A STUDY ON FACTORS AFFECTING CONSUMERS’S PURCHASE

DECISION OF CURRY POWDER WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO

EASTERN CONDIMENTS PVT LTD

PROJECT REPORT

Submitted by
ARJUN BABU

SNG18MBA23

Under the guidance of

Assoc. Prof. Milna Susan Joseph

in partial fulfilment of the requirements

for the award of the Degree of

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

of
A P J Abdul Kalam Technological University

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES

SREE NARAYANA GURUKULAM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

JULY 2020
 DECLARATION

I undersigned, hereby declare that the project titled “A STUDY ON FACTORS

AFFECTING CONSUMERS’S PURCHASE DECISION OF CURRY POWDER
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO EASTERN CONDIMENTS PVT LTD” submitted
in partial fulfilment for the award of Degree of Master of Business Administration of A P J
Abdul Kalam Technological University is a bonafide record of work done by me under the
guidance of Assoc. Prof. Milna Susan Joseph, Department of Management Studies, Sree
Narayan Gurukulam College of Engineering. This report has not previously formed the basis
for the award of any degree, diploma, or similar title of any University.

Date: ARJUN BABU

 DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES
SREE NARAYANA GURUKULAM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the report titled “A STUDY ON FACTORS AFFECTING

CONSUMERS’S PURCHASE DECISION OF CURRY POWDER WITH
SPECIAL REFERENCE TO EASTERN CONDIMENTS PVT LTD” being
submitted by ARJUN BABU, Roll No. SNG17MBA23, in partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of Business Administration, is a
bonafide record of project work done by ARJUN BABU of Department of
Management Studies, Sree Narayana Gurukulam College of Engineering.

Prof. Milna Susan Joseph Prof. (Dr.) Jubel Mathew

Associate Professor Head of the Department

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Through this acknowledgement I express my sincere gratitude towards all those people who
helped me in this project, which has been a learning experience.

This space wouldn’t been enough to extend my warm gratitude towards my project guide Assoc.
Prof. Milna Susan Joseph for her efforts in coordinating with my work and guiding in right
direction.

I escalate a heartfelt regard to our Institution Head of Department Prof. (Dr.) Jubel Mathew
for giving me the essential hand in concluding this work.

It would be injustice to proceed without acknowledging those vital supports I received from my
beloved classmates and friends, without whom I would have been half done.

I also use this space to offer my sincere love to my parents and all others who had been there,
helping me walk through this work.

ARJUN BABU
 LIST OF TABLES
Table Title of the table Page
NO NO
5.1 AGE GROUP 38
5.2 GENDER 39
5.3 MONTHLY INCOME 40
5.4 FAMILY SIZE 41
5.5 TYPE OF CURRY POWDER PREFERRED 42

5.6 RESPONDENTS RANKING THE DIFFERENT BRANDS OF CURRY 43

POWDERS
5.7 ATTRIBUTES CONSIDERED WHILE SELECTING CURRY POWDERS 44

5.8 CUSTOMERS USAGE OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER 45

5.9 ATTRIBUTES ATTRACTED TO PURCHASE EASTERN CURRY 46

POWDER
5.10.1 OVERALL PERCEPTION ABOUT THE EASTERN CURRY POWDER 47
WITH RESPECT TO DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES
5.10.2 OVERALL PERCEPTION ABOUT THE EASTERN CURRY POWDER 48
WITH RESPECT TO DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES
5.11 TIME LAG OF PURCHASING CURRY POWDER 49

5.12 SOURCE OF INFROMATION ABOUT THE PRODUCT 50

5.13 EFFECTIVENESS OFADVERTISMENT IN PROMOTING THE 51

PRODUCT
5.14 VALUE FOR THE MONEY 52

5.15 AVAILABILITY OF EASTERN CURRY POWDERS 53

5.16 PERCEPTION TOWARDS EASTERN CURRY POWDER WHEN 54

COMPARED WITH OTHER BRANDS
5.17 PREFERENCE OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER 55

5.18 RECOMMENTATION OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER 56

5.19 REASONS FOR NON-PREFERENCE OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER 57

 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Title of the table Page
NO NO
5.1 AGE GROUP 38
5.2 GENDER 39
5.3 MONTHLY INCOME 40
5.4 FAMILY SIZE 41
5.5 TYPE OF CURRY POWDER PREFERRED 42

5.6 RANKS GIVEN TO DIFFERENT BRANDS BY 43

RESPONDENTS
5.7 ATTRIBUTES 44

5.8 CUSTOMERS USAGE 45

5.9 ATTRIBUTES 46

5.10.1 OVERALL PERCEPTION ABOUT THE EASTERN CURRY POWDER 47

WITH RESPECT TO DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES
5.10.2 OVERALL PERCEPTION ABOUT THE EASTERN CURRY POWDER 48
WITH RESPECT TO DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES
5.11 TIME LAG 49

5.12 SOURCE OF INFROMATION 50

5.13 EFFECTIVENESS OFADVERTISMENT IN PROMOTING THE 51

PRODUCT
5.14 VALUE FOR THE MONEY 52

5.15 OPINION 53

5.16 PERCEPTION 54

5.17 PREFERENCE OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER 55

5.18 OPINION 56

5.19 REASON FOR NON-PREFERENCE 57

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sl No. Topics Page No

1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study 1-2
1.2 Need and Significance of the study 2
1.3 Statement of problem 2-3
1.4 Objective of the study 3
1.5 Scope of the study 3
1.6 Limitations of the study 4
1.7 Organization of the report 4
1.8 Industry profile 5-6
1.9 Company profile 6-21
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Background 22-23
2.2 Customer relationship marketing 23-24
2.3 Loyalty programmes 24
2.4 Regular customer cards 25-26
2.5 Customer satisfaction 26
2.6 Customer retention 26-27
3 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

3.1 Buyer decision-making process 28-29

3.2 Need recognition and problem awareness 29
3.3 Information search 29-30
3.4 Evaluation of alternatives 30-32
3.5 Creating Value for Customers/ Customer Retention 33-35
 4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
4.1 Objectives 36
4.2 Research design 36
4.3 Sources of data 36

4.4 Primary and secondary data 36

4.5 Population 37
4.6 Sample size 37
4.7 Sampling method 37
4.8 Method of data collection 37
4.9 Drafting a questionnaire 37

4.10 Data analysis technique 37

5 DATA ANALYSIS 38-57
6 FINDINGS 58-59
7 RECOMMENDATIONS 60
8 CONCLUSIONS 61

REFERENCES 62

ANNEXURE
 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Eastern condiments Pvt Ltd is one of the leading companies in the sector of
curry powders. Today the company has grown to Kerala’s largest manufacture
of condiments with lots of loyal customers. And this study is about brand
perception towards Eastern curry powders in Adimaly region. In the current
scenario the competition in this field is tremendously increased. The company
is facing too much completion from brands like Brahmins, Kitchen Treasures,
Sara’s, Nirapara etc. So, this study is conducted to analyse how much consumers
are purchase Eastern brand when compared to others and to identify the
influence of brand on the purchase decision of the consumers

Tremendous research has gone into the importance of branding in marketing.

However, the marketing conditions keep changing as do the customer needs and
preferences. It is therefore important to keep the research into the concept of
branding current and one that will offer the latest insights into the concept.
Brand owners may feel they understand exactly what their brand represents.
However, this image may be more reflective of their aspirations for the brand,
rather than the reality of public opinion. Brand perception is owned by
consumers, not brands. Regardless of your message, whatever people are
thinking and saying about your brand, that is your brand. Surveys and focus
groups can form an important part of any strategy in measuring and improving
brand perception.

Brand perceptions are shaped by the sum of all experience’s customers have
with your brand. In short, people buy when they believe in the value of what
they are getting and their focus is drawn away, through critical factors like
perceived quality, from the plethora of options available in the market to the
one or two products that ‘feel like them’. Creating a strong brand image can be
a powerful marketing strategy to reduce uncertainty about evaluation of a
product and to increase the purchase intentions. A well-known familiar brand

1
name associated with a positive brand image creates competitive advantages in
terms of increasing consumers’ interest, attention and positive evaluation of a
product and encourages repeat purchase.

