Consumer Study of Exam Week Oriented Chocolate Bar at University of Wisconsin-Stout

by

Yanfang Liu

A Research Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree

JI1

Food and Nutritional Sciences

Approved: 2 Semester Credits

The Graduate School

University of Wisconsin-Stout

May, 2011

1

Author:

Title:

Yanfang Liu

The Graduate School

University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI

Consumer Study of Exam Week Oriented Chocolate Bar at University of

Wisconsin-Stout

Graduate Degree/ Major: MS Food and Nutritional Sciences

Research Adviser: Hans Zoerb, Ph.D.

MonthlYear: May, 2011

Number of Pages: 43

Style Manual Used: American Psychological Association, 6th edition

Abstract

Chocolate is a fascinating food; its indulgent qualities, concentrated energy and unique

nutritional components distinguish chocolate from other foods. Numerous research studies

report that polyphenols in cocoa are biologically active and have the potential to release stress.

A survey was conducted to explore the concept of a fortified chocolate bar for use by college

students during final exam week, or other periods of intensive study, to design a nutritional and

2

convenient snack food to relieve stress, and to increase energy during final exam week. Results

from surveys showed that 64% of respondents in the first survey and 50% of respondents in the

revised survey rate this concept good and better. However, only 11 % respondents in the first

survey and 9% respondents in the revised survey indicated they are interested in this product

though they acknowledge that this is a good concept. There were no significant differences

between gender, year in school, chocolate consumption frequency, program concentration and

concept preference in both surveys.

The Graduate School

University of Wisconsin Stout Menomonie, WI

Acknowledgments

It is a pleasant duty to record my debts of gratitude. I first would like to thank my thesis

advisor Dr. Hans Zoerb from Food and Nutritional Sciences department at University of

Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin. He provided me with a free space to write my

thesis in and gave me informed choices, along with his generosity, time and patience. I also

salute my program director, Dr. Carol Seaborn, who enlightened me and encouraged me during

my studies at University of Wisconsin-Stout.

I appreciate the invaluable assistance of the UW-Stout library staff, who obtained reference

materials for me through interlibrary loans. Joshua Hachmeister and Susan Greene from

Planning, Assessment, Research and Quality office provided me with technical and statistical

support during these online surveys. Thank you also goes to my pmiicipants who were willing

to take these online surveys.

Special thanks are due to Miki Nomura, my dear friend with strong will power, for always

3

been there for me. I also want to express my deep appreciation to Andrea Griffin, Jodi Engebos,

and writing center tutors for helping me proofreading my thesis.

Finally, I want to thank my parents, for their unconditional love and support as well as many

friends encouraged me during my studies at Stout. Thank you so much.

4

Table of Contents

.................................................................................................................................................... Page

Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ 2

List of Tables ................................................................................................................................... 6

Chapter I: Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 7

Statement of the Problem ..................................................................................................... 8

Research Objectives ............................................................................................................. 9

Assumptions of the Study .................................................................................................... 9

Definition of Terms .............................................................................................................. 9

Limitations ......................................................................................................................... 10

Chapter II: Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 12

New Food Product Development ....................................................................................... 12

Concept Testing ................................................................................................................. 12

Internet-based Survey Trends ............................................................................................ 13

Brief Chocolate History ..................................................................................................... 13

Chapter III: Methodology .............................................................................................................. 17

Subject Selection and Description ..................................................................................... 17

Instrumentation .................................................................................................................. 17

Data Collection Procedures ................................................................................................ 18

Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 18

Chapter IV: Results ........................................................................................................................ 19

Demographic Profile ......................................................................................................... 19

Concept Acceptance .......................................................................................................... 19

5

Estimated Price ................................................................................................................. 20

Chocolate Attributes ......................................................................................................... 20

Chocolate Bar Type Preference ........................................................................................ 20

Respondents' Comment toward the Exam Week Chocolate Bar Concept ...................... .21

The Effect of Gender on Concept Acceptance ................................................................. 24

The Effect of Year in School on Concept Acceptance .................................................... .24

The Effect of GPA on Concept Acceptance ..................................................................... 25

The Effect of Consumption Frequency on Concept Acceptance ...................................... 25

The Effect of Program Concentration on Concept Acceptance ........................................ 25

Chapter V: Discussion ................................................................................................................... 26

Limitations ........................................................................................................................ 26

Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ 27

Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 27

References ...................................................................................................................................... 29

Appendix A: UW-Stout Institutional Board Approval of Research .............................................. 34

Appendix A: UW-Stout Institutional Board Approval of Research (revised) ............................... 35

Appendix B: Implied Consent Form .............................................................................................. 36

Appendix C: Survey Form ............................................................................................................. 38

Appendix C: Survey Form (revised) .............................................................................................. 41

Appendix D: Advertisement Flyer ................................................................................................. 43

6

List of Tables

Table 1: Participants' Profile ......................................................................................................... 22

Table 2: Exam Week Oriented Chocolate Bar Concept Acceptance ............................................ .23

Table 3: Estimated Price for Exam Week Oriented Chocolate Bar ............................................... 23

Table 4: Chocolate Attributes ........................................................................................................ 23

Table 5: Chocolate Bar Type Preference ....................................................................................... 24

7

Chapter I: Introduction

On many campuses, college students postpone studying for exams and as a result are

required to compress preparatory some time into the few days prior to exams. Numerous

studies have characterized student procrastination (Deniz, Tra~, & Aydogan, 2009; Klassen et aI.,

2010; Klassen, Krawchuk, & Rajani, 2008; Spada, Hiou, & Nikcevic, 2006), and according to

Choi and Moran (2009) procrastination has been studied as an undesirable behaviors.

A growing body of research has stated that procrastination is a characteristic of human

nature (Beck, Koons, & Milgrim, 2000; Moon & Illingworth, 2005). While it is unlikely that

human nature will change, there may be an opportunity to assist students who have postponed

studying into a time-constrained period immediately before final exams. Food can affect

emotions and provide comfort and nutrition for students in need of a "boost" prior to final exams.

