Attitudes and Preferences of Kosovar Consumer Segments Toward Quality Attributes of Milk and Dairy Products

ABSTRACT

The dairy market is one of the fastest growing agri-food sectors in Kosovo, yet the farm structure is fragmented. The level of productivity is lower compared with European Union levels and shows potential for improvements. The consumption of dairy products is expected to rise due to income growth and segmentation of consumers that would reflect different preferences for low-fat or zero-fat products, products with natural additives, and so on. On the market level, a significant share of the consumed milk and dairy products is imported. This study aims to better understand attitudes and preferences of Kosovar consumer segments toward milk and dairy products. A quantitative survey with 300 consumers was conducted in major Kosovo cities. Applying a reduced version of the Food Related Lifestyle instrument identified three distinct consumer segments: the conservative consumer segment, the socially oriented foodie, and the information-seeking eco-consumer. The latter two segments are especially open to trying new food products and actively search information about food. All three consumer segments show strong consumer patriotism by believing that domestic milk and cheese are safer than imported products and are of higher quality. This indicates the strong market potential for dairy farmers and companies in the Kosovo, which should develop new food products having these segments in mind. The authors explore the strategies that farmers and companies should use to better target these consumer groups and gain greater access to desirable segments.

KEYWORDS:

• Consumer segments
• Kosovo
• milk and dairy products
• preferences for milk and dairy
• southeastern Europe

Contributors

Rainer Haas is professor for Agribusiness and Food Marketing at the Universität für Bodenkultur Vienna (www.boku.ac.at) at the Institute of Marketing & Innovation since 2004. He has more than 20 years of experience in research, teaching, and extension in the field of agricultural and food value chain marketing. His research focus is on consumer behavior, management in the agri-food industry and marketing of food products.

Maurizio Canavari is Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics and Rural Appraisal since October 1, 2005. He holds the doctoral degree in “Appraisal and Land Economics” (University of Padua). Current research interests range from marketing of quality agri-food products, consumer preference and willingness to pay for specific quality attributes, management in the agri-food industry, quality certification, and adoption of innovations in agriculture.

Drini Imami is a lecturer at Faculty of Economics and Agribusiness, Agricultural University of Tirana. He earned a PhD in Agrifood Economics and Policy at University of Bologna. Drini has worked as a consultant for FAO, SNV, World Bank, GIZ, SDC, and various USAID and EU projects. He has conducted research in several leading European research institutions and contributed to about 30 scientific publications.

Mujë Gjonbalaj serves as a professor in the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary at the University of Prishtina. In this capacity, he lectures Applied Statistics, Project Management and Research Methodology courses. He was also Chief Director at the Department of Agroeconomy at the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary at the University of Prishtina (2000–2016). Dr. Gjonbalaj co-founded the Institute for Managing Marketing and Enterpreneurship in 1999. He also served as a Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Reconstruction and Development (1999–2000) and as an Advisor to the Minister at the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Government of Kosovo (2002–2004). He also published several research papers at the Economic Institute of Prishtina (1980–1997) and was a former Chief Editor of the journal Economia.

Ekrem Gjokaj has earned joint European Master Program (MSc.) in Comparative Economic Local Development at University of Trento (Italy), University of Regenzburg (Germany), Corvinus University (Hungary), and University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), and the PhD studies at the University of Tirana, Faculty of Economics and Agribusiness - Department of Economics and Rural Development Policies. He has more than nine years' experience in teaching and more than ten years' experience in training and research for various studies in the field of Food Security and rural development, environment, agribusiness, and customer care. Additionally, he has over ten years' experience in management of the administration department as Director of Economic Analysis and Agricultural Statistics within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development. Gjokaj has played a key role in many sector studies financed by these organizations and has been co-author of numerous technical/policy studies and also two development strategies (Kosovo's ARDP 2007–13 and 2014–2020). Gjokaj is a researcher and lecturer of Agricultural and Food Policy at Agriculture University of Pristina and International Business College (IBCM) in Mitrovica.

Dmitry Zvyagintsev works for the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, Budapest, Hungary. Before he was director of the Analytical Center of the Russian Grain Union and corporate sales manager for Morgan and Stout. He received his PhD from the Institute for the Economies in Transition, Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy in agricultural economics.