that two promotion methodologies
were very effective. The third and the most important as far is food
products is concerned “word of mouth” is where marketers should work
on. This can only happen if the consumers are satisfied with their
experience and will they give a positive word of mouth feedback to their
relatives and friends. This is the most effective form of communication
when it comes to something edible as Indian consumers tend to trust
people who have already sued it rather than advertisement.

 As per the research conducted and results obtained ITC has been knocked
out by MTR as taste was concerned. Majority of people mentioned that
MTR products are tastier than ITC’s products. Therefore ITC must
improve its product taste to maintain its dominance in the market.

 ITC should redesign its marketing strategy and should ensure adequate
availability of its products in the market as it was found during the
research that they are not available on demand;

 ITC must design some attractive advertisement especially targeting the

children in order to increase the demand for their products in the market.

Page 52
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
Kothari, C.R, Research Methodology, Second Edition, New Delhi, Wishwa Prakashan, 1990

WEB-RESOURCES
http://www.statusa.gov/mrd_a.nsf/vwNoteIDLookup/NT0003CA62/$File/X_413629.PDF?O
penElement

http://www.tsmg.com/media-and-press-releases/219-ready-to-eat-foods-market-in-india.html

http://www.indianfoodindustry.net/

http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/24/stories/2007102454651900.htm

http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Ready-To-Eat-Food-Industry/198352

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2004/06/10/stories/2004061000130300.htm

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2003/11/24/stories/2003112400740300.htm

http://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?productid=2552630&SID=63229650-
463567436-409318558

www.marketresearch.com

www.hindubusinessline.com

www.marketingpractice.blogspot.com

www.garamchai.com

Page 53
 Annexure
Kindly tick the most appropriate box with a '√' wherever applicable / fill in
the blanks with required information.

1. Given a normal week, meals (i.e. lunch & dinner) are cooked at home for

All Days
Week Days
Week Ends
Never

2. On days when meals are not cooked at home, how do you manage?
(Select more than one if applicable)

Visit a Restaurant
Order food from a restaurant
Pick up a Ready To Eat Packet

3. Have you heard of Ready to Eat meals?

YES NO

4. Have you ever purchased Ready To Eat meals?

YES NO

5. Do you remember any of the READY TO EAT brands?

1. __________ 2. _________ 3. _________ 4. __________

6. You picked up a Ready To Eat pack

While shopping for monthly grocery items

Separately during emergency

Page 54
 7. How did you come to know about the Ready To Eat Packs?
(Choose more than one if applicable)

TV Commercials
Display At Malls
Word Of Mouth
Other Sources (Please Specify) _____________

8. Kindly rate your opinion on the following parameters:-

NEITHER
STRON AGREE/N
DISAGR STRONGLY
GLY AGREE OR
EE DISAGREE
AGREE DISAGRE
E
A Ready To Eat Pack
saves a lot of time and
(a) effort in cooking
A pack of Ready to eat
(b) has sufficient quantity
A Ready To Eat Pack is
easily available
(c) whenever I need it
I don’t see any sort of
health problem due to
the consumption of
(d) RTE
I think a RTE pack is
(e) value for money
I think the RTE meal is
not
as tasty as freshly
(f) cooked food
I know that the RTE
Packs are manufactured
(g) at best quality standards
I will surely use more
RTE Packs if ready to
eat rotis are also made
(h available

9. Major reason behind choosing any brand?

a) Taste b) Advertisements ccc c) Schemes d) Availability

e) Others

Page 55
10. Please ranks ITC & MTR ready to eat products on a scale of 1-10 as per
following parameters are concerned:

a) Taste
b) Brand Value
c) Past Experience
d) Children’s Preferences
e) Availability
f) Brand Recognition (While Purchase)

11. Any suggestions or comments on Ready to Eat Meals:

Page 56
The information below would be needed to build a consumer profile. I hereby
assure you that all the information will only be used for the purpose of the
study.

Date:

Name:

Contact Number:

Email Address:

Address:

1. Gender MALE FEMALE

2. Age 41- Above

Group 18-25 26-40 55 55

3. Marital
Status Single Married

4. Occupation Service
Self Employed
Housewife
Retired/Other

5. You belong to a :

Joint Family
Nuclear Family
With In-Laws
Hostel / Paying Guest / Other

6. Could you kindly tick your group as per Total Family Income per month

Less than 20,000

20,000 – 50,000
50,000-1,00,000
Above 1,00,000

Page 57