Over the past 20 years the literature has

consistently highlighted the importance of brand perceptions and the
components of these perceptions, including brand image and associations.
Brand perception is consumers’ ability to identify the brand under different
conditions, as reflected by their brand recognition or recall performance.
Awareness, brand association, and perceived quality all three are seen as key
determinants of brand loyalty

1.2 NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Customers perception towards brands are always changes. Here we study brand
perception towards curry powders. While studying this topic gives idea about
customers band perception towards Eastern curry powders and how they
differentiate eastern product with other brands of curry powder. And now days
competition in this sector is increasing tremendously. So, through this study
helps to analyses the customers perception towards eastern curry powders, their
major competitors, and major attributes that outsmart their quality with
competitors. Also helps the management to obtain suggestion regarding product
improvement and services

1.3 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

This study is to analyse the Brand perception towards Eastern curry powders in
Adimaly region. The study not only helped find the perception of the consumers
but also helped to obtain suggestions for improvement of the products which
will help the Company in maximizing their profits and expansion of their
Company and even create brand awareness. Also helps to identify the attributes
that differentiate Eastern products from others and their major competitors.

2
Overall, this project helps in understanding the clear meaning brand perception
of consumers

1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Primary objective
• To identify the factors that influence the purchase decision of curry
powder.

Secondary objective
• To find out the factors that attracts customers towards Eastern curry
powder.
• To analyse consumer’s perception towards price, quality, quantity,
availability and packaging of Eastern curry powder.
• To understand the relative position of Eastern curry powder when
compared to other brands.
• To provide suggestions for improving the quality of Eastern curry
powder.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study analyses the brand perception of consumers towards Eastern curry
powders. Today there are number of curry powders brands are available in the
market. And the competition in this fields are increasing tremendously. In
yearly days there are single curry powders are used for different kinds of curry,
but the scenario is changes now different varieties of curry masalas are available
for different dishes that much this industry is developed. So, a study in this field
is now very relevant. Here we study about brand perception toward Eastern
curry powders in the Adimaly region. And this study gives clear idea about
consumers brand perception to eastern, influence of brand name on purchase
decisions etc.

3
1.6 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

• False response and biased answers given by the respondents may affect
the quality of the result obtained
• The study is conducted considering the prevailing conditions which are
subject to change
• The research is limited to geography of Adimaly region
• Sampling has its own limitation, it may or may represent the intended
population

1.7 ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT

Chapter 1 - it includes the background, need and significance, objectives,

scope and limitations of the study also the statement of the problem.
Chapter 2 – this includes the literature review for the study reviewed from
various authors.
Chapter 3 – This deal with the theoretical aspect in regard to the training
and development.
Chapter 4 – it deals with the methodology which is done based on primary
data.
Chapter 5 – this chapter includes the tables, charts, and interpretations
related to the study
Chapter 6 – it includes the findings related to the analysis.
Chapter 7 – it includes our recommendations based on the findings related
to the study.
Chapter 8 – this includes the final conclusion based on the whole study.

4
1.8INDUSTRY PROFILE
India, known as the home of spices, boast a long history of trading with the
ancient civilisations of Rome and China. Today, Indian spices are the most
sought-after globally, given their exquisite aroma, texture, taste and medicinal
value. India has the largest domestic market for spices in the world.
Traditionally, spices in India have been grown in small land holdings, with
organic farming gaining prominence in recent times. India is the world's largest
producer, consumer and exporter of spices; the country produces about 75 of
the 109 varieties listed by the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) and accounts for half of the global trading in spices.

Export Highlights and Key Markets

• In FY20, spices worth US$ 3.65 billion were exported.

• During FY19, a total of 1.10 million tonnes of spices and spice products
valued US$ 2.80 billion was exported from the country as against 1.02
million tonnes valued US$ 2.78 billion in FY18, registering an increase
of 7 per cent in volume.
• Top 10 importers of Indian spices in FY19 were US, China, Vietnam,
Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Thailand, UK, UAE, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka.
• During FY19, top 10 exported spices and spice products in terms of
value were chilli, mint products, spice oils & oleoresins, cumin,
turmeric, pepper, curry powder/paste, cardamom seeds, other spices like
Tamarind, Asafoetida, and Cassia, and Garlic.
• During FY19, India’s chilli export stood at 468,500 tonnes, cumin
export at 180,300 tonnes, turmeric export at 133,600 tonnes and
cardamom large export at 860 tonnes.
• In FY20 (till December 2019), ginger export showed the highest growth
of 47 per cent with 19,410 tonnes, followed by cardamom with 31 per
cent at 1,060 tonnes and cumin with 14 per cent at 7,350 tonnes.

5
Spices Board of India
The Spices Board of India works towards the development and worldwide
promotion of Indian spices. It provides quality control and certification,
registers exporters, documents trade information and provides inputs to the
central government on policy matters. The board participates in major
international fairs and food exhibitions to promote Indian spices, apart from
organising various domestic events.

1.9 COMPANY PROFILE

HISTORY

Late Mr. M.E Meearan, chairman of Eastern group started his career as a
businessman with a wholesale provision store at Adimaly in 1969, named
Eastern Trading Company. As years passed he started an agency business in
1975 named Eastern agency at Adimaly where its wholesale shop was located
he had taken products from in and out of the state and worked as an agency for
trading, in 1983 while recognizing the need for packed less quantity spice
powders he started Eastern coffee and curry powder with the support of KSFE
and James engineering company. Eastern is the first company installed “IMPEX
Pulverizer” in Kerala. Initial time employee’s strength was 25. Initial stage of
Eastern coffee and curry powders they planned to sell 2000 kg. first supply
was established at Idukki through van sale. Chilly, Turmeric, Coriander and
coffee powder are the initial product of Eastern.

In between 1986 and 1991 the plant was expanded. In that time they started
manufacturing masala powder such as Sambar, Meet, Rasam, and Pickle.
During this period distribution line expanded and sales agencies were appointed
100000 kg. of sales achieved in 1991, that time employees strength 400 covered.
On 1992 automobile work shop was started. on 1993 Eastern got spices board
approval and started exporting to Gulf countries. On 1995 company started a

6
well-equipped plant in Theni. 1996 company get best exporter award of spices
board. On 2001 new plant was started at Okkal. In the period between 2003 and
2006 new automobile workshop and rice powder plant was started. In 2003
Eastern got ISO 9001 certification. On 2006 number route 50 was covered. This
shows the quick growth of Eastern[P] ltd. On 2007b eastern got ISO 22000
certification. Six months back, Eastern was in the news following a Rs. 45-crore
(450 million) venture capital infusion by Mauritius-based new Vernon Bharat
Ltd. for a 15 per cent stake in the company.

The company exports it products to various countries like Middle East, U.K,
U.S.A, Australia and Germany. Today Eastern condiments Pvt. Ltd. is the
largest manufacture of condiments in Kerala. The company starts with 25
employees, now it’s grown to more than 2500 employees.

Now company has 556cr turnover by 2020 company is trying to achieve

turnover of 5000cr.

➢ ABOUT ADIMALI PLANT

Eastern Condiments Pvt.Ltd., was established as a fully fledged operating company in
1991. In Adimali the company has 2 plants, they are main company plant and a masala
powder division plant, near to Adimali town. In Adimali main plant ie, in main factory
plant, packing of Chilly, Turmeric and Coriander (CTC), production of rice powers,
production of pickles both veg and non-veg, packing and sealing et is taking place.

In Masala Powder Division Plant, various masalas like Chana masala, Garam masala,
Sambar powder, Rasam Powder etc., is taking place. The production of CTC powder
(Coriander, Turmeric and Chilly) is taking place at Eastern Condiments Theni unit and
is bought to main factory for packing and marketing. Mainly the Adimaly unit is
focusing on Kerala marketing. Through Adimaly Plant, the finished goods are
marketed throughout Kerala by van sales.

Eastern has 10 different Depots spread in places namely:

• Trissur
• Kozhikode

7
• Thiruvananthapuram
• Kottayam
• Okkal
• Manjari
• Kottarakara
• Venpalavattom
• Adimaly
• Meenagady

➢ Company policies

Eastern is commited to supply safe &hygeinic spice powder, coffee

powder,pickles and rice products to the customers through control of food safety
hazard in the raw materials using latest processing technology maintaining
conditions of hygiene and sanitation, practising personal hygiene system to the
expectations of consumers by complying with the statuatory& regulatory
requirements.

