Factors for non-Jewish consumers’ kosher food choice: An investigation of the food quality perception

ABSTRACT

The demand for kosher food has increased remarkably among non-Jewish consumers. To understand this growing trend, this study investigates underlying factors influencing non-Jewish consumers’ kosher food consumption within three types of food quality perception: product, process, and user. The study further undertakes a scale development procedure to develop a set of measures and to validate the underlying factors. By using a reliable and valid set of measures, this study identifies six kosher food choice factors: product quality, healthfulness, safety, ethicality, novelty-seeking fulfillment, and special dietary fulfillment. This study provides an inclusive conceptual view to understand kosher food choice factors from general consumer perspectives. The findings of this study make a conceptual contribution to the literature and provide practical guidelines for developing marketing strategies to target the non-Jewish population.

KEYWORDS:

• Kosher food
• perceived food quality
• non-Jewish consumers
• restaurant