Chetti Malacca: exploring millennials consumption intention of Peranakan Indian ethnic cuisine

ABSTRACT

Chetti ethnic are the minority ethnic roots in Malacca, Malaysia. Despite their historical significance in the creation of Malaysia’s multi-ethnic culture, the Indian Peranakans (also known as the Chettis) are hardly recognised even among locals. Although millennials represent a significant market segment, there has been little research into their motives for eating ethnic food. Thus, this study examines factors influencing Chetti ethnic food consumption intention among millennials. A total of 400 questionnaires were received, and only 376 were valid for the study. Partial Least Square (PLS-SEM) was used to answer research questions. The findings showed that all variables had a significant relationship toward Chetti ethnic food consumption intention. This study subsequently serves as a guide for marketers, academicians and practitioners in connecting with their consumers by considering the elements that affect Malacca millennials’ consumption intention and gaining a better knowledge about Chetti ethnic food.

KEYWORDS:

• Chetti
• heritage food
• consumption intention
• millenials
• perceived authenticity
• media influence

Acknowledgments

We are thankful to Universiti Teknologi MARA and Kolej Komuniti Bukit Beruang for their support, as well as to the respondents and experts who reviewed and provided comments on the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. Zahari et al., ‘How the Acculturation of Baba Nyonya,’ 486.