➢ Quality Assurance & Quality Control

The Company follows stringent hygienic measures which are applied with
regular laboratory testing. The Indian Spices Board with their Spices house
certification has recognised the company’s obsession with quality and hygiene.
Eastern is also aiming at reaching the highest ranked approval for quality. The
company ensures that superior standards are at every level – right from
processing raw materials to packing the final product. Old methods of
powdering using the new technology are what the company believes in. Wooden
Spatulas to mix the powder and huge aluminium vessels are used to roast spices.
Grinding is done at required temperatures using micro pulverization and the
unique flavour lock technique, so that oils of spices are conserved, giving out
the right flavour. All the products are manufactured under PFA limits.

8
➢ Role of ISO 22000 in Eastern Condiments Pvt.Ltd.

The Organisation shall ensure the following basic requirements for ISO 22000:-

The food safety hazards that may be reasonable expected to occur in

relative product within the scope of the system are identified, evaluated and
controlled in a manner that all the products of the organization donot directly
or indirectly harm consumers.

Communicate appropriate information through the food chain regarding

the issues related to its products.

Communicate information concerning development, implementation

and updation of food and safety.

➢ BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NAME& DESIGNATION

Mr. NAVAS MEERAN : Chairman Mr.FirozMeeran:

ManagingDirector

MANAGEMENT NAME & DESIGNATION

Mrs. NabeesaMeeran ( Member of Board of Directors) Mr Jaya Jacob

Alexander( Member of Board of Directors)

9
 ➢ EASTERN GROUP OF COMPANIES

Figure 1.1

Eastern Group of Companies is a group of companies with diverse interests and

a world leader in Indian spices. Eastern has ventured into various areas like tyre
retreads, mattresses, garments, packaged foods, mineral water and public school
and has many projects in its dream. The detailed description of each company
is given below;

10
1)Eastern Condiments

The company has provided their consumers with consistently high quality
powders and blends. Eastern Condiments operates from two modern factories
situated in the Western Ghats of South India.

• Natural Spice Powders

• Eastern Turmeric Powders
• Eastern Chilly Powders
• Eastern Coriander Powder
• Eastern Black Pepper Powder
• Eastern Curry Powder
2) Sunidra Mattresses
Sunidra mattresses Pvt. Ltd. was set up in 1999 to manufacture rubberized coir
mattresses with a state of the art factory in Thodupuzha. The popular
brand of rubberized coir mattress manufactured by Sunidra Mattresses Pvt.
Ltd.is slowly growing to be a market leader in the country.Sunidra has own the
ISO 9001-2000 certificate.Sunidra is made of rubberized coir sheets that are
produced from 100%natural latex without any added waste. These rubberized
coir sheets are air permeable and have natural breathing qualities, it
doesn’t cause any allergiesand also recyclable.

3) Eastern Aqua Minerals

Eastern Aqua Mineral, a recently launched company was set up in the year 2002.
Eastern Aqua Mineral entered the area of packaged drinking water with the
state of srt plant located at Eranakulam district. Eastern packaged drinking
water of highest purity standard, high qualitywithcontrol,1286 testing acilities
and quality product with international standards. It isa vailable in convenient
sizes. Eastern packed drinking water is also priced attractively in keeping with
Eastern’s view of bringing high quality products to the common man at the
right price.

11
4) Eastern Public School
The Eastern group entered the area of education with the getting up of the
Eastern Public School. Mrs. NabeezaMeeran has been the Principal of Eastern
Public School. This school ensures a high quality education fromkindergarten
to primary levels with C.B.S.E syllabus providing all theresidential facility
residing at the heart of Idukki District.

5) Eastern Treads Ltd

Eastern Treads Ltd. Is a public company engaged in themanufacturing of quality

procured tread, cushion, bonding gum and black vulcanizing cement. Its
branches all over India have been showing consistenthigh performance and
growth. The factory has annual turnover of 12 crores and it is located at
Oonnukal.The company has a processing capacity of 12tonnes of cold rubber
per day with nation wide market network. This company is in the service
industry for rethreading tyres and the service plant is located at Vazhakulam.
The company services by rethreading of used tyres on an average basis of 1500
tyres per month.

6) King Richard

King Richard, a brand of men's wear from Eastern Clothing Company was set
up in 1999. King Richard Includes all the trends of colour combinations and
designs of fasion shirts and trousers with a view to meet the aspiration of
working class with a quality ready wear at responsible price in the
internationalstyles. This factory has the production capacity of 15,000 shirts
per month.Top quality fabrics are used in the manufacture of King Richard
brand shirts (utilizing 100% of cotton from India and European brands like
Bergamo,Brembana, Italian fabric etc.).

12
➢ FUNCTIONAL DEPARTMENTS

An organization structure is one where in it defines us how the job tasks are
formally I divided, grouped, and coordinated. There are six key elements that
managers need to address when they designed their organizational structure.
Departmentalization stands one among them. We use the team work
specialization or division of labor to describe the degree to which the tasks in
the organization are subdivided into separate jobs. Once this process is
completed one need to group these jobs together so that the common jobs can
be coordinated. The basis by which the jobs are grouped together is called
departmentalization.

VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS

1. Human Resource and Administration Department

2. Finance and Accounts Department
3. Production Department
4. Marketing Department
5. Procurement Department
6. Quality control Department
7. Production Planning and Control Department
8. Engineering Department
9. Information Technology Department
10. Export Department
11. Taxation Department

1. HUMAN RESOURSEANDADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT

Human resource is the real assets of an organization. If treated well, they can
take organizations to commanding heights. Organizations are generally driven
by a set of pre- determined goals. They employ physical, financial and human

13
resources in order to achieve goals. Organizations thus depend on people for
their survival and growth. The success and failure of every company depends
upon its human resource. But people work for many other reasons other than
economic security, they want to gain recognition and achieve status or to test
and stretch their capabilities. It is a fact that the people are vital for the effective
operations of a company as human effort and brains are the main driving force
behind the organization.

M. J. Jucius defines Personal Management as “the field of management which

has to do with planning, organizing, controlling various operative activities
procuring, developing, maintaining and utilizing the labor force in order that the
objective and interest for which the company is established are attaining as
effectively and economically as possible and the objective and interest of all
levels of personnel and community are served to the higher degree.

DEPARTMENT CHART

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

SENIOR MANAGER HR

SENIOR EXECUTIVE

HR OFFICERS

Figure 1.2

14
The functions of hr department
• Man power planning
• Recruitment, selection and placement
• Training and development
• Employees performance appraisal and management
• Workmen Category
• Employee Welfare Activity
• Disciplinary Proceeding

Duties and responsibilities

From the departmental structure it is clear that Chief HR is ranked as the Head
of the Department. He does the functioning of controlling and coordination of
the department.The Chief HR manages all the administrative and HR operations
of the company. He is assisted directly by a Human Resource Manager and a
manager Administration.

The HR Manager does the following functions:

• Recruitment
• Selection
• Placement
• Training
• Performance Management
• The Administration Manager looks up the following functions:
• Liaison with Government
• House keeping
• Purchase decision
• Stationary item
• Both these managers are assisted by Assistant Managers who are
responsible for:

15
• Statutory obligation
• Salary administration
• Leave management

RECRUITMENT

Recruitment is only the process of searching for prospective employees and

stimulating them to apply for jobs in the organization. In an organization
vacancies are arising in many ways such as registration, termination of the
employees, death of the employees, promotion or transfer etc. have to be
filled by recruitment and selection.

Recruitment can either be internal or external. Internal recruitment is

synonymous with promotions or lateral movements within an organization,
where an existing employee is positioned in a different role. The common
sources of external recruitment are:

• Public notification
• Engaging of consultants or head hunters
• Drawing upon the company‘s pool of resumes
• Employment exchange
• Employee referrals
• Campus selection

In Eastern, direct recruitment method is used frequently for recruitment .The

firm places job advertisement in Malayalam and English newspapers. And in
TV, media and tries to attract as much as caliber people from the outside. The
company also have internal recruitment for filling the post by efficient and
skilled workers from the rank , promotion and panchayat have preferred local
candidates who belongs to surroundings.

16
SELECTION

In Eastern, the selection process is only through direct interviews. Employees

are transferred to the different departments on the basis of their skills.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Training and development is a subset of the broader Human Resource

development function. Training and development are H.R.D instruments.
Training is instructions provided for current job, whereas development is a
broader concept aimed at enhancing the potential of the individual which would
make him competent not just on the job he performs at present, but also make
him ready for more challenging assignments.