One type of food can be a quick energy supplements.

A typical scenario on campus during the exam week is college students drinking coffee, cup

after cup, while reviewing all their assignments; cups of coffee are their soul mates to motivate

learning. Therefore, an exam week oriented, convenient food that may replace or compliment

coffee as a stimulant can help students focus on difficult assignments. In addition, the extra

energy and improved nutrition can prepare students for their overwhelming workload.

According to Kimmerle (2005) chocolate is the new coffee; chocolate contains ingredients

similar to coffee that can make people more alelt and keep them focused. Scientists at the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology observed that there are connections between chocolate

and mood in lab animals (Brenner, 1999). Macht and Dettmer (2006) concluded that chocolate

consumption by normal-weight women elevated mood and increased attentiveness. Burks and

Boles (2007) reported that chocolate had a soothing effect while exciting the senses, and could

be helpful in completing demanding intellectual work.

8

Chocolate contains antioxidants that are associated with positive health benefits (Patel,

Parekh, & Subhash, 2008). In recent years, several studies described chocolate as a functional

food (Dillinger & Barriga, 2000; Kelly, 2005; Neithercott, 2009; Schinella et aI., 2010; Visioli et

aI., 2009). According to Webster's New World Medical Dictionary (2003), functional foods

including any modified foods or ingredients that may provide a health benefit beyond the

traditional nutrients it contains.

Because of the concentrated energy and functional constituents in chocolate, it can be part of

a unique, energy focused supplement bar. Given the demands of students and older people for

foods to assist with energy and mind "centering" augmentation, there is an opportunity for

chocolate manufacturers to make a novel chocolate bar featuring the ability of chocolate to

address the needs of an active, stress filled lifestyle.

The main goal of this study was to explore the concept of a chocolate bar that is a nutritional,

energizing, and convenient snack for use by college students during final exam week. The

study used an online survey to interrogate students to determine if a bar or other type of

supplement has potential and how students might use it during their course and exam

preparation.

An additional purpose was to explore how demographic information affects concept

acceptance.

Statement of the Problem

The objective of this study was to investigate the concept of an exam week oriented,

chocolate bar and its acceptance by students at University of Wisconsin-Stout. This study was

9

designed to help develop a chocolate bar for use by college students during final exam week. In

hopes of providing a nutritional and energizing snack food to relive stress, and to increase

enthusiasm in exam week. The main goal of this project was to determine the relative

acceptance of this chocolate bar concept.

Research Objectives

This research will address the following objectives:

I. Investigate the overall concept acceptance by college students.

2. Test students' purchase interest to the new product.

3. Prioritize chocolate sensory attributes that attract students.

4. Explore chocolate bar characteristics that influence liking.

5. Explore the effects of gender, year in school, GPA, chocolate consumption frequency and

program concentration on concept acceptance by college students.

Assumptions of the Study

This study was conducted under the following general assumptions:

I. All participants carefully read and understood the questions in the survey.

2. Participants would answer the questions as accurately and honestly as possible.

3. Student responding to the survey are representative of the general student population.

Definition of Terms

Procrastination: to put off usually habitually doing something that should be done

(Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2004).

Customer: "A customer is one who buys in a marketplace. This is the person who is

attracted by sales material, promotions, or tastings in the marketplace" (Fuller, 2005, p. 10).

"In addition, the customer makes choices according to their and other's likes and dislikes,

allergies, disposable income, or commercial industrial requirements" (Fuller, 2005, p. 11).

Consumer: "Consumer use what is purchased by the customer" (Fuller, 2005, p. 11).

Markets: "A market is conceptual, it represents a need discovered in customers and

consumers that marketing personnel hope to develop into a want, a potential to sell" (Fuller,

2005, p. 11).

Marketplaces: Marketplaces refer to real physical entities, products are sold in

marketplaces. Marketplaces can range from vending machines to big grocery stores and even

the electronic marketplaces operating from web sites (Fuller, 2005).

New Product: "A product not previously manufactured by a company and introduced by

that company into its marketplace or the presentation by a company of an established product,

perhaps in a new form, into a new market not previously explored by that company" (Fuller,

2005, p. 2).

Concept Testing: a sketchy idea for a new product or service to test people's reaction

without prompting and elaboration (Malhotra, 2006).

Functional Food: Food that is potentially healthy, including any modified foods or

ingredient that may provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains

(Webster's New World Medical Dictionary, 2003).

Limitations:

The limitations to the study include:

1. Some participants may not have the patience to complete all the survey questions due to

indifferent or disinterested.

2. Some subjects may not correctly answer questions due to lack of computer skills.

10

11

3. The survey questions were developed by the researcher for use in the online survey, Qualtrics

(Qualtics Labs inc., Provo, UT), the measurement of validity and reliability has not been

done.

4. The number of questions examined in this survey was limited due to the limited time allowed

for students to complete the survey.

5. The number of subjects is limited due to the students' willingness to get involved in the

online survey.

6. Students' participated on a voluntary basis, thereby "self-selecting". They may not be a

random sample of the student population at University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Chapter II: Literature Review

This chapter will discuss new food product development, concept testing, internet-based

survey trends, and a brief history of chocolate.

New Food Product Development

12

New product development is a knowledge-intensive process where the generation of new

ideas and concepts requires detailed knowledge of both products and customers (Bogue &

Sorenson, 2009). Food product development can also be time-consuming, high risk and

expensive. "The rewards from a successful new product can be great, but if the products are

failures, the company must absorb severe financial loses as well as endure a loss of face" (Fuller,

2005, p. 1). According to Fuller (2005), new food products are described as the lifeblood of

food companies. Many companies' success or failure largely relies on new food product

introductions. Customers and consumers are the sources of information that is the driving force

for innovation, the details of which must be developed by teams with broad knowledge of both

marketing strategy and food expertise. Costa and Jongen (2006) suggest that consumer-led new

product development in the food industry needs to effectively manage customer knowledge as

patt ofthe new product development process.

