1. background introduction

The catering industry is an industry closely related to people's lives, and it is also an industry with fierce competition and rapid changes. According to Ai Media Consulting data, the size of China's catering industry in 2021 was 4689.5 billion billion yuan, up 18.6 percent year-on-year, and the market size of the catering industry has returned to pre-epidemic levels. The food and beverage industry was more severely affected by the epidemic in 2022, but the development of prefabricated dishes allowed the food and beverage industry to reduce the impact of the reduction in the restaurant business and provided the industry with a new profit model. The catering industry will develop slowly in the short term, and the market size is expected to reach 5563.5 billion billion yuan in 2025.

In order to gain an advantage in the catering market, catering companies need to conduct effective market research to understand market demand, consumer behavior, competitors, industry trends, etc., so as to formulate reasonable strategies and marketing plans. Market research is an activity that helps companies make decisions by collecting, analyzing and interpreting information about the market. Market research can help catering companies:

Identify and assess market opportunities and potential;

understanding and meeting consumer needs and preferences;

Analyze and respond to competitors' strategies and behaviors;

Evaluate and optimize the mix of products, prices, channels and promotions;

Monitor and forecast market changes and trends;

Improve the brand awareness and image of the enterprise;

Improve business efficiency and profitability.

Market research methods fall into two main categories: quantitative research and qualitative research. Quantitative research is a method of measuring and analyzing the size, structure and characteristics of the market through numerical data and statistical methods. The main tools of quantitative research include questionnaire, experiment, observation and so on. Qualitative research is a method of describing and explaining market motivations, attitudes, and feelings through non-numerical data, using linguistics, psychology, and sociology. The main tools of qualitative research include interviews, focus groups, case studies, etc.

The process of market research generally includes the following steps:

Determine research objectives and questions: clarify the objectives and scope of market research, and propose specific research questions and assumptions;

Designing research programs: selecting appropriate research methods and tools, determining research objects and samples, and formulating research plans and budgets;

Data collection: the implementation of research programs, through questionnaires, interviews, observation and other ways to obtain effective raw data;

Analysis of data: collation, coding, classification, statistics, induction, reasoning, etc. of the collected data to obtain valuable information andConclusion；

Report results: present the analysis results in the form of text, charts, tables, etc., make suggestions and opinions, write reports and submit them to decision makers.

The results of market research are of great value and significance to catering enterprises, which can help catering enterprises:

Improve market sensitivity, grasp market opportunities and avoid market risks;

Improve product innovation capabilities, develop new products that meet market needs, and increase product differentiation;

Optimize marketing strategy, formulate reasonable price, channel and promotion plan, improve market share and profit margin;

Enhance competitive advantage, understand the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, develop effective competitive strategies to improve competitiveness;

Establish brand image, improve brand awareness and loyalty, establish brand reputation and influence;

Enhance customer relationships, understand and meet customer needs and expectations, and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.

2. market research case

Shangpu Consulting is a well-known independent third-party research and investment and financing consulting agency in China, dedicated to providing professional solutions for corporate strategic decision-making. Shangpu Consulting provides industry research, market segmentation and user behavior research, channel model research, competitor research, market entry research, consumer research, investment decision evaluation, ipo segmentation market research, fund-raising project feasibility study, business financing plan and other segmentation consulting services. Shangpu Consulting has the "the People's Republic of China Foreign-related Investigation License" issued by the National Bureau of Statistics, and has rich market research experience and professional capabilities.

The following are examples of market research services provided by Shangpu Consulting for a number of catering enterprises, introducing the purpose, method, process and results of market research, as well as the value and significance of market research to catering enterprises.

Case 1: Market Survey of a Famous Hot Pot Chain Brand

Research Purpose

The hotpot chain brand is one of the largest hotpot chain enterprises in China, with nearly 1,000 stores covering many provinces and cities across the country. The brand wants to further expand its market share, increase brand awareness and reputation, and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. To this end, the brand commissioned Shangpu Consulting to conduct market research to understand consumers' perceptions, evaluations, preferences and expectations of the brand, as well as their views on the needs and trends of the hot pot industry, so as to provide the brand's strategy and marketing Basis and suggestions.

Research method

Champ Consulting used a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods to conduct questionnaires and focus group interviews, respectively.

The purpose of the questionnaire survey is to obtain consumers' overall impression, satisfaction, loyalty, willingness to recommend and other indicators of the brand, as well as data on the consumption frequency, consumption scenarios, consumption motivation, and consumption preferences of the hot pot industry. The subjects of the questionnaire survey were consumers who had consumed the brand of hot pot at least once in the past year. A total of 1000 questionnaires were distributed and 950 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 95%.

The purpose of the focus group interview is to gain insight into consumers' feelings about the brand's strengths and weaknesses, product and service evaluations, brand image and word-of-mouth, and opinions and suggestions on the needs and trends of the hot pot industry. Focus group interviews were conducted with loyal consumers who had consumed the brand hotpot at least three times in the past year. A total of 10 focus groups were organized, with 6-8 participants in each group, and each interview lasted about 90 minutes.

Investigation process

From October to November 2023, Shangpu Consulting conducted questionnaire surveys and focus group interviews in five cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Wuhan. The questionnaire survey uses a combination of online and offline methods. Online links are pushed through social media platforms such as WeChat and Chattering, and offline paper questionnaires are distributed through business circles near the brand's stores. The focus group interview adopts an offline method. Participants are invited to the professional interview room of Shangpu Consulting for face-to-face communication. The senior researcher of Shangpu Consulting acts as the moderator to guide the participants to discuss related topics, and at the same time, audio and video recordings are used for subsequent analysis.