TRAINING NEED ANALYSIS

Training can be evaluated at any of three stages; Input, Throughput, Output. The
following training need has been identified based on the competency
requirements for ensuring the food safety conditions of the jobs assigned to the
staffs for the year 2009- 2010.Training required to:

• Fire and safety

• Legal update
• Communication skill
• ISO documentation
• Leadership development

2. FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT

Finance is the lifeblood and nerve centre of a business, just as circulation of

blood is essential in the human body for maintaining life, finance is a very
essential to smooth running of the business.

17
Finance department deals with planning, organizing directing and controlling
financial activities like procurement and utilization of fund and distribution of
earning to owners. The annual turnover of the company per year is more than
876crores. Per month balance sheet is prepared. Cash of purchased materials is
given from accounting department. To some extent advanced payment is also
given.

Finance deals with both the acquisition as well as allocation of funds. Hence
finance department assumes a great role in this organization. A finance
department in an organization is responsible for maintaining fair and just
accounting, working capital management, long term funding decision making,
costing etc.

The finance department provides authorization and control to all other

subsystems to utilize money more effectively through a well designed
mechanism.

Functions of finance department

• Preparation of financial statement
• Providing sufficient funds to all departments
• Cash flows within the firms
• Preparation of corporate plans, annual plans and budget
• Evolve an audit manual.
• Pay in and Pay out

3. PRODUCTION DEPARTMENTS
Production is a process of converting input in to output. Technically speaking,
a production is concerned with step by step process of raw material into finished
goods. For a manufacturing concern like Eastern, production department plays
very important role.

18
The major raw materials used in eastern are chilly, turmeric, pepper,
cardamom, coriander etc. The procurement of raw materials is mainly from
Thamil Nadu, Andra Pradesh,Rajasthan etc. The goods which are converted in
to finished products is done at the factory is the supervision of production
manager.

4. MARKETING DEPARTMENT
Marketing is the core of all management functions. One of the important
reasons behind the success of the company is the marketing strategy compared
to their rivals. The system followed by Eastern is very unique and it has been
very effective. They deal with the wholesalers and retailers directly at their
doorstep with the help of around 239 vehicles going through many routes
covering the entire state.

Average sale of Eastern is 20, 00,000 kg\month in normal season. During

special season like “Onam” its sales increases by 28,00,000 kg\month. Price rate
of products changes according to different season.

Marketing is a social process by which individuals and groups obtain what they
want and what through creating, offering and freely exchanging products and
services of value with others. The essence of marketing is an exchange or a
transaction intended to satisfy human needs and wants through an exchange
process.

Any product or service moves in the market depends upon the marketing efforts
undertaken by the company. It is said that a good marketer can even sell the
worst product available in the market, where as a bad marketer can make a good
product which does not move in the market. Keeping the face in the mind
EASTERN CONDIMENTS PVT LTD has incorporated a good marketing
department, with highly talented professionals.

19
5. PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT
The purchasing department will be responsible for providing the materials,
components and equipment required to keep the production process running
smoothly. A vital aspect of this role is ensuring stocks arrive on time and to the
right quality. Performance of a manufacturing firm always depends on the
efficiency of its purchase department. The various raw materials needed for the
production is purchased by this department. If the materials are purchased at
right time at the right quality from the right suppliers it results in production of
materials as per the request of inventory control section. Mainly eastern is
purchasing the products from the reputed vendors and the import goods or raw
materials from countries like Srilanka and other states of India such as Gujarat,
Tamilnadu, and Karnataka. In the purchasing department about 40 employees
are working.

6. QUALITY CONTROL DEPARTMENTS

Functions of this department are to ensure that the quality objectives of the
firm. Quality is periodically measured and compared against product quality
requirement. A major purpose of this department is to ensure that the quality
policies of the firm one are conformity with the objectives of this department.
Company had a well-equipped laboratory with all facilities which costs Rs. 4
crore. Before packing each sample of products is tested in the lab and packed
only if they get the good quality certification from the lab. And if any products
are returned by the customers will be tested and find out the reason for rejection.

7. PRODUCTION PLANNING AND CONTROL DEPARTMENT

Production planning and control department is the intermediary between
production and marketing departments. Production planning and control is the
department which plans everything regarding production. It finds out what is to
be produced, when, what quality and it even informs the purchase department
about what raw materials to be purchased for production. The main function of
this department is to meet the requirements of the demand.

20
8. ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Engineering department of Eastern are responsible for keeping the plant and
equipment’s in good condition. Engineering Department of Eastern has four
sections,

• Electrical
• Mechanical
• Stores
• Automobile

9. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT

Artificial intelligence is necessary for development of mankind. Today the term

information technology has bellowed to encompass many aspects of computing
and technology, and the term is more recognizable than ever before. The
information technology umbrella can be quite large, covering many fields. IT
professionals perform a variety of duties that range from installing
applications to designing complex computer network and information data
bases.

10. EXPORT DEPARTMENT

Eastern foods started exporting in the year 1995. Today eastern is exporting its
products to almost all Gulf countries, and to the different parts of the world,
where the company has its own distributions. The company exports above 100
tons per month. It’s mainly called as export marketing department.

11. TAXATION DEPARTMENT

It works under finance department, but it independently executes its works.

From the accounting department they collect data. For the export Eastern need
not want to pay tax. This is possible through H-form. Each product has its
own tax. For example chilli-4%, rice- 1%.Monthly the tax is calculated.

21
 CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
In this chapter, section 2.1 describes the background upon which the study was
carried out, section 2.2 talks about customer relationship marketing, section
2.3 is about loyalty programmes, section 2.4 describes regular customer cards,
section 2.5 discusses cus- tomer satisfaction, and section 2.6 summarises
customer retention.

2.1 BACKGROUND
Studies show that retailers are of the view that their businesses could
grow vigorously if they relate better with customers through e-mail, employ
hidden cameras to learn how customers make purchase decisions, among
others. However, the key to thrive in any business is to offer customers with
better solutions to their problems, give them the due respect, connect with them
on emotional level, offer them with fair prices, and making it easy for
customers to find what they need, pay for it and move on without much delay
(Berry, 2001, p 51). If the above mentioned factors are true, then why should
retailers issue customer cards instead of concentrating on these factors?

Buying situation, personal influences, and social influences are the three major
factors identified as other key factors that influence consumers buying
behaviour (David Jobber & Geoff Lancaster, 2000, p 40).

In today’s competitive retail environment, the idea of retaining customers is a

tough task. The successful ones are those who are able to establish and
maintain more com- petitive advantages in their customers. Hence a loyalty
program is considered as one of the reliable means of compelling potential
customers to see their business partners on top of others
(http://www.vantagecard.com/giftcards/slide_7.html. Accessed on
4/10/2011).

There are many theoretical reasons supporting the reward-based loyalty

program as a positive measure affecting both customer retention and customer
share development.

22
Firstly, psychological studies conducted by Latham and Locke, showed that
rewards could be very motivating (Peter C. 2003, p 35). Research also shows
that people have a strong drive to react in such a way necessary to gain some
sort of future rewards (Nicholls, 1989, p 96). According to Roehm, Pullins,
and Roehm it is logical to assume that in the event of loyalty program, a
customer could be motivated to buy the pro- gramme sponsor’s brand
repeatedly by awarding programme incentives (Peter C. 2003, p 36).

Again, because the programme’s reward structure usually depends on the past
customer behaviour, loyalty programs could prevent customers from switching
to other competi- tors. For example, if the reward structure depends on the
length of the relationship, cus- tomers would be reluctant to switch (because
of a time lag before the same level of re- wards can be received from another
supplier). Klemperer, Dick and Basu share the view that switching costs are an
important antecedent of customer loyalty (Peter C. 2003, p 36).

In spite of the theoretical arguments in support of the positive effect of loyalty

programs on customer retention and customer share development, many
researchers like Dowling, among others, have questioned this effect. In
contrast, Bolton, and Rust have revealed that loyalty programs have a
significant, positive effect on customer retention (Peter C. 2003, p 36).

2.2 Customer Relationship Marketing

Gronroos describes customer relationship marketing as the process of

identifying and establishing, maintaining, and enhancing, and when necessary
also breaking up the rela- tionships with customers and other stakeholders.