Concept Testing

Concept testing is an imperative for successful new product development. It is the most

common source of market data to help corporations develop products to meet long-term profit

and market goals (Marcone, 2009; McDaniel & Gate, 2007). Malhotra (2006) defines concept

testing as measuring target groups overall reaction to a "wooly" idea without well-articulated

descriptions. Concept testing also provides the direction and guidance for designing key

components or marketing a product (Cardello, Schutz, & Lesher, 2007). According to

13

Moskowitz, Beckley, and Resurreccion (2006), concept information gathered from customers

and consumers are screened and analyzed to predict performance. In fact, some market

researchers go beyond simple concept testing, they extend concept testing to generate other types

of information, for example, estimates of awareness, the effect of price and advertising

(Moskowitz, Beckley, & Resurreccion, 2006). According to Qualtrics Labs Inc. (2010), there

are a variety of concept testing options such as new product concepts, product modification,

product usability, and pricing estimation. The objective of concept testing is to determine

whether the concept is good enough to proceed with expensive and time consuming product

development.

Internet-based Survey Trends

The use of the internet by regional companies and international companies to conduct

research has been growing in popularity over the last decade. The Internet is a valuable tool

when conducting consumer research, because it can reach targeted audiences quickly and easily.

Despite the fact that some researchers doubt the validity of the data collected via web-based

surveys, use of the World Wide Web to gather information has continued to grow (Meilgaard,

Civille, & Carr, 2007). Ninety-four percent of companies use survey data to generate market

research information, and 88% of corporations use online methods to conduct survey-based

market research (McDaniel & Gates, 2007). Furthermore, 65% of those surveyed agree that the

speed of online research has helped accelerate the pace of their business (McDaniel & Gates,

2007).

Brief Chocolate History

Chocolate is a fascinating and controversial food because scientists argue about its function

and nutrient value. The history of cocoa beans and use of chocolate by humans predates Aztec

14

culture (Rossner, 1997). Chocolate was consumed as a beverage, mostly unsweetened, for most

of its long history. The invention of solid chocolate for eating occurred in the early 19th century

with the rise of industrialization of food processing (Coe & Coe, 2007). Chocolate became a

snack for the masses by the mid-20th century. In modern chocolate history, the chocolate bar

became a ubiquitous symbol because of a technology transformation driven by innovative

manufacturers in England, Switzerland, and other European countries (Coe & Coe, 2007).

However, true mass production techniques were perfected in the United States by Milton

Hershey, a philanthropist who started his own factory, orphan school and Disney-like theme park

based on chocolate (Coe & Coe, 2007).

Seeds from the cacao tree, which are the primary ingredient of chocolate, were originally

cultivated by the Aztecs and the Mayas in Central and South America (Rossner, 1997).

European invaders who came to Mexico and Central America, "discovered" this holy plant. Carl

von Linne, the 18th century Swedish scientist named it Theobroma Cacao in 1753 (Coe & Coe,

2007). The cacao tree is difficult to grow; a band of20 degrees north and 20 degrees south of

the equator is the only suitable climate for bearing fruit (Coe & Coe, 2007). If the altitude is

too high and temperatures fall below 60°F (l6°C), even in the tropics, cacao trees will refuse to

bear seeds (Coe & Coe, 2007). Cacao demands year-round moisture, and even in the tropics

marginal climatic conditions, result in diminished production of cacao seeds (Coe & Coe, 2007).

In contrast to most fruit or nut trees which have a distinct time for pollination followed by a

well-defined harvest time, cocoa trees produce flowers and mature seed pods throughout the

year.

Cocoa beans are the primary ingredient of chocolate making. The chocolate process is

outline in Figure 1. Once the cocoa beans are extracted from the elongated pods, they are

fermented to remove the pulp and dried to collect the seeds for subsequent manufacturing

(Figure 1).

Cocoa beans

Cocoa nibs

• Cocoa mass/liquor

Cocoa powder Cocoa butter

Chocolate

Fermentation Drying Cleaning Roasting Shell removal

Grinding

Sugar Milk powder Milk fat Emulsifier varilla

Grinding (refining) Conching Moulding/cooling

15

Figure 1. Chocolate processing. Adapted from Fryer, P., & Bakalis, S. (2011). Engineering taste. Mechanical Engineering, 133, 30-33.

The fundamental steps in chocolate processing are fermentation, roasting and grinding.

These steps have evolved over time. Generally speaking, the chocolate making process begins

with fermentation. Farmers scoop out the pulp covered seeds and place them in the sun where

they are covered with banana leaves for about one week. During this time, enzymes in the

beans are active and break down the complex carbohydrates into simple sugars. This allows

fermentation to proceed. After fermentation, beans are dried and sent to factories for roasting

and grinding.

Roasting generates favorable flavor compounds. After roasting shells are removed from

the "nibs", the actual seed that becomes chocolate. Nibs are ground to reduce cocoa particle

size, releasing cocoa butter and resulting in a liquid called chocolate liquor. This is the main

ingredient of chocolate. This "chocolate liquor" can be mixed with sugar, milk powder, and

spices, or it can be separated into cocoa powder and cocoa butter under pressure.

16

Polyphenols in cocoa has been associated with positive health properties. Cocoa

containing products are functional as an antioxidant to reduce oxidation. Dark chocolate is the

leading type containing antioxidant. Flavanol contents are the major antioxidant in chocolate

(Stahl, et aI., 2009). Polyphenol components in chocolate products depend on two main factors,

one is the bean variety, and the other is the processing procedure from bean harvest to chocolate

products (Stahl, et aI., 2009). According to Smit and Blackburn (2005) theobromine in cocoa is

the main psychopharmacologically active component, and is similar to caffeine derived from

coffee bean. During chocolate making procedure, roasting is the primary cause of antioxidant

loss because of the temperature and pressure used (Cervellati et aI., 2008; Crozier, et aI., 2011).

