Focus Group Report

Perspiration Marketing Research

Ali Boehnlein, Sharon Maguire, Charles Grant, Matt Boyle, Hayley McDermott

I. Focus Group Discussion and Analysis

Our goal for this focus group was to gain a better insight in what the consumer’s on-the-

go breakfast habits and needs are, assess prior knowledge of Kellogg’s values and their products,

and develop a marketing strategy that will bring in customers from existing routines. We began

our focus group at 7:15pm in Thomas Cooper Library on February 24th, 2019 with four

University of South Carolina Students: Alyssa Garrison, Austin Stratton, Charlotte Stokes, and

Tom Brodnitzki. Our moderator, Ali Boehnlein, began by making sure everyone was introduced

and felt comfortable before our focus group session got underway.

Ali then took the time to elaborate on the purpose of the focus group and our objectives

as a marketing representative attempting to develop a vegan to-go cereal option for Kellogg’s.

The questions started more basic, asking about eating habits and morning routines. Each

participant seemed to have a solid standing on the variety of products Kellogg’s produces. Going

around the circle, we then discovered what everyone’s current breakfast habits were. It was

interesting that there was a split between the four members. Two said they make sure to cook and

eat a healthy breakfast while the other two stated they are usually in a rush and grab a granola

bar at most. Breakfast was only a priority for the half the group due to the others having the

option to eat lunch and dinner at the ADPI sorority house. There was a group consensus that

mostly males eat cereal, as confirmed by Tom, due to the speed and cost efficiency of the

breakfast food. The main concern was not being able to take it on the go since it requires

silverware and a bowl, or it can result in warm or soggy cereal.

Key Takeaway: There is a split between on-the-go breakfast eaters and those that prefer to

cook at home, leading us to believe there would be a market for an on-the-go option if

marketed correctly.

Transitioning into our vegan emphasis, we discussed what the group thought of vegan

foods in general. There were mixed reactions towards the category. Alyssa and Austin felt that

there are some really good food choices, while Charlotte and Tom were more against the idea of

eating something labeled as vegan because they were unsure what ingredients were in it. They

had the presumption that it would lack taste since they knew that there are a lot of things vegans

cannot eat. Ali was able to surprise the participants in revealing a few accidental items that are

considered vegan, such as Oreos, some flavors of Doritos, and Ritz Crackers. This sparked a

discussion on the participants’ opinion on vegan cereal and how to appropriately market it to

consumers. Interestingly, seeing the term “vegan” on a product can be a big turnoff for non-

vegans. Instead they would rather see information on the health benefits, and have the product

being vegan compliant as an extra perk.

Key Takeaway: Marketing the new product as blatantly vegan can be a turn-off for non-

vegans but marketing the product as a healthy option that happens to be vegan compliant

is more well-received.

The next series of questions we asked participants involved packaging options and

quantities. They divulged they would be willing to buy in bulk packaging if they could have a

variety of flavors and there was no concern of spoilage. Charlotte and Austin said they preferred

one flavor they know they like over a variety pack, but they would buy bulk of that one flavor if

offered. Almost all participants said they dislike grocery shopping and go the fewest times

possible so would prefer larger quantity options.

Key Takeaway: Bulk products are preferred for the sole purpose of convenience, not to

expand on flavor options – people have different flavor preferences, but almost all buyers

want larger quantities for fewer grocery trips.

Then, we investigated more specifics of the products and its options. One of the benefits

of using soy milk or almond milk was that it could last almost two months in a fridge and would

be vegan compliant. Since these are small portable cereal containers, it would not take up a lot of

space in a refrigerator. Also, since buyers preferred to buy in bulk, it is crucial that the product

will remain fresh for a longer period. Austin mentioned the option to have normal dairy milk

paired with the vegan cereal, to better cater to non-vegans who are buying the product to be

healthy. We are unsure if this option would be feasible because dairy milk has a fridge life of

roughly seven days and may spoil more quickly. Another concern that was mentioned was a

spoon. Participants realized having the portable breakfast with no easy way to consume it

eliminates the convenience. Although we did not think of this initially, we realized that including

a plastic spoon with each product is an important factor since it heightens the convenience of the

on-the-go breakfast option.

Key Takeaway: The best option for shelf-life of our product is non-dairy milk, which will

not please all customers, however, including a portable spoon with each product seems to

be a necessary component to keeping the product convenient.

A major point of discussion was price expectations. Initially there was immediate

concern of price, especially as college students who are on a tighter budget and have less wiggle

room to spend on more expensive breakfast items. A group consensus seemed to hover around

two dollars for each individual product or slightly less per unit for bulk packaging. They are

willing to pay the “extra” amount since it would be healthy and hassle free. By comparing the
price of the current on-the-go options the participants currently buy, the two-dollar price range

was not too extreme by any means. When asked if they eat differently living at home with their

parents, all the participants claimed breakfast was a big part of their home routine, and their

parents would be willing to pay extra to offer their family healthy options.

Key Takeaway: Participants were willing to pay a little more for the healthy on-the-go

aspect, but not substantially more than other on-the-go options they currently purchase.

We then asked for any final comments before concluding our discussion at 8:10 pm.

Overall, there was a lot of groupthink going on within the focus group, but we were able to

discover a few notable suggestions that could help bring our product more success. By asking

specific participants to expand on their thoughts they were able to differentiate between their

opinions and the group’s thoughts. The main points of interest were price, convenience, milk

options, and over-marketing the idea that it was a vegan product. There was a lot of interest

afterwards where some participants mentioned that they would like to try this new option as a

replacement for their current breakfast solution.