Relationship marketing, as described by Bennett, Copulsky and Wolf, and

Halinen, ba- sically emphasises on generating a continuous relationship
between buyers and sellers, not just attracting, but also retaining customers and
other stakeholders in the market- place, so that the ultimate goals of the

23
stakeholders involved are met. Such relationships are in most cases long-term,
as well as dynamic (Boedeker, 1997).

Bennett emphasises that bidirectional communication results in a strong

relationship satisfying the parties involved, which in the end promotes loyalty
(Boedeker, 1997).

2.3 Loyalty programmes

Competition in the retailing industry is intense, and this is increasingly evident

as cus- tomers seek for retailers that offer the best value for their money.
However, price is just one of the factors that influence customer choice.
Recommendations from friends, posi- tive past experiences and a close
relationship with service providers can all lead to cus- tomers coming back to
a particular shop or retailer.

There are several examples of programmes used to build customer loyalty and
retention which include regular customer cards, mostly used by daily products
retailers. Basically, these programmes motivate customers and encourage them
to repeat buying from the same retailer. Loyalty programmes are implemented
to encourage customers to establish a long-term relationship with an
organisation by offering customers with some benefits for their regular visits
(Barnett et al, 2000).

Godfrey Rooke, chairman of Hong Kong DMA, cited in Australian Banking

& Finance, commented that “Most people think issuing cards will make
customers automatically loyal ... it won’t. People tend to buy just to get a
discount which is detrimental to many businesses as it affects retail margins
(Barnett et al, 2000).

24
2.4 Regular customer cards

The regular customer cards have some kind of bonus systems, which reward
the cus- tomer with some bonus points for being loyal to the organization, or
they entitle the holder to enjoy different kinds of special offers schemed for
these card holders. The cards come in two different versions with different
uses. However, the basic idea of the cards is to function as a tool for customer
relationship marketing in order to promote customer loyalty, cited in
Korttitapahtumat (Boedeker, 1997).

Long term relationship is one major objective of the regular customer cards
(RCC). However, in the case of daily products the function may not be reliable,
because switch- ing to another retailer is quite easy in some situations. Jackson
(1985) describes this kind of situation the “always-a-share model”, which
means a customer can easily switch or move from one retailer to another and
many more.

Kilpailjoiden explains that many companies and organizations in Finland

implement what is called “regular customer programmes” to attract and retain
customers. This im- plies there have been different kinds of “regular customer
cards” implement in Finland at a faster rate. In Finland, there are about four
key retailers in the daily product sector which issue some kind of card systems
to their regular customers as a tool in practicing customer relationship
marketing. Among a population of a little over five million, there are well over
two million of these cards in use (Boedeker, 1997).

The objective of the retail shops which issue customer cards is to tie the
customers to the shop so that the customers will concentrate their purchases
from that particular shop. Organizations may, to some extent, succeed in this
objective but the assumption that special offers or bonus points are the only
objective of the customer may be too simplis- tic. There is a vast amount of
research on the subject of “why do people shop” (Boede- ker, 1993) and the
economic aspects are only one dimension of the benefits for which consumers

25
expect. Therefore regular customer cards have only limited effect with this
aspect of relationship marketing (Boedeker, 1997). This raises the question on
what other factors influence customers to visit a particular shop.

2.5 Customer satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is very important when developing a customer loyalty

pro- gramme. Satisfaction is a measure of how well a customer’s expectations
are met while customer loyalty is a measure of how likely a customer is to
repurchase and engage in relationship activities. Loyalty is very weak and
could easily be broken because even if customers are well satisfied with the
service they will likely visit other service providers if they sense they can get
better value, convenience or quality services. Knowledge of business,
academic, and the consulting community is that customer satisfaction is a very
important element and a backbone of total quality, and that, if it is met, the
customer will remain loyal (Lowenstein, 1995, p. 10).

Customer satisfaction is not a perfect indicator of customer loyalty. However,

satisfac- tion is very important but not enough to promote customer loyalty. A
customer may be very satisfied with the services of a particular shop, but will
not necessarily visit that shop again. Other elements which may have impact
on the customer’s choice include price, location and convenience (McIlroy &
Barnett, 2000).

2.6 Customer retention

Customer retention could be described as the activity that is performed by

organisa- tions to establish long-term relationships with customers in order to
reduce customer defections (Jobber, 2001, p 689). It is the expected ultimate
result of relationship mar- keting.

Vavra and Pruden are of the view that any organization which is unable to
establish long-term relationships with customers, most of the time, operates

26
with one time off transactions. It is stated again that “Discussions of customer
retention seem to be domi- nated by loyalty programmes and customer
discounts. But research shows that what really drives repurchase is high-
quality customer service and well-managed, strategi- cally delivered, formal
and informal communications” (McIlroy & Barnett, 2000).

Morris and other researchers are of the view that customers do not continue to
buy from a particular retailer just because of the bonuses that are offered to
customers or the spe- cial loyalty programme that is available. However, any
retailing shop which wants to retain customers should “... enable customers to
receive what they want, when they want it (just-in-time), and a perfect delivery
each and every time with the desired levels of service that appeal to the
consumer” (McIlroy & Barnett, 2000).

27
 CHAPTER 3
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The theoretical framework presented in this chapter is divided into two
parts. Firstly, buyer behaviour is discussed, more specifically the
details of customer decision-making process. The second part deals
with creating values for customers which entice custom- ers to buy
repeatedly from a particular shop (customer retention).

3.1Buyer decision-making process

Research shows that customers go through a five-stage decision-

making process in any purchases made. The individual stages are
summarized in the diagram below followed by brief explanations.

Need Recognition & Problem

Awareness

Information Search

Evaluation of Alternatives

Purchase

Post-Purchase Evaluation

Figure 1: The buyer decision-making process

28
This model is very paramount for everyone who makes marketing
decisions. The model compels marketers to consider the complete
buying process rather than just the purchasing decision. The model
shows that customers go through five essential stages in every
purchase. However, in more frequent purchases, customers sometimes
skip some of the stages. For example, someone who is buying a
favourite drink would recognise the need for thirst and go straight to
the purchase decision, skipping information search and evaluation.
However, the model is very important when it comes to understanding
any purchase involving some detail considerations (Jobber, 2001, p
65).

3.2 Need recognition and problem awareness

The buying process begins with need recognition or problem

awareness. At this stage, the customer, firstly, recognises a problem or
need (example, I am thirsty, I need a new clothe, I need a house) or
attracted to an advertisement (example. you seeing a billboard
showing a chilled ice cream on scorching sunny day).

3.3 Information search

After the buyer has recognised the need for something or an existing
problem, the cus- tomer then moves on to the next stage; searching for
information. An “aroused” cus- tomer then needs to decide how much
information, if any, is required. If the need or the problem is so
pressing and there is a product or service close at hand that meets the
need or solves the problem, then a purchase decision is made
immediately. If not, then the process of searching for information
begins.
29
There are several sources that a customer can obtain information. For example;

• Personal sources: family, friends, neighbours

• Commercial sources: advertising, salespeople, retailers,
dealers, packaging, point-of- sale displays
• Public sources: newspapers, radio, television, consumer organisations,
specialist magazines
• Experiential sources: handling, examining, using the product

The usefulness and influence of these sources of information will

vary by product and by customer. Research suggests that
customers value and respect personal sources (the influence of
“word of mouth”) more than commercial sources. The challenge
for the marketing team is to identify which information sources
are most influential in their tar- get markets.

3.4 Evaluation of alternatives

The next stage in the model is the evaluation stage, where the
customer chooses be- tween the alternative brands, products and
services.

The important factor which influences the extent of evaluation is

whether the customer feels involved in the purchasing of the
product. Involvement here means the degree of perceived
relevance and personal importance that goes with the choice of a
particular brand (Jobber, 2001, p 65).

Highly involving purchase is where the customer carries out

extensive evaluation. On the other hand, the “low involving”
purchase does not require extensive evaluation.

High-involvement purchases are mostly those which involve

high expenditure or per- sonal risk (for example buying a house or
a car).

30
 Under “high-involving” purchases, the buyer is influenced by a
number of factors be- fore the final purchase decision is made.

Personal Attitude
beliefs

Purchase Purchase
Normative Subjective intention
beliefs norms

Figure 2: Fishbein and Ajzen model of reasoned action

This model supports the impression that an attitude towards a

brand is subjected to a set of beliefs concerning the qualities of the
brand, in other words the end result which the buyer is expected
to experience after buying the brand (For example, the value
relating to the price, and durability).