Chapter III: Methodology

This chapter discusses how the online survey was designed and executed and what

instruments were used. Methods for data collection and analysis are also included.

Subject Selection and Description

17

The subjects for this survey were randomly recruited from the general population of college

students currently attending University of Wisconsin-Stout and who were willing to take these

online surveys. Subjects under the age of 18 years were not eligible to participate in this study.

An implied consent form was signed prior to participation in the online surveys acknowledging

that subject participation was entirely voluntary, that subjects would remain anonymous and that

they were qualified to participate. Respondents had the right to choose not to take part without

any adverse consequences. Once respondents chose to participate in the survey, they were

directed via a web link to a questionnaire which contained the instructions for the survey.

Instrumentation

The questions were administered through the web-based survey tool, Qualtrics, which was

used to develop online survey questions and collect the information. The UW-Stout

Instructional Review Board approval statement, the UW -Stout implied consent form, two online

survey questionnaires, and the flyer used to recruit participants are found in Appendixes A, B, C,

and 0, respectively. The online survey questionnaires were designed to be concise with each

student being able to complete it in approximately four minutes. There are 11 questions in the

first online survey, including demographic information such as gender, year in school, grade

point average CGPA) and chocolate consumption frequency. This survey also asked subjects to

respond to questions about chocolate bar attributes, concept acceptance, price, purchase intent,

and their ideal chocolate bar. Following the first survey, a second was administered to recruit

18

additional participants and to expand on the answers that required addition clarification from the

first survey. In the second survey, questions about chocolate bar attributes and price were

eliminated. Some questions were rewritten, and a program concentration question was added.

Data Collection Procedures

This study was conducted from February 14 to March 23, 2011 after approval by the

UW-Stout IRB. Two online surveys were administered via the web-based survey tool,

Qualtrics. The questionnaires were developed by the investigator to learn demographic

information as well as respondents' acceptance of this exam week oriented, chocolate bar

concept. An advertisement flyer was printed and distributed on campus to encourage students

to get involved in this volunteer-based project. An example is located in Appendix D. Also,

an announcement was posted on the Campus Life Today forum to circulate information through

email to all UW-Stout students. For the first online survey many students were recruited from

an introductory food technology class through Desire to Learn (D2L), an online instructional

program at Stout. For the second survey, Food and Nutritional Sciences students were directly

recruited through email.

Data analysis

The predictive analytics software (P ASW, formally known as SPSS) version 18.0 for

Windows was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics, such as number count and

percentage were computed by Qualtrics, and inferential statistics, such as independent sample t

test and one-way ANOVA was computed by PASW.

19

Chapter IV: Results

Demographic Profile

The demographic information from the two online surveys is summarized in Table 1.

Participants are college students currently enrolled at University of Wisconsin-Stout who

voluntarily participated in this online survey. Subjects involved in the first survey are primarily

from an introductory food technology class. In the revised survey, participants were recruited

from the Food and Nutritional Science department including all three concentrations: Dietetics,

Food System and Technology, and Food and Nutritional Science (Master's degree).

Concept Acceptance

The product description states that this exam week oriented, chocolate bar is fortified

with nutritional and energy components and is formulated to relieve stress and generate better

exam performance. There were two questions related to the concept. One asked respondents

to rate their overall reaction to the concept from poor to excellent. The other asked participants

to indicate their interest in using the product by selecting from a list of statements that best fit

their interest. In the first survey, 64% of respondents rated exam week oriented chocolate bar

concept as good or better. In the revised survey, this concept acceptance dropped to 50%,

perhaps due to the sample demographics. However, when asked to state their interest in using the

product only 11 % said "I really need this product because it will cheer me up". This fell to 9% in

the revised survey. This outcome suggests that more than half of the respondents think this is a

good concept, but most respondents do not believe it would offer them the benefit that the

concept promised. The first survey, asked the question "based on the product description, how

interested would you be in buying the new chocolate bar if it were reasonably priced?" 62% of

20

respondents said they were somewhat or more interested in purchasing at reasonable price (Table

2).

Estimated Price

Students were asked how much they would expect to pay for a chocolate bar described in

the concept. Thirty-two percent of participants were willing to pay the average price, which is

$ 1.00. However, 36% of respondents were willing to pay more than the average price. This

may reflect the belief that this chocolate bar is fortified with extra energy and nutritional

components, and they would be willing to pay more than the common chocolate bar price. The

remaining 32% respondents indicated they would pay less than $1.00 (Table 3).

Chocolate Attributes

Chocolate attributes such as appearance, texture, and aroma were ranked by participants

based on a 5-point scale, from "not at all important" to "extremely important". Appearance (M

= 3.86, SD = 1.00), texture (M= 4.40, SD = 0.70), and aroma (M= 4.19, SD = 0.82) were all

rated important, but there was no significant difference in degree of importance. This suggests

that all sensory properties, in general, drive liking of chocolate bars (Table 4).

Chocolate Bar Type Preference

Table 5 displays the chocolate bar type preference. Respondents were asked which

chocolate bar type they preferred. For this question respondents could choose more than one

answer. Dark chocolate had the most (66%) favorable responses. This may be due to the fact

that dark chocolate contains more antioxidants and more potentially healthy components. Milk

chocolate had a similar number of favorable responses (59%) suggesting that other types of

chocolate also meet the attribute demands of consumers. Sweetness in chocolate was important,

25% of respondents preferred sweet, 18% of respondents preferred semi sweet, and 2% of

21

respondents preferred not sweet at all. Additionally, 30% of respondents would like chocolate

bars with added ingredients such as nuts, and almonds, whereas 16% of respondents preferred

plain chocolate bar (Table 5).