2. Ting, Tan, and John, ‘Consumption Intention toward Ethnic Food,’ 21.

3. May and Latip, ‘The Perspectives of Street Food,’ 61.

4. Omar and Omar, ‘Malaysian Heritage Food (MHF),’ 1.

5. Zanzaizman, Sheikh Mohamed Safri, and Abdul Latip, ‘Baba Nyonya Peranakan Ethnic Food,’.

6. Omar and Omar, ‘Malaysian Heritage Food (MHF),’ 2.

7. Mohd Fikri, Abdul Rahman, and Noh, ‘Exploring Culinary Heritage Practices,’ 1.

8. Mohamed, ‘The Malay Chetty Creole,’.

9. Durai, ‘Chetti Peranakan Culinary Staples | The Star,’|‘Chetti Peranakan Culinary Staples | The Star,’ 20.

10. Mohd Fikri, Abdul Rahman, and Noh, ‘Exploring Culinary Heritage Practices,’ 2.

11. Ishak et al., ‘The Influence of Biculturalism,’ 3.

12. Mohd Fikri, Abdul Rahman, and Noh, ‘Exploring Culinary Heritage Practices,’ 3.

13. Paulo, ‘Meet the Chetti Melaka, or Peranakan Indians, Striving to Save Their Vanishing Culture – CNA Lifestyle,’ 20.

14. Ting et al., ‘Food Neophobia and Ethnic,’ 2781.

15. Komariah et al., “The Antecedent Factor of Tourists’,” 1209.

16. Ting, Tan, and John, ‘Consumption Intention toward Ethnic Food,’ 21.

17. Bernal-Gil et al., ‘Using Projective Techniques and Food,’.

18. Kumar and Smith, ‘Understanding Local Food Consumers,’ 196.

19. Ishak et al., ‘The Influence of Biculturalism,’ 4.

20. Choe and Hong, ‘Can Information Positively Influence,’ 3.

21. Jorge, Lopez-Valeiras, and Gonzalez-Sanchez, ‘The Importance given to,’ 2.

22. Moorthy, ‘Hybridity and Ethnic Invisibility,’ 554.

23. Mohd Fikri, Abdul Rahman, and Noh, ‘Exploring Culinary Heritage Practices,’ 4.

24. Moorthy, ‘Hybridity and Ethnic Invisibility,’ 556.

25. Mohd Fikri, Abdul Rahman, and Noh, ‘Exploring Culinary Heritage Practices,’ 5.

26. Moorthy, ‘Hybridity and Ethnic Invisibility,’ 557.

27. Leow, ‘A Study of Entrepreneurial Behaviour,’ 12.

28. Reddy, Dam, and Rob, ‘Food, Culture, and Identity,’ 149.

29. Kareyst, ‘Peranakan Indians: A Unique Community,’.

30. Mohd Fikri, Abdul Rahman, and Noh, ‘Exploring Culinary Heritage Practices,’ 6.

31. Ibid., 7.

32. Raji et al., ‘Past and Present Practices,’ 221.

33. Leow, ‘A Study of Entrepreneurial Behaviour,’ 5.

34. Mohd Fikri, Abdul Rahman, and Noh, ‘Exploring Culinary Heritage Practices,’ 8.

35. Ajzen, ‘The Theory of Planned Behavior,’ 314.

36. Komariah et al., “The Antecedent Factor of Tourists’,” 1209.

37. Abdul Latip, Tumin, and May, ‘Antecedents of Organic Food Purchase,’ 41.

38. Le et al., ‘What We Know and Do Not Know,’ 74.

39. Filimonau, Nghiem, and Wang, ‘Food Waste Management in Ethnic Food,’ 92.

40. Lim et al., ‘I See, and I Hunt,’ 1777.

41. Latip et al., ‘How Do Food Safety Knowledge,’ 261.

42. Kumar and Smith, ‘Understanding Local Food Consumers,’ 196.

43. Ting et al., ‘Ethnic Food Consumption Intention,’ 518.

44. Ismail and Latip, ‘Chetti Melaka of the Straits,’ 94.

45. Ting et al., ‘Ethnic Food Consumption Intention,’ 520.

46. Komariah et al., “The Antecedent Factor of Tourists’,” 1209.

47. Ismail and Latip, ‘Chetti Melaka of the Straits,’ 95.

48. Abdul Latip, Tumin, and May, ‘Antecedents of Organic Food Purchase,’ 44.

49. Ismail and Latip, ‘Chetti Melaka of the Straits,’ 96.

50. Zhang, Chen, and Hu, ‘Authenticity, Quality, and Loyalty,’ 2.

51. Hsu, Robinson, and Scott, ‘Traditional Food Consumption Behaviour,’ 456.

52. Ibid., 457.

53. Latip et al., ‘The Sustainable Purchase Intention,’ 951.

54. Kumar and Smith, ‘Understanding Local Food Consumers,’ 196.

55. Ting, Tan, and John, ‘Consumption Intention toward Ethnic Food,’ 21.

56. Ajzen, ‘The Theory of Planned Behavior,’ 315.

57. Ting, Tan, and John, ‘Consumption Intention toward Ethnic Food,’ 23.

58. Ismail and Latip, ‘Chetti Melaka of the Straits,’ 96.

59. Tomić et al., ‘Consumers’ Attitudes towards Ethnic Food Consumption.” 349.

60. Hsu, Robinson, and Scott, ‘Traditional Food Consumption Behaviour,’ 457.

61. Latip et al., ‘Factors Affecting E-Learning Acceptance,’ 116.

62. Latip et al., ‘How Do Food Safety Knowledge,’ 262.

63. Ting et al., ‘Ethnic Food Consumption Intention,’ 520.

64. Hsu, Robinson, and Scott, ‘Traditional Food Consumption Behaviour,’ 456.

65. Aitken et al., ‘The Positive Role of Labelling,’ 255.

66. Zanzaizman, Sheikh Mohamed Safri, and Abdul Latip, ‘Baba Nyonya Peranakan Ethnic Food’

67. Hsu, Robinson, and Scott, ‘Traditional Food Consumption Behaviour,’ 458.

68. Latip et al., ‘The Sustainable Purchase Intention,’ 953.

69. Ting et al., ‘Ethnic Food Consumption Intention,’ 521.

70. Ting, Tan, and John, ‘Consumption Intention toward Ethnic Food,’ 24.

71. Ismail and Latip, ‘Chetti Melaka of the Straits,’ 100.

72. Mardatillah, ‘The Enterprise Culture Heritage,’ 7.

73. Zhang, Chen, and Hu, ‘Authenticity, Quality, and Loyalty,’ 8.

74. Ismail and Latip, ‘Chetti Melaka of the Straits,’ 102.

75. Komariah et al., “The Antecedent Factor of Tourists’,” 1209.

76. Youn and Kim, ‘Effects of Ingredients, Names and Stories,’ 14.

77. Gupta and Duggal, “How Do the Tourists’ Behavioral,” 294.

78. Zhang, Chen, and Hu, ‘Authenticity, Quality, and Loyalty,’ 10.

79. Ismail and Latip, ‘Chetti Melaka of the Straits,’ 101.

80. Gupta and Duggal, “How Do the Tourists’ Behavioral,” 295.

81. Le et al., ‘What We Know and Do Not Know,’ 260.

82. Cui, Fam, and Zhao, ‘Regulatory Focus and Message Framing’s,’ 2019.

83. Gupta and Duggal, “How Do the Tourists’ Behavioral,” 262.

84. Klassen et al., ‘Social Media Use for Nutrition,’ 15.

85. Lim et al., ‘I See, and I Hunt,’ 1780.

86. Qutteina, De Backer, and Smits, ‘Media Food Marketing and Eating,’ 1708.

87. Le et al., ‘What We Know and Do Not Know,’ 262.

88. Vasquez-Parraga and Valencia, ‘Five-Stage Acculturation Process,’ 31.

89. Jean and Joshua, YouTube: Online Video and Participatory Culture 2nd Edition.

90. Trivedi, Patel, and Acharya, ‘Causality Analysis of Media Influence,’ 196.

91. Kumar and Smith, ‘Understanding Local Food Consumers,’ 198.

92. Lim et al., ‘I See, and I Hunt,’ 1781.

93. Ramírez-Gutiérrez, Santana-Talavera, and Fernández-Betancort, ‘Tasting Experiences of a Destination’s,’ 46.

94. Lim et al., ‘I See, and I Hunt,’ 1781.

95. Ibid., 1783.

96. Jorge, Lopez-Valeiras, and Gonzalez-Sanchez, ‘The Importance given to Food,’ 3.

97. Nicolau et al., ‘Millennials’ Willingness to Pay for Green Restaurants.” 90.

98. Hair et al., A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). 150.

99. Ibid., 160.

100. Fornell and Larcker, ‘Evaluating Structural Equation Models,’ 18.

101. Cohen, Statistical Power Analysis for the Behaviour Sciences, 198.

102. Shmueli et al., ‘Predictive Model Assessment in PLS-SEM,’ 2326.

103. Hsu, Robinson, and Scott, ‘Traditional Food Consumption Behaviour,’ 457.

104. Ting et al., ‘Ethnic Food Consumption Intention,’ 519.

105. Hsu, Robinson, and Scott, ‘Traditional Food Consumption Behaviour,’ 458.

106. Youn and Kim, ‘Effects of Ingredients, Names and Stories,’ 15.

107. Le et al., ‘What We Know and Do Not Know,’ 270.

108. Gupta and Duggal, “How Do the Tourists’ Behavioral,” 294.

109. Lim et al., ‘I See, and I Hunt,’ 1782.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Muhamad Jufri Ismail

Muhamad Jufri Ismail is a Higher Education Officer at Kolej Komuniti Bukit Beruang under the Ministry of Education Malaysia. In his role as a Higher Education Officer, he is responsible for delivering knowledge and fostering collaboration and partnerships with other educational institutions, industry stakeholders, and relevant organizations.

Muhammad Safuan Abdul Latip

Muhammad Safuan Abdul Latip is a senior lecturer from the Department of Culinary Arts and Gastronomy, Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Terengganu. His areas of expertise include culinary arts, culinary heritage, gastronomy tourism, sustainable consumption, consumer behavior, and green marketing.