These qualities are rated as good or bad depending on the level of

satisfaction of the consumer. Highly rated qualities serve as
criteria for the consumer’s choice and they have much influence
on the formation of attitude. Attitude is described as the degree to
which a consumer likes or dislikes a particular brand (Jobber,
2001, p 66).

Low involvement purchases have very simple evaluation

processes. For example, buy- ing a soft drink, or choosing some
breakfast cereals in the supermarket.

Awareness Trial Repeat purchase

Figure 3: Ehrenberg and Goodhart repeat purchase model

31
This model simply shows that awareness is followed by trial, and if
the consumer is sat- isfied with the qualities of the brand the consumer
will surely buy the brand again (Job- ber, 2001, p 66).

This presupposes that the marketer needs to understand the customer

evaluation process, especially in the high-involvement situation, in
order to provide the customer with a good deal of information about
the positive consequences of buying. The sales repre- sentatives also
need to emphasise on the important characteristics of the product, the
advantages as compared with other substitutes. Sometimes the
customer could be en- couraged to try free samples of the product with
the hope of getting the customer back to make more purchases of such
brand.

Post-purchase evaluation – Cognitive Dissonance

The last stage is the post-purchase evaluation of the decision. After the
customer has made the purchase, it is usually common for the
customer to deliberate on the purchase decision. The customer, after
buying the product, may feel that the alternative would have been
better. This situation arises from a concept known as “cognitive
dissonance”. In such situations the customer will not repurchase brand
immediately, but will likely try other brands next time. Dissonance
mostly increases in a situation whereby each of the alternatives offers
a unique attribute or benefit which is not available with others.
Dissonance which arises in the post-purchase stage could be managed
or reduced by encouraging the customers, through advertisements or
brochures, that they have made the right decision (Jobber, 2001, p 67-
69).

32
3.5 Creating Value for Customers/ Customer Retention

After a customer has been able to determine a solution to his needs and
wants, the next line of action is where to visit for optimum services to
solve his problems. To make it simple, service providers or retailers
are expected to offer good measures that will en- tice customers to visit
their shops. Most importantly, the retailers try to establish a strong
relationship with the customers such that they will continue to buy
regularly from their shops, instead of other competitors.

Successful retailers, in this regard, are very much concern about

customer retention. Customer retention could be described as the
activity that is performed by organisa- tions to establish long-term
relationships with customers in order to reduce customer defections
(Jobber, 2001, p 689).

When a customer is ready to make a buying decision, individual

retailers are expecting to be chosen over other service providers.
However, other service providers will also be ready to provide
solutions to customers’ needs and wants. Therefore, what makes a cus-
tomer choose a particular retailer over others?

Why customers choose one shop over another is quite difficult to

determine. Customers themselves do not have much idea. Most of
them are of the view that they visit a par- ticular shop because the
products or services are better, but, in reality, it is because they trust
the source which gave them the information about the shop.

Many factors determine why a customer will buy goods or services

from a particular service provider rather than other competitors
(Abrams, 2008).

33
 Factors that influence consumer behaviour

Consumer behaviour is based on purchaser buying

mannerism, in the midst of the consumer taking up the three

dissimilar parts such as of a user, payer and buyer. Investigation

has revealed that customer behaviour is complicated to forecast,

still for skilled in the required field (Armstrong, 1991)71. The

factors that influence consumers could be classified into two types

as shown in figure below

External Influences Internal Influences

Culture Subculture Perception

Demographics Social Learning Memory
status Reference Motives
groups Family Personality
Emotions
Marketing activities Attitudes

Fig: External and internal influences of consumer behaviour

External influences

Consumer behaviour is influenced by: royalty, ethnicity, family, social

class, culture, sub-culture, locality, reference groups, lifestyle, and

market mix factors.

34
Internal influences

Consumer behaviour is influenced by: attitudes, beliefs, feelings,

personality, motivation, knowledge etc. Consumer behaviour concerns

with consumer needs in the direction of satisfying the need that leads to

behaviour of every individual depending upon thinking process.

The marketing related to relationship is a high - ranking positive feature

for the behaviour of the consumers, investigation as it has an

enthusiastic curiosity in the re – finding of the factual significance of

marketing in the course of the re – affirmation of the significance of the

consumer or purchaser. A superior significance is as well to be found

on customer withholding, personalization, customer relationship

management, customization marketing. The categorization of social

functions can be done into welfare functions and social choice (Adler,

Lee and Irving 1966).

35
 CHAPTER 4
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
4.1 OBJECTIVES
Primary objective

• To identify the factors that influence the purchase decision of curry

powder.
Secondary objective
• To find out the factors that attracts customers towards Eastern curry
powder.
• To analyse consumer’s perception towards price, quality, quantity,
availability and packaging of Eastern curry powder.
• To understand the relative position of Eastern curry powder when
compared to other brands.
• To provide suggestions for improving the quality of Eastern curry powder.

4.2 RESEARCH DESIGN

A research design is considered as the framework or plan for a study that guides
as well as helps the data collection and analysis of data. The research design is
descriptive for the present study.

4.3 SOURCES OF DATA

• Primary data
• Secondary data

4.4 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DATA

• Primary data
The primary data for the study was collected from the consumers of curry
powder in Admali region. The respondents were contacted directly and the
data required for the study were collected by administering pre-tested
structured questionnaires.
• Secondary data
The secondary data were collected from various sources like company
records, magazines, library, and internet.

36
4.5 POPULATION
The population of the study comprised of all consumers of curry powders in
Adimali region.

4.6 SAMPLE SIZE

The sample size for the study was fixed as 50 respondents.

4.7 SAMPLING METHOD

Convenience sampling method is used for selecting consumers of curry powders
in Adimali region. For this study 50 consumers of curry powder were selected as
respondents. Each of the 50 respondents was personally contracted and the
necessary data were collected with the help of pre-tested structured
questionnaires.

4.8 METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION

The primary data required for the study were collected from curry powder
consumers in Adimali region by administering pretested structured
questionnaires. An initial draft of questionnaire was prepared and was pre-tested
among 10 respondents. The final questionnaire was prepared after making
necessary modifications. The required data were collected by administering the
questionnaire personally to the respondents.

4.9 DRAFTING A QUESTIONAIRE

Then questionnaire consists of two sections, section A was meant to collect

demographic details of the respondents and section B consisted of specific
question to measure perception regarding curry powders.

4.10 DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE

The collected data has been analysed with the help of simple percentage analysis.

37
 CHAPTER 5
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
 AGE GROUP
Table 5.1 Showing the Age group of respondents

Age No. Of respondents Percentage

18-22 3 6
23-27 29 58
28-33 6 12
Above 33 12 24
Total 50 100
Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.1

AGE GROUP
70

60 58

50

40

Percentage
30
24

20
12
10 6

0
18-22 23-27 28-33 Above 33

Interpretation:
Table 5.1 shows that 58% of respondents belong to the age of 23-27 years.24% fall under the
category of above33 age group, 12% respondents from 28-33 years and the remains fall under
18-22 category.

38
 GENDER
Table 5.2 Showing the Gender of respondents

Status No. Of Respondents Percentage

Male 19 38
Female 32 62
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE5.2

GENDER
70
62
60

50

40 38

Percentage
30

20

10

0
Male Female

Interpretation:

Table 5.2 shows that 38% of the respondents are male and remaining of them is female.

39
 MONTHLY INCOME
Table 5.3 Showing the Average Monthly Income of respondents

Income No. Of Respondent Percentage

Below 15000 20 40
15000-25000 15 30
Above 25000 15 30
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE5.3

MONTHLY INCOME
45
40%
40

35
30% 30%
30

25

20 Percentage

15

10

0
Below 15000 15000-25000 Above 25000

Interpretation:

Table 5.3 shows that 40% of respondent belongs to the monthly income below 15000. 30% fall
under the category of Above 25000 and the remains fall under 15000-25000 category.

40
 FAMILY SIZE
Table 5.4 Shows the family size of the respondent.

Size No. Of Respondent Percentage

1-2 3 6
3-4 37 74
Above4 10 20
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.4

FAMILY SIZE
80 74
70

60

50

40
Percentage
30
20
20

10 6

0
1-2 3-4 Above 4

Interpretation:

Table5.4 shows that 74% of the respondents belong to the family size of 3-4 members. 20% fall
under the category of above 4 and the remains fall under 1-2 category.