Respondents' Comment toward the Exam Week Chocolate Bar Concept

The last question in the survey invited respondents to write their opinions or expectations of

chocolate bars designed for use during exam week. Twenty participants responded, and their

responses are divided into three categories:

1. The first group, 55% (11 out of20) of participants commented on chocolate bar attributes,

such as plain milk chocolate with fudge, chocolate with peanuts and caramel, white chocolate

with berry flavors, chocolate with almonds or chocolate with caramel, and chocolate with

crispy rice. One individual suggested salty tasting chocolate.

2. The second group, 25% (5 out of20) of respondents concentrated on the concept description

of this exam week oriented chocolate bar. For example, two respondents commented that

this survey needed better descriptions. Three respondents doubted the effect of an exam

week oriented chocolate bar, because they do not believe chocolate bars can help them

perform better during exams. They claimed that a chocolate bar is just a chocolate bar with

no other fascinating functions.

3. The third group, 20% (4 out of20) of respondents concluded that ifit is chocolate, they will

eat when they have a craving for it.

22

Table 1

Participants' Profile

Category First survey (N= 44) Revised survey (N = 75)

Percentage (%) Percentage (%)

Gender

Male 20 21

Female 80 79

Year in school

Freshman 31 15

Sophomore 24 24

Junior 17 9

Senior 17 24

Graduate 12 28

Grade point average

Less than 3.0 23 17

Greater or equal to 3.0 74 83

Chocolate consumption frequency

More than once a week 25 11

Once a week 23 35

Seldom 52 54

Program concentration

Dietetics 59

Food system and technology 15

Food and nutritional science 26

Table 2

Exam Week Oriented Chocolate Bar Concept Acceptance

Category

Acceptance

Intended use

Purchase interested

Table 3

First survey (N = 44)

Percentage (%)

64

11

62

Estimated Price for Exam Week Oriented Chocolate Bar (N = 44)

Price Number

$ 0.50 4

$ 0.75 10

$ 1.00 14

$ 1.25 9

$ 1.50 7

Table 4

Chocolate Attributes (N = 44)

Category Mean (M)

Appearance 3.86

Texture 4.40

Aroma 4.19

Revised survey (N = 75)

Percentage (%)

50

9

Percentage (%)

9

23

32

20

16

Std. (SD)

1.00

0.70

0.82

23

Table 5

Chocolate Bar Type Preference (N = 44)

Category Number Percentage (%)

Dark chocolate 29 66

Milk chocolate 26 59

Sweet 11 25

Semi sweet 8 18

Not sweet at all 2

Bars with particles 13 30

Plain chocolate bar 7 16

The Effect of Gender on Concept Acceptance

Gender acceptance of the concept was tested by an independent sample t test. In the first

sample group, male participants' acceptance of the concept (M= 2.56, SD = 1.01) was not

significantly different from female participants' (M= 3.09, SD = 1.44),p > .05.

24

In the second sample, there was also no gender effect. Male participants' acceptance of the

exam week oriented, chocolate bar concept (M = 2.88, SD = 0.81) was statistically similar to

female participants' (M = 2.41, SD = 1.02), p >.05.

The Effect of Year in School on Concept Acceptance

To test year in school on concept acceptance, a one-way ANOVA was computed by PASW.

There was no difference among the freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, and graduate students

based on the first sample group, meaning that year in school did not affect concept acceptance.

25

For the revised sample group, there was also no significant differences among the freshman,

sophomore, junior, senior, and graduate students, meaning that year in school did not affect

concept acceptance.

The Effect of GP A on Concept Acceptance

OPA is divided into two main groups, one is less than 3.0, the other is greater or equal to 3.0.

An independent sample t test was run by PASW, and there is no significant difference between

higher OP A and fairly low OPA on concept acceptance.

The Effect of Consumption Frequency on Concept Acceptance

To test consumption frequency on concept acceptance, a one-way ANOV A was computed

by PASW. There was no relationship between the consumption frequency and concept

acceptance in either survey.

The Effect of Program Concentration on Concept Acceptance

To test program concentration on concept acceptance, a one-way ANOV A was computed by

Predictive Analytics SoftWare (PASW, formerly known as SPSS). No statistically significant

differences were found based on the revised group.

26

Chapter V: Discussion

This study attempted to investigate the concept of an exam week oriented, chocolate bar by

determining acceptance by college students at University of Wisconsin-Stout. An online

questionnaire was developed and administered using a web-based survey tool. The result

showed that 64% of the respondents from the first survey and 50% of the respondents from the

revised survey believed that the exam week oriented chocolate bar was a good concept, however,

they were not interested in using the product. This could result from the fact that while students

recognized the need for a product that increased energy, awareness and at the same time reduced

effects of stress prior to examination; they did not believe that the concept as proposed could

deliver against that need. Alternatively, many students may already have products like coffee

or other behaviors that assist them in successfully preparing for exams. The effect of gender,

year in school, OPA, chocolate consumption frequency, and program concentration did not have

strong impact on the concept acceptance.

Limitations

Knowing the limitations of this study is essential. The following limitations may need to

be considered:

1. Respondents may not have fully understood the concept as written. This was mentioned by

two respondents in the open ended comments

2. Some participants may not have had the patience to complete all of the survey questions due

to them being indifferent and/or uninterested.

3. Some subjects may not have correctly taken this online survey due to lack of familiarity with

the Internet skills.

4. The number of questions examined in this survey was limited due to the limited period of

time allowed to students to complete the survey.

5. The number of subjects was limited due to the students' willingness to participate in the

online survey.

6. The online survey cannot guarantee that one participant only took the survey once.

Conclusions

27

Sixty-four percent of the respondents from the first survey and 50% of the respondents from

revised survey agreed that a chocolate-based "energy mood" bar was a good concept though few

were interested in using the product. The effect of gender, year in school, GPA, consumption

frequency of chocolate bar, and program concentration on concept acceptance did not show a

statistically significant difference. However, these findings do not mean that demographics are

not important even though data analysis did not give a positive correlation. This may be largely

due to the limited sample size and participation. The questions must be written more accurately

and clearly so participants better understand the concept and can respond more precisely.

