Understanding the Consumption of Plant-Based Drink in South Korea: Drinking Situations and Food Pairings

Abstract

This study aims to investigate how consumption situations, consumer characteristics and food pairing patterns differ based on milk selection, namely cow milk and plant-based drink, using food diary data (117,728 cases). The consumer characteristics and drinking situations of milk and plant-based drink were analyzed using probit model, and food pairing patterns of milk and plant-based drink were analyzed using decision tree analysis. Plant-based drink consumers are more likely to be older, female, and have lower incomes, compared to milk consumers. Consumers are more likely to have plant-based drink on the move. Plant-based drink is mainly consumed with eggs, bananas, sweet potatoes, and nuts, while milk is consumed with cereals, bananas, and bread. It provides marketers with a stepping stone for developing marketing strategies associated with plant-based drink. This is the first empirical study to compare food pairing patterns between milk and plant-based drink, extending the scope of food pairing.

Keywords:

• Bivariate probit model
• decision tree
• drinking situation
• food pairing
• plant-based drink

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.