41
 TYPE OF CURRY POWDER PREFERRED
Table 5.5 showing the type of brand preferred by the respondents

Opinion No. Of Respondents Percentage

Branded 47 94
Non-branded 3 6
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.5

TYPE OF CURRY POWDER PREFERRED

100 94
90
80
70
60
50
Percentage
40
30
20
10 6

0
Branded Non-branded

Interpretation:

The results shows that 94% of the respondents use branded curry powder and the remaining are
not using branded curry powders.

42
 RESPONDENTS RANKING THE DIFFERENT BRANDS OF CURRY
POWDERS
Table 5.6 Showing rank order given by the respondents

Brands No. Of Respondents Percentages

Eastern 30 60
Nirapara 6 12
Kitchen Treasures 7 14
Brahmins 7 14
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.6

RESPONDENTS RANKING THE DIFFERENT BRANDS OF

CURRY POWDERS
70
60
60

50

40
Percentages
30

20
14 14
12
10

0
Eastern Nirapara Kitchen Treasures Brahmins

Interpretation:

The results shows that Eastern is the most popular brand,42% of respondent give 1st rank to
Eastern curry powder.14% of respondent give 2nd rank to Kitchen Treasures and Brahmins. 12%
of respondent give 3rd rank to Nirapara.

43
 ATTRIBUTES CONSIDERED WHILE SELECTING CURRY POWDERS
Table 5.7 attributes considered while selecting curry powders

Opinion No. of respondents Percentage

Brand name 10 20
Price 9 18
Quality 20 40
Availability 11 22
Packaging 0 0
Others (specify) 0 0
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.7

ATTRIBUTES CONSIDERED WHILE SELECTING CURRY

POWDERS
45
40
40
35
30
25 22
20
20 18
Percentage
15
10
5
0 0
0
Brand name Price Quality Availability Packaging Others
(specify)

Interpretation:

Table 5.7 shows that 40% of respondents are influenced by quality to purchase curry powder,
22% of respondents are influenced by availability of the curry powder, 20% of respondents are
influenced by brand name and the remaining 18% consider price as an important factor.

44
 CUSTOMERS USAGE OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER
Table 5.8 showing the purchasing decision of Eastern curry powder

Response No. Of Respondents Percentage

If Yes 50 100
If No, skip to Q. No.17 0 0
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.8

CUSTOMERS USAGE OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER

120

100
100

80

60
Percentage

40

20

0
0
If Yes If No

Interpretation:

From the result it is clear that, all the respondents have purchased Eastern curry powder.

45
 ATTRIBUTES ATTRACTED TO PURCHASE EASTERN CURRY
POWDER
Table 5.9 Showing the attributes did attract to purchase Eastern curry powder

Opinion No. of respondents Percentage

Brand name 13 26
Price 9 18
Quality 18 36
Availability 10 20
Packaging 0 0
Others (specify) 0 0
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.9

ATTRIBUTES ATTRACTED TO PURCHASE EASTERN

CURRY POWDER
40
36
35

30
26
25
20
20 18
Percentage
15

10

5
0 0
0
Brand name Price Quality Availability Packaging Others
(specify)

Interpretation:

Table 5.9 shows that 36% of respondents are influenced by quality to purchase curry powder,
26% of respondents are influenced by brand name, 20% of respondents are influenced by
availability of the curry powder and the remaining 18% consider price as an important factor.

46
 OVERALL PERCEPTION ABOUT THE EASTERN CURRY POWDER
WITH RESPECT TO DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES
Table 5.10.1 shows the overall perception about the eastern curry powder with respect to
different attributes.

Attributes Very high High Neutral Low Very low Total

Price 3 13 30 4 0 50
Quality 5 20 22 2 1 50

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.10.1

OVERALL PERCEPTION ABOUT THE EASTERN CURRY POWDER WITH

RESPECT TO DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES

35

30

25
Very high
20 High
Neutral
15
Low

10 Very low

0
Price Quality

47
Table 5.10.2 shows the overall perception about the eastern curry powder with respect to
different attributes.

Attributes Very Good Good Neutral Poor Very Poor Total

Quantity 3 18 23 5 1 50
Availability 18 16 15 0 1 50
Packaging 7 24 15 4 0 50

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.10.2

OVERALL PERCEPTION ABOUT THE EASTERN CURRY POWDER WITH

RESPECT TO DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES

30

25

20
Very Good
Good
15
Neutral
Poor
10
Very Poor

0
Quantity Availability Packaging

Interpretation:

Analysis of product specific features of Eastern curry powder revealed that the brand is
perceived to be superior of Price, Quality, Quantity, Availability, and Packaging. The market
perception of Eastern curry powder makes clear that the company is at most efficient in its
marketing operation.

48
 TIME LAG OF PURCHASING CURRY POWDER
Table 5.11 Shows the time lag of purchasing curry powder.

Opinion No. Of Respondents Percentage

Once in a week 12 24
Once in a month 38 76
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.11

TIME LAG OF PURCHASING CURRY POWDER

80 76

70

60

50

40
Percentage
30 24
20

10

0
Once in a week Once in a month

Interpretation:

Table 5.11 shows that 76% of respondents buys curry powder around once in a month and
remaining 24% belong to the category around once in a week.

49
 SOURCE OF INFROMATION ABOUT THE PRODUCT
Table 5.12 Shows the source of information about the product

Opinion No. Of Respondents Percentage

T.V 32 64
News paper 3 6
Internet 3 6
Magazines 4 8
Friends & Relative 8 16
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.12

SOURCE OF INFROMATION ABOUT THE PRODUCT

70 64
60

50

40

30 Percentage

20 16

6 6 8
10

0
T.V News paper Internet Magazines Friends &
Relative

Interpretation:

Table 5.12 shows that 64% of respondents get information about the product from T.V, 16%
respondents getting aware about the product through friends and relatives, 8% of respondents
getting information from magazines, 6% of respondents get information about the product from
news paper and 6% uses internet to ware about the product.

50
EFFECTIVENESS OFADVERTISMENT IN PROMOTING THE
PRODUCT
Table 5.13 Shows that advertisement is effectiveness in promoting the product

Response No. Of Respondents Percentage

Yes 46 92
No 4 8
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.13

EFFECTIVENESS OFADVERTISMENT IN PROMOTING THE

PRODUCT

100 92
90
80
70
60
50
Percentage
40
30
20
8
10
0
Yes No

Interpretation:

92% of the respondents are of the opinion that the advertisement of the products helps them in
promoting the product, 8% of the respondents say that it won’t help.

51
 VALUE FOR THE MONEY
Table 5.14 Showing that Eastern curry powder gives value for money paid

Response No. Of Respondents Percentage

Strongly agree 5 10
Agree 25 50
Neutral 18 36
Disagree 2 4
Strongly disagree 0 0
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.14

VALUE FOR THE MONEY

60
50
50

40 36

30
Percentage
20
10
10
4
0
0
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
disagree

Interpretation:

Table 5.14 shows that 50% of respondents agree that Eastern curry powder gives value for the
money they paid, 36% of the respondents have neutral opinion, 10% of respondents strongly
agree that Eastern curry powder gives value for the money they paid and 4% of respondents
disagree that Eastern curry powder gives value for the money they paid .

52
 AVAILABILITY OF EASTERN CURRY POWDERS
Table 5.15 Showing the availability of Eastern curry powder

Opinion No. Of Respondents Percentage

Super-market 30 60
Hyper-market 4 8
Kirana stores 7 14
Other discount stores 9 18
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.15

AVAILABILITY OF EASTERN CURRY POWDERS

70
60
60

50

40

30 Percentage
18
20 14
8
10

0
Super-market Hyper-market Kirana stores Other discount
stores

Interpretation:

Table 5.15 shows that 60% of the respondents purchase the curry powder from super-market,
18% of the respondents purchase from other discount stores, 14% of the respondents purchase
from kirana stores and remaining 8% from hyper-market.