Recommendations

The fact that over half of respondents liked the concept suggests there is an opportunity or

need for a "supplement" bar that can help during times of "intellectual stress". The challenge is

to design a concept or a product that is a convincing solution to that "need". Future research

should focus on how to convince consumers that the concept works, and to determine what

specifically they would use as indicators of usefulness. Future research should use the result of

this research to better design a more unambiguous and focused questionnaire. Questions should

explore use intent, interest, and decision metrics by specific groups. This includes specific

nutritional factors like polyphenols and other components and sensory attributes that would

increase interest and use.

28

29

References

Beck, B. L., Koons, S. R., & Milgrim, D. L. (2000). Correlates and consequences of behavioral

procrastination: The effects of academic procrastination, self-consciousness, self-esteem

and self-handicapping. Journal of Social Behavior & Personality, 15, 3-13.

Bogue, J., & Sorenson, D. (2009). Managing customer knowledge during the concept

development stage of the new food product development process. Journal of

International Food & Agribusiness Marketing, 21, 149-165.

doi: 10.1080108974430802589667

Brenner, 1. G. (1999). The emperors of chocolate: Inside the secret world of Hershey and Mars.

NY: Random House.

Burks, R. L., & Boles, L. C. (2007). Evolution of the chocolate bar: A creative approach to

teaching phylogenetic relationships within evolutionary biology. American Biology

Teacher, 69, 229-237.

Cardello, A. V., Schutz, H. G., & Lesher, L. L. (2007). Consumer perceptions of foods processed

by innovative and emerging technologies: A conjoint analytic study. Innovative Food

Science & Emerging Technologies, 8,73-83. doi:10. 1016/j.ifset.2006.07.002

Cervellati, R., Greco, E., Costa, S., Guerra, M. C., & Speroni, E. (2008). A comparison of

antioxidant properties between artisan-make and factory-produced chocolate.

International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 43, 1866-1870. doi:

10.11111j.1365-2621.2008.01765.x

Choi, J., & Moran, S. V. (2009). Why not procrastinate? Development and validation of a new

active procrastination scale. Journal of Social Psychology, 149,195-212.

Coe, S. D. & Coe, M. D. (2007). The true history 0/ chocolate. London, U. K.: Thames and

Hudson.

Costa, A. A., & longen, W. F. (2006). New insights into consumer-led food product

development. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 17, 457-465.

doi: 10.10 16/j.tifs.2006.02.003

30

Crozier, S. 1., Preston, A. G., Hurst, 1. W., Payne, M. 1., Mann, 1., Hainly, L., & Miller, D. L.

(2011). Cacao seeds are a "super fruit": A comparative analysis of various fruit powders

and products. Chemistry Central Journal, 5, 5-10. doi: 10.1186/1752-153x-5-5

Demz, M., Tra~, Z., & Aydogan, D. (2009). An investigation of academic procrastination, locus

of control, and emotional intelligence. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 9,

623-632.

Dillinger, T. L., & Barriga, P. (2000). Food for the Gods: Cure for Humanity? A cultural history

of the medicinal and ritual use of chocolate. Journal o/Nutrition, 130, 2057S.

Fryer, P., & Bakalis, S. (2011). Engineering taste. Mechanical Engineering, 133, 30-33.

Fuller, G. W. (2005). New food product development: From concept to marketplace. Boca Raton,

FL: CRC Press.

Kelly, A. (2005). Why you need chocolate. Prevention, 57, 186-196.

Kimmerle, B. (2005). Chocolate: The sweet history. Portland, OR: Collectors Press.

Klassen, R. M., Ang, R. P., Chong, W., Krawchuk, L. L., Huan, V. S., Wong, 1. F., & Yeo, L.

(2010). Academic procrastination in two settings: Motivation correlates, behavioral

patterns, and negative impact of procrastination in Canada and Singapore. Applied

Psychology: An International Review, 59, 361-379.

doi:10.11111j.1464-0597.2009.00394.x

Klassen, R. M., Krawchuk, L. L., & Rajani, S. (2008). Academic procrastination of

undergraduates: Low self-efficacy to self-regulate predicts higher levels of

procrastination. ContemporalY Educational Psychology, 33, 915-931.

doi: 10.1 016/j.cedpsych.2007.07.00l

31

Macht, M., & Dettmer, D. (2006). Everyday mood and emotions after eating a chocolate bar or

an apple. Appetite, 46, 332-336. doi:1O.1016/j.appet.2006.01.014

Malhotra, N. K. (2006). Fundamentals of marketing research 1. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Marcone, M. (2009). Accelerating new food product design and development. Trends in Food

Science & Technology, 20, 46. doi:l0.1016/j.tifs.2008.09.009

McDaniel, C. & Gates, R. (2007). Marketing research (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &

Sons, Inc.

Meilgaard, M. C., Civille, G. V., & Carr, B. T. (2007). Sensory evaluation techniques. Boca

Raton, FL: Taylor & Francis.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary (lIth ed.). (2004). Springfield, MA: Merriam Webster.

Moon, S. M., & Illingworth, A. 1. (2005). Exploring the dynamic nature of procrastination: A

latent growth curve analysis of academic procrastination. Personality & Individual

Differences, 38, 297-309. doi: 10.10 16/j.paid.2004.04.009

Moskowitz, H. R., Beckley, J. H., & Resurreccion, A. (2006). Sensory and consumer research in

food product design and development. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing.

Neithercott, T. (2009, March). Virtue or vice? A closer look at five controversial foods. The

Healthy Living Magazine. Retrieved from

http://forecast.diabetes.org/magazine/features/virtue-or-vice

Patel, P., Parekh, T., & Subhash, R. (2008). Development of pro biotic and synbiotic chocolate

mousse: A functional food. Biotechnology, 7,769-774.