Findings

Champ Consulting conducted a detailed analysis of the collected data and came up with the following key findings:

The overall impression of the brand is good. Consumers think that the brand's hot pot is delicious, rich in variety, reasonable in price and considerate in service. It is a trustworthy hot pot brand. The brand's satisfaction rate is 82%, loyalty rate is 76%, and recommend intention is 79%, all higher than the industry average.

The advantage of the brand lies in the quality and taste of its products. Consumers highly evaluate the brand's ingredients, soup base, seasonings, snacks, etc., and believe that the brand's hot pot has unique flavor and characteristics, which can meet different taste needs. The disadvantage of the brand lies in the environment and atmosphere of its stores. Consumers are not satisfied with the decoration, hygiene, music and lighting of the brand's stores. They think that the brand's stores lack personality and comfort and are not suitable for occasions such as parties and dates.

The brand image and reputation of the brand are relatively general. Consumers' cognition and memory of the brand are mainly concentrated at the level of its products. They lack understanding and feelings about the concept, culture and value of the brand, and lack attention and participation in the dissemination and promotion of the brand. Consumers' evaluation of the brand is mainly "affordable", "delicious", "convenient" and so on, lacking deeper emotion and recognition.

Consumers consume the hot pot industry frequently, with an average of 2.5 times per month. The main consumption scene is to socialize with family, friends, colleagues, etc., and the main consumption motivation is to enjoy food, relax, and enhance feelings. Consumers' consumption preferences for the hot pot industry are mainly taste, quality, service, hygiene, etc., and they also pay attention to the health, innovation, and personality of hot pot. Consumers' views on the needs and trends of the hot pot industry are that the hot pot industry still has great development space and potential, but it is also facing fierce competition and changing challenges, and needs continuous innovation and improvement to adapt to consumers' Diversified and personalized needs.

research value

According to the results of the survey, Champu Consulting put forward the following suggestions for the brand:

Strengthen the shaping and dissemination of brand image and reputation, improve brand awareness and influence, and increase brand loyalty and recommend willingness. Through the formulation of clear brand positioning and concept, we can create distinctive brand culture and value, carry out creative brand publicity and promotion, stimulate consumers' emotion and recognition, and establish brand reputation and influence.

Improve the environment and atmosphere of stores, improve consumer experience and satisfaction, and increase consumer repeat consumption and recommend. We can create a comfortable, warm and fashionable atmosphere by optimizing the decoration, hygiene, music and lighting of the store, adapt to different consumption scenarios and needs, and improve the experience and satisfaction of consumers.

Maintain the quality and taste of products, while increasing product innovation and individuality, meeting consumer needs and preferences, and increasing product differentiation and competitiveness. By introducing new ingredients, soup base, seasonings, snacks, etc., we can enrich the variety and flavor of products to meet different taste needs. At the same time, we also pay attention to the health, safety and nutrition of products to meet the health needs of consumers.

Market research provides valuable information and advice for the brand, helping the brand to understand consumer needs and preferences, optimize the brand's strategy and marketing, and improve the brand's competitiveness and profitability.

Case 2: Market survey of a new coffee chain brand

Research Purpose

The coffee chain brand is a new coffee chain brand established in 2021. It focuses on high quality, low price, fast and convenient coffee consumption mode. It mainly provides consumers with fresh, delicious and affordable coffee products through online ordering and offline self-promotion. The brand has expanded rapidly in a short period of time, and has opened nearly 100 stores in many cities across the country, which has been welcomed and supported by young consumers. The brand wants to further understand the current situation and trends of the coffee market, analyze its own strengths and weaknesses, and formulate future development strategies and marketing plans. To this end, the brand commissioned Shangpu Consulting to conduct market research to obtain information on the scale, structure, characteristics, and competition of the coffee market, as well as data on consumer demand, preferences, behaviors, and attitudes towards coffee, so as to make decisions for the brand Provide basis and guidance.

Research method

Champ Consulting used a combination of quantitative and qualitative research to conduct a questionnaire survey and competitive analysis, respectively.

The purpose of the questionnaire is to obtain consumer coffee consumption frequency, consumption scenarios, consumer motivation, consumer preferences, consumer satisfaction and other data, as well as the brand awareness, evaluation, loyalty, recommend willingness and other indicators. The subjects of the questionnaire survey were consumers who had consumed coffee at least once in the past year. A total of 2000 questionnaires were distributed and 1900 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 95%.

The purpose of the competition analysis is to analyze the main competitors in the coffee market in terms of products, prices, channels, promotions, brands, etc., as well as their strengths and weaknesses, so as to provide reference and reference for the brand's competitive strategy. The competition analysis is aimed at the top five brands in the coffee market, namely Starbucks, Lucky Coffee, COSTA, Cat Coffee and Coffee to accompany you. The method of competition analysis is to collect the relevant information of the competition through the network, literature, reports and other channels, as well as to obtain the first-hand data of the competition through field visits, experiences, purchases and so on.

Investigation process

From December 2023 to January 2024, Shangpu Consulting conducted questionnaire surveys and competition analysis in five cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou. The questionnaire survey was conducted online, pushing questionnaire links through social media platforms such as WeChat and Douyin. At the same time, consumers were invited to participate in the questionnaire through channels such as the brand's official public number and applet, providing participants with coupons and other rewards. The competition analysis adopts the offline method, and the research team of Shangpu Consulting goes to the stores of the competition products respectively for on-the-spot investigation, experience and purchase, and records the relevant information and data of the competition products.

Findings

Champ Consulting conducted a detailed analysis of the collected data and came up with the following key findings:

The size of the coffee market is larger, the structure is more stable, the characteristics are more obvious, the competition is more intense