53
 PERCEPTION TOWARDS EASTERN CURRY POWDER WHEN
COMPARED WITH OTHER BRANDS
Table 5.16 shows perception towards eastern curry powder when compared with other brands

Response No. Of Respondents Percentage

Very good 5 10
Good 26 52
Neutral 18 36
Poor 1 2
Very poor 0 0
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.16

PERCEPTION TOWARDS EASTERN CURRY POWDER

WHEN COMPARED WITH OTHER BRANDS

60
52
50

40 36

30
Percentage

20
10
10
2
0
0
Very good Good Neutral Poor Very poor

Interpretation:

Table 5.16 shows that 52% of the respondents have good opinion towards Eastern curry powder,
36% of the respondents have neutral opinion towards Eastern curry powder, 10% of the
respondents have very good opinion towards Eastern curry powder and 2% of the respondents
have poor opinion towards Eastern curry powder.

54
 PREFERENCE OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER
Table 5.17 showing the preference of Eastern curry powder

Response No. Of Respondents Percentage

Yes 42 84
No 8 16
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.17

PREFERENCE OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER

90 84
80
70

60
50

40 Percentage

30

20 16

10
0
Yes No

Interpretation:

From table 5.17 it is clear that 84 % of the respondents prefer to buy Eastern curry powder and
16% don’t prefer to buy Eastern curry powder.

55
 RECOMMENDATION OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER

Table 5.18 showing the opinion of recommending Eastern curry powder to others

Opinion No. Of Respondents Percentage

Yes 39 78
No 11 22
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.18

RECOMMENDATION OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER

90
78
80
70

60

50

40 Percentage

30
22
20

10
0
Yes No

Interpretation:

From table 5.18 it is clear that 78% of respondents are willing to recommend Eastern curry
powder to others and the remaining 22% of respondents are not willing to recommend Eastern
curry powder to others.

56
 REASONS FOR NON-PREFERENCE OF EASTERN CURRY POWDER
Table 5.19 showing the reason for non-preference of Eastern curry powder

Response No. Of Respondents Percentage

Highly priced 17 34
Low quality 12 24
Not easily available 7 14
Inappropriate promotion 14 28
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

FIGURE 5.19

REASONS FOR NON-PREFERENCE OF EASTERN CURRY

POWDER

40
34
35
30 28
24
25
20
14 Percentage
15
10
5
0
Highly priced Low quality Not easily available Inappropriate
promotion

Interpretation:

Table 5.19 shows that 34% of respondents opinion is Eastern curry powder are highly priced
when compared to competitors, that is the major reason for the major reason for the non-
preference of the product, 28% of respondents says that there is an inappropriate promotion of
the product,24% of respondents says that there are some quality issues with Eastern curry
powder and the remains fall under the category of lack of availability.

57
CHAPTER 6
FINDINGS
FINDINGS

➢ 62% of respondents are females, who makes the decision in purchasing the
curry powder.
➢ According to consumers point of view Eastern curry powder are
affordable to middle income and low income category.
➢ From the study it is clear that majority of respondents purchase branded
curry powder.
➢ 60% of the respondents give 1st rank to Eastern curry powder. Hence
Eastern is the most popular brand.
➢ Quality(40%), price(18%) and availability(22%) are the major attributes
considered while selecting curry powder.
➢ All the respondents are aware and purchased Eastern curry powder.
➢ Quality(36%), price(18%) and availability(20%) are the major attributes
that attracted consumers to purchase Eastern curry powder.
➢ Quality is the main attribute that is used to indicate the consumers
perception towards Eastern curry powder.
➢ More than half of the respondents purchase curry powder on a monthly
basis.
➢ Eastern curry powder catches in the minds of consumers through T.V
advertisements.
➢ 92% of the respondents are of the opinion that advertisements helps in
promoting the curry powder.

58
➢ 50% of the respondents agree that Eastern curry powder give value for
money.
➢ 60% of the respondents purchase from super markets.
➢ 84% of the respondents prefer Eastern curry powder in future this shows
that its preferred brand among customers.
➢ 78% of respondents says that they will recommend Eastern curry powder
to others.

59
 CHAPTER 7
RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS

➢ The most preferred attributes in the case of curry powder brands are
quality and price. Hence, curry powder brands should focus on improving
and maintaining price and quality to develop and maintain a customer
base.
➢ Price and quality are two main factors generating demand for a curry
powder brand as studied from the survey. There are many brands available
in the market, consumers have many option to choose from. Hence the
price is not reasonable or not kept at par with competitors it will be
difficult to survive in the market.
➢ As curry powders are frequently used in the preparation of various dishes
in Kerala quality is the major factor considered by consumers
➢ Eastern Curry Powders should improve their marketing and advertising
campaigns to leverage their market share and gain a competitive
advantage. Because completion in this fields are increasing.
➢ The company should ensure the availability of curry powder in super
market. Consumers prefer super market for the purchase of Eastern Curry
Powder.

60
 CHAPTER 8
CONCLUSIONS
Conclusion:

From the study its very clear that majority of people in the Adimali region are using
Eastern Curry Powders. And Eastern is facing a very healthy competition from
Nirapara, Kitchen Treasures and Brahmins. So, they have to take the necessary
measures to overcome that competition. Large number of respondents are making
purchase decision on the basis of quality and price of the product.

The most preferred attributes in the case of curry powder brands are quality and
price. Hence, curry powder brands should focus on improving and maintaining
price and quality to develop and maintain a customer base. There are many brands
available in the market, consumers have many option to choose from. Hence the
price is not reasonable or not kept at par with competitors it will be difficult to
survive in the market. In the study area Eastern is the most preferred brand of curry
powder so its ranks the top most position in the market.

Eastern Curry Powders should improve their marketing and advertising campaigns
to leverage their market share and gain a competitive advantage. Because
completion in this fields are increasing. Overall the people in the Adimali region
satisfied with products of Eastern curry powder and they focus on quality and price
of the products during purchase occasions.

61
BOOKS

➢ Aaker, David A.; Erich Joachimsthaler (2000). Brand Leadership.

New York: The Free Press. pp. 1–6. ISBN 0-684-83924-5.
➢ Ajzen, I. (2002). Constructing a TpB questionnaire: Conceptual
and methodological considerations.
➢ Aaker. (1991). Managing Brand Equity: Capitalizing on the Value
of a Brand Nam. The Free Press. New York, NY.
➢ Keller, K. L., Strategic Brand Management (1998), Prentice Hall,
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
➢ Mellens, M., DeKimpe, M. G., Steenkamp, E. M., A Review of
Brand- Loyalty Measures in Marketing, Journal of Economic
Management, Volume 4, 1996.

WEBSITES
➢ https://eastern.in/

➢ https://www.tryberesearch.com

➢ https://simplicable.com
➢ https://www.iresearchservices.com

62
APPENDIX
1. Age group

18-22 23-27 28-32 Above 33

2. Gender

Female Male

3. Average monthly Income

Below 15000 15000-25000 Above 25000

4. Family size
1-2 3-4 Above 4

5. Which type of curry powder you prefer to use?

Branded Non-branded

6. If branded products, please select the rank order (given below) according to your
preference. Eastern(a) Nirapara(b) Kitchen treasures(c) Brahmins(d)

Abcd bcda cdab dabc

7. What are the factors you consider while purchasing the curry powder? (Mark all that
apply)

Brand name Price Quality Availability Packaging

others (specify)

8. Have you purchased eastern curry powder?

If Yes If No, skip to Q. No 17

9. What attributes attracted you to purchase Eastern curry powder? (Mark all that apply)

Brand name Price Quality Availability Packaging

others (specify)

10. Indicate your perception with respect to the attributes of Eastern curry powder.

Very High High Neutral Low Very Low

Price

Quality

Quantity
 Availability

Packaging

11. How often do you purchase eastern curry powder?

Once in week Once in a month

12. From which source you got information about Eastern?

T. V Newspaper Internet Magazines Friends & relatives

13. Do you think advertisement is effective in promoting the product?

Yes No

14. Do you agree that Eastern curry powder give value for money?

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strong Disagree

15. From which outlet do you purchase Eastern curry powder?

Super-market Hyper- market Kirana stores Other discount stores

16. How do you perceive Eastern curry powder when compared to other curry powder brand

Very Good Good Neutral Poor Very Poor

17. Do you prefer to buy Eastern curry powder in future?

Yes No

18. Will you recommend Eastern curry powder to others?

Yes No

19. Reason for non-preference of Eastern curry powder?

Highly priced Low quality Not easily available Inappropriate promotion