Qualtrics Labs Inc. (2010). Qualtrics Tutorial. Retrieved from

http://www.qualtrics.com/university 1 concept -testingl

Rossner, S. (1997). Chocolate--divine food, fattening junk or nutritious supplementation?

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 51, 341.

32

Schinella, G., Mosca, S., Cienfuegos-lovellanos, E., Pasamar, M., Muguerza, B., Ramon, D., &

Rlos,1. (2010). Antioxidant properties of polyp he no I-rich cocoa products industrially

processed. Food Research International, 43, 1614-1623.

doi: 1 0.1 0 16/j.foodres.20 1 0.04.032

Smit, H. 1., & Blackburn, R. 1. (2005). Reinforcing effects of caffeine and theobromine as found

in chocolate. Psychopharmacology, 181,101-106. doi: 1O.1007/s00213-005-2209-3

Spada, M. M., Hiou, K., & Nikcevic, A. V. (2006). Metacognitions, emotions, and

procrastination. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 20, 319-326.

Stahl, L., Miller, K. B., Apgar, 1., Sweigart, D. S., Stuart, D. A., McHale, N., Ou, B., Kondo, M.,

& Hurst, W. 1. (2009). Preservation of cocoa antioxidant activity, total polyphenols,

flavan-3-ols, and procyanidin content in food prepared with cocoa powder. Journal of

Food Science, 74, C456-C461. doi: 1O.111l/j.1750-3841.2009.01226.x

Visioli, F., Bernaert, H., Corti, R., Ferri, C., Heptinstall, S., Molinari, E., Poli, A., Serafini, M.,

Smit, H. 1., Vinson, 1. A., Violi, F., & Paoletti, R. (2009). Chocolate, lifestyle, and health.

Critical Reviews in Food Science & Nutrition, 49, 299-312.

doi: 10.108011 0408390802066805

Webster's New World Medical Dictionary. (2003). Retrieved from

http://www.credoreference.com/entry Iwebstermed/food _functional

33

Appendix A: UW -Stout Institutional Board Approval of Research

152 Vee Rehab Building

STOUT University of WL5consin-Stout P.O. Box 790

UNiVl1<5lTYOI WI9;.UNSIN Menolllonio. WI 54751-0790

Date:

To:

715/232-1126 715/232-1749 (lax) http·l/www.uwstQJlL~

February 9,2011

Yanfang Liu

From: Sue Foxwell, Research Administrator and Human Protections Administrator, UW-Stout Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research (IRB)

Subject: Protection of Human Subjects in Research

34

Your project, "Consumer study of exam week oriented chocolate bar at University of Wisconsin-Stout" is Exempt from review by the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects. The project is exempt under Category 2 of the Federal Exempt Guidelines and holds for 5 years. Your project is approved from February 9, 2011, through February 8, 2012.

If you are conducting an online survey/interview, please copy and paste the following message to the top of the form:

"This research has been reviewed by the UW-Stout IRB as required by the Code of Federal Regulations Title 45 Part 46."

Please contact the IRB if the plan of your research changes. Thank you for your cooperation with the IRB and best wishes with your project.

*NOTE: This is the only notice you will receive - no paper copy will be sent.

Appendix A: VW-Stout Institutional Board Approval of Research (revised)

152 Voe Rehab Building

STOUT University of Wisconsin-Stout P.O. Box 790

UNlvrn.'in 01 W!5(1,"«\lN Menomonie, WI 54751-0790

Date:

To:

715/232-1126 715/232.1749 (fax) http://w\'vw.v'lYJilllut.edu/ra/

March 15,2011

Yanfang Liu

From: Sue Foxwell, Research Administrator and Human Protections Administrator, UW-Stout Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research (IRB)

Subject: Protection of Human Subjects in Research

35

Your revised project, "Consumer study of exam week oriented chocolate bar at University of Wisconsin-Stout" is Exempt from review by the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects. The project is exempt under Category 2 of the Federal Exempt Guidelines and holds for 5 years. Your project is approved from March 15,2011, through March 14,2016.

Please form before dissemination: .~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you are conducting an online survey/interview, please copy and paste the following message to the top of the form:

"This research has been reviewed by the VW-Stout IRB as required by the Code of Federal Regulations Title 45 Part 46."

Please contact the IRB ifthe plan of your research changes. Thank you for your cooperation with the IRB and best wishes with your project.

*NOTE: This is the only notice you will receive - no paper copy will be sent.

Appendix B: Implied Consent Form

UW-Stout Implied Consent Statement for Research Involving Human Subjects

Consent to Participate in UW-Stout Approved Research

Title: Consumer study of exam week oriented chocolate bar at University of Wisconsin-Stout

Investigator: Yanfang Liu 715-529-8031 liuy@my.uwstout.edu

Description:

Research Sponsor: Dr. Hans Zoerb 367 Heritage Hall 715-232-2519 zoerbh@uwstout.edu

36

This study attempts to design unique "exam week" chocolate bar aimed at University of Wisconsin-Stout students, in hope of providing a nutritional, energizing, and convenience snack food for use during exam week. The primary purpose is to investigate the attitude and use of this chocolate bar concept.

Risks and Benefits: There are no identified risks involved in participation of this study. Questionnaire will be delivered online by the survey tool, Qualtrics (Qualtrics Lab Inc., Provo, UT). Questions will ask patticipants to provide demographic information such as gender, year in school, grade point average, frequency of chocolate consumption and program concentration. Benefits of this study include examination and testing of different chocolate bar concepts for the purpose of developing effective marketing strategies and design of a unique energy providing snack.

Special Populations: Participation in this study is on a volunteer basis. There are no adverse consequences for not participating. Participants have the right to withdraw from the study at any time. Participants should be at least 18 years old, if subjects are under the age of 18 years old they are not eligible to participate in the study.