II. Additional Research

After speaking with college students during the focus group we left with a few areas

where we would like more information and clarification. Specifically, in areas like:

• Pricing
o What is the current price of your daily breakfast?
o Is pricing in bulk more affordable to customers?
o How would you rate the value of a healthier option?
• Bulk quantities and flavors
o Would you prefer to purchase one flavor or variety packs?
o What bulk quantity is the most convenient for purchasing?
 • Milk options and partnerships
o Are you familiar with current dairy-free milk brands (ex. Silk, Fairlife,
etc.)?
o Do you prefer dairy milk or dairy-free milk?
• “Vegan” branding
o Did you know Oreos are vegan?
o Would you be deterred from buying a blatantly vegan product?
o Do you know what vegans can eat?
o Do you view veganism as being healthy?
o What is the cost to be vegan, more or less than the average person?
• Alternate on-the-go options
o How often do you eat breakfast on-the-go?
o Which of the following on-the-go options are most appealing (bar, egg
sandwich, smoothie, etc., other)?

In a future questionnaire, we plan to delve deeper into how our product would compare with

healthy alternatives already in the market and glean more about consumer views of veganism.

We realize for this product to be successful, it must be different from current options, but still fit

into the optimal price range for these current customers. More research is needed into a possible

partnership with Silk, or another dairy-free milk option, which we believe could be a launching

point for a new product to their current customers. This, in theory, would pool together

customers already established with healthy eating who would be loyal to a new brand

partnership.

This focus group gathered a good basis for information on the product, but also presented

areas for more exploration. We are confident with additional research and data, we can adapt the

on-the-go vegan cereal option to be attractive to consumers.

 Appendix A
Discussion Guide
Focus Group – Thomas Cooper Library
February 24, 2019

Vegan Portable Breakfast Options, The Kellogg Company

Start time: 7:15 PM

Intro

We are a marketing research firm hired by Kellogg’s, our main goal is to find creative solutions
to increase profitability for the company. We will be discussing eating habits, breakfast options,
price preferences, and overall opinion of veganism with our participants.

It will last roughly 45 minutes and will determine the positives and negatives of the product we
are proposing, a vegan portable breakfast option.

I am Ali Boehnlein, and I will be moderating and asking questions during our session today. I am
hoping to gauge what type of customer you are and what products you gravitate towards.

First, let’s go around and introduce ourselves to create comfort within the group.

I. Rules of the Focus Group

a. Please speak your opinions as they are, each person in the group has valid
opinions that are valuable to our study.
b. Everyone will get the chance to answer each question, so please get ready to share
your thoughts.

II. General Discussion

Ask each bold question first and use the questions below to probe deeper into each participant’s
habits.

a. What do the participants currently know about Kellogg’s?

i. Do they know any brands under the conglomerate of Kellogg’s (Special
K)?
ii. What comes to mind when you hear these brands?
iii. What is your opinion of Kellogg's as a brand considering what you know
about them?

b. What is a typical morning routine for them?

i. Do you grab-and-go or make breakfast at home?

 ii. What types of foods can you take with you?
iii. Do you have a brand loyalty or are you open to new ones?
iv. What about flavors, do you ever mix it up?
v. Do you ever skip breakfast?
vi. Do you like cereal? If so, which ones?
vii. How much would you pay for breakfast on the go?
viii. What restaurants serve the best on to go options?

c. What kind of healthy eating habits do they already have?

i. Do you cook at home a lot?

ii. What are your favorite places to eat out?
iii. Do you pack lunch or buy it on the go?
iv. How often do you grocery shop?
v. What types of things do you buy at the grocery? Prepared, fresh, frozen?
vi. How is your eating different at school than when you lived with parents?
vii. Is cost of groceries an issue?

III. Specific Discussion

In this section, ask more about our specific product proposal and gauge interest and opinions.
Use the lead question to direct the conversation and clarify or dig deeper with the indented
questions below.

a. Is there an interest in portable cereal?

i. What types?
ii. Would it be convenient to have milk included?
iii. Is there something missing that would make it more convenient?

b. What should the new product be like (Characteristics/Attributes?)

i. Ask about familiarity with Sabra hummus packs with pretzels (as a
visual)?
ii. What do they like about this offering?

c. What cost seems appropriate?

i. What do you pay now for single serving breakfast?

1. Do they know about oatmeal on the go? (similar product)
ii. Is portable convenience something they’d pay more for?
iii. More likely to buy a single product or buy in bulk?
 iv. Do you prefer just one flavor or variety pack?

d. How Should it be Marketed?

i. Does saying it’s blatantly vegan turn you off?

ii. Does having vegetables or fruits make it seem healthy?
iii. What flavors are the most appealing?

**Show visuals of the current offerings and see the visual appeal among the audience. Discuss
the flavors and select the popular ones.**

e. Obstacles to the Success of a New Product:

i. What is in the way of you buying it?

1. Cost?
2. Flavor?
3. Too vegan?

f. Wrap Up Discussion

i. Any suggestions - mix and match milk, include a disposable spoon

g. How would each person make the product successful?

i. Market it as healthy option or market it strictly vegan?

ii. Partner with a dairy-free milk brand to pool the customers?

h. Comment and Critique the Ideas to Introducing this Product

i. What things about the product do you like or dislike?

ii. Is it attractive to young, health-conscious people?

IV. Closing

Record the ending time - 8:10 PM. Thank the participants for their time and opinions during the
session.