Acknowledgments

1
Consumer Analysis in
Ethnic Live Seafood Markets in the Northeast
Region
JOSEPH J. MYERS BIN LIU YUMIN YOU RAMU
GOVINDASAMY JOHN EWART LINDA J. ODIERNO
NEW JERSEY Department of Agriculture
Aquaculture America 2008
Fish Seafood Program Trenton, NJ USA
February 11, 2008 Orlando, Florida USA
2
Acknowledgments

• Rutgers - State University of New Jersey
• University of Delaware Sea Grant
• US Department of Agriculture
• Federal-State Market Improvement Program
• USDA AMS FSMIP
• 12-25-G-0460

Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
- Orlando, Florida
3
Live Fish Market

• Supermarkets with Live Seafood
• Finfish and bivalves
• Cater to Ethnic Communities
• EXCLUDES
• Supermarkets with only lobster tanks
• Fresh/frozen only seafood markets
• Raw Bars
• Bait Shops
• Pet Stores

Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
- Orlando, Florida
4
Vehicle and Goals

• In-Store Intercept Surveys
• Purchase Preferences
• Buying Habits
• Demographics

Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
- Orlando, Florida
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Methodology

• 5 Live Fish Markets
• Largest Volumes from Market Survey
• 2 in New York City (Queens, Staten Island)
• 2 in central New Jersey
• 1 in Philadelphia
• 50 Surveys in Each Market

Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
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Methodology

• 2 Interviewers
• Bilingual, English-Mandarin
• Conducted Friday PM-Saturday AM
• 10 to 15 minutes
• Each Participant Received 10 Coupon
• Count Family-Units
• Entering Store
• Buying Live Seafood

Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
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Interview Rate and Consumer Traffic
Parameter per Hour
Surveys Completed 42.1
Family-Unit Store Visits 161.7
Family-Unit Live Seafood Purchases 23.8
Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
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Number of Different Markets Visited..
..during the Previous.
Time Period x
1-Month 1.7
3-Months 2.0
1-Year 2.0
Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
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Demographics

• Female (57)
• Identified themselves as Chinese (79)
• In the 36-50 age range (44)
• 42 were in the 21-35 age range)
• Either a high school (27) or post-graduate
  degree (35)
• Employed full-time (66)
• Household incomes of 25,000 annually (34)

Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
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Is English the Primary Language in the Household?
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When is the Purchase Decision Made?
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Purchase to Preparation
Time Period Percent
Less than 1 hour 33
1-2 hours 32
2-6 hours 18
6-12 hours 4
12 hours - 1 day 7
1-2 days 4
2-3 days 0
3-4 days 0
more than 4 days 2
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Purchase Trend - Year
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Purchase Trend - Week
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Why Consumers Buy
Reason Reason Percent
Quality/Freshness Quality/Freshness 78
Tradition Tradition 12
Use all of the fish, no waste Use all of the fish, no waste 2
Quality/Healthier Quality/Healthier 23
Others Taste 4
Others Like 2
Others Other 2
Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
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Preferred Products
Types of Live Seafood Percent
Tilapia  75
Hybrid striped bass 46
Buffalo 18
Carp 12
Eel  6
clam/oyster/mussel 10
crab/lobster 28
Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
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Consumer Perceptions
Attribute Level of Importance Level of Importance Level of Importance
Attribute Very Somewhat Not
Year-round availability  46  15  39
Place of origin  14  14  72
Local product  8  8  84
Knowing name of farm/dock  3  3  94
In-store recipes  2  8  90
Price  38  30  33
Knowing time since harvest  23  16  61
Tradition  8  13  79
Physical appearance  79  9  12
Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
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Product and Display
Preferences Preferences Preferences Preferences No Preference
Attribute Percent Counter-Attribute Percent Percent
From USA 16 Imported 6 78
Wild 36 Farmed 12 52
Smaller fish 28 Larger fish 25 47
Scaled fish 53 Fish with no scales 13 34
Dark flesh 12 White flesh 40 48
Clean water in tank 22 All fish live in tank 21 57
Bubbles in tank 18 Flowing water 40 42
Shellfish in water 44 Shellfish on ice 27 29
Whole fish 12 Gutted/filleted fish 80 8
Fish Alive 9 Fish Stunned 60 31
Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
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Consumer Profile
Parameter Average
Visits per Month 6.2 visits
Expenditure per Visit on Live Seafood 14.80
Travel Distance to Live Seafood Market 7.8 miles
Household Size 3.7 people
Aquaculture America 2008 - February 11, 2008
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Market Operator Survey

• Popular Varieties
• Volume and Supplier Base
• Seasonality
• Customer Base
• Participation in Directory

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Live Market Directory

• All willingly participating live markets in
  Northeast
• Boston to Washington D.C. Metro
• Multilingual Cover
• 18 languages
• Trilingual Introduction
• English, Mandarin, Spanish

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Buyer/Producer Directory

• Link Wholesale Buyers..
• Market Operators
• Live Haulers
• and Sellers
• Aquaculturists
• Commercial fishermen
• Anyone who can target Northeast

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Contact Information

• New Jersey Department of Agriculture
• Fish Seafood Program
• PO Box 330
• Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0330 USA
• [phone], [phone] FAX
• joseph.myers_at_ag.state.nj.us
• www.jerseyseafood.nj.gov