Time Commitment and Payment: The time commitment is minimal for this study. It will require approximately four minutes for respondents to complete a brief questionnaire via online web survey tool. Participation in this study is completely voluntary. The only other tasks required are for participants to carefully read and complete questionnaire.

Confidentiality: Respondents' name and other private information will not be available on any survey documents, and the individual participant information will be unidentifiable to the researcher and research advisor. The information gathered will be kept strictly confidential and any reports of the findings ofthis study will not contain any identifying information. Also, the researcher will never publish or share any information that could identify a person from this survey.

Right to Withdraw: Participation in this study is on a volunteer basis. There are no adverse consequences for not participating. Participants have the right to withdraw from the study at any time. Once participants submit their responses, the data cannot be linked to respondents and cannot be withdrawn.

IRB Approval:

37

This study has been reviewed and approved by the University of Wisconsin-Stout's Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB has determined that this study meets the ethical obligations required by federal law and University policies. If you have questions or concerns regarding this study please contact the Investigator or Advisor. If you have any questions, concerns, or reports regarding your rights as a research subject, please contact the IRB Administrator.

For any other questions or comments please contact:

Investigator: Yanfang Liu 715-529-8031 Iiuy@my.uwstout.edu

Research Advisor: Dr. Hans Zoerb 367 Heritage Hall 715-232-2519 zoerbh@uwstout.edu

Statement of Consent:

IRB Administrator: Susan Foxwell, Director, Research Services 152 Vocational Rehabilitation University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI 54751 715-232-2477 foxwells@uwstout.edu

By completing the following survey, you agree to participate in the project entitled: Consumer study of exam week oriented chocolate bar at University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Appendix C: Survey Form

Exam Week Oriented Chocolate Bar Survey

This research has been reviewed by the UW-Stout IRB as required by the Code of Federal Regulations Title 45 Part 46.

Dear College Student:

This survey is about chocolate bar with extra energy and added nutrient designed to improve

performance on EXAM.

Please read the following questions and answer each of them.

Thank you for your cooperation and help.

Q 1 Below is a list of attributes that characterize the product. How important is each attribute to

you?

Not at all ; Not very i Not sure I Somewhat Extremely important ' important : important important

(1) , (2) . (3) (4) (5)

Appearance

Texture

Aroma

o o o I

o o o

o o o

o o o

Q2 Based on the product description, how interested would you be in buying this new

chocolate bar if it were reasonably priced?

0 Not at all interested

0 Not very interested

0 Not sure

0 Somewhat interested

0 Extremely interested

Q3 How often do you consume chocolate bars?

0 Everyday

0 More than once a week

0 Once a week

0 Once a month

0 Every three months

0 Once a year

0 Never

o o o

38

Q4 Based on the claim that it will help release a student stress during EXAM week, how favorable is your overall reaction to this concept?

0 Poor 0 Fair 0 Good 0 Very good

0 Excellent

Q5 Which of the following best describes your desire for this product?

o I really need this product because it will cheer me up. o This is minor, I am not interested.

o It looks okay, but is about the same as other brands. o You've got to be kidding, why would I need this product?

Q6 How much would you expect to pay this kind of chocolate bar?

o $ 0.50 o $ 0.75

o $ 1.00 o $ 1.25

o $ 1.50 o Others (please specify) __

Q7 What is your gender?

o Male

o Female

Q8 What year are you in school?

0 Freshman 0 Sophomore

0 Junior 0 Senior

0 Graduate

Q9 What is your Grade Point Average (GP A) based on a 4.0 scale?

o 1.99 or less

o 2.00 - 2.49 o 2.50 - 3.00

39

40

o 3.00 - 3.49

o 3.50 - 4.00

o Unsure

Q 1 0 Which do you prefer? (Could be more than one choice)

0 Dark chocolate

0 Milk chocolate

0 Sweet

0 Semi sweet

0 Not sweet at all

0 Bars with nuts

0 Plain chocolate bar

Q 11 Please describe your ideal EXAM chocolate bar.

Appendix C: Survey Form (revised)

Exam Week Oriented Chocolate Bar Survey (revised)

This research has been reviewed by the UW-Stout IRB as required by the Code of Federal Regulations Title 45 Part 46.

Dear College Student:

This survey is about chocolate bar with extra energy and added nutrient designed to instill zeal

when students approaching their EXAM.

Please read the following questions and answer each of them.

Thank you for your cooperation and help.

Q 1 Based on the product description, how favorable is your overall reaction to this concept?

0 Poor

0 Fair

0 Good

0 Very good

0 Excellent

Q2 Which of the following best describes your desire for this product?

o I really need this product because it will cheer me up.

o This is minor, I am not interested.

o It looks okay, but is about the same as other brands.

o You've got to be kidding, why would I need this product?

Q3 How often do you consume chocolate bars? (Indicated the most close situation to you)

o More than three times a week

o Once a week

o Once a month

Q4 What is your gender?

o Male

o Female

Q5 What year are you in school?

o Freshman

41

42

o Sophomore o Junior o Senior

o Graduate

Q6 Please indicate the concentration for your program.

o Dietetics o Food system and technology o Food and nutritional sciences (Master's degree)

Q7 What is your grade point average (GPA) based on a 4.0 scale?

o 1.99 or less

o 2.00 - 2.49 o 2.50 - 3.00 o 3.00 - 3.49 o 3.50 - 4.00

Appendix D: Advertisement Flyer

Chocolate Bar Online Survey https:/ /Uwstout.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV _8zZFnQ9xw91p89G

Thank you so much for your participation!

If you have any comments or concerns about this survey please contact:

Investigator: Yanfang Liu liuy@my.uwstout.edu Research Sponsor: Dr. Hans Zoerb

zoerbh@uwstout.edu 367 Heritage Hall

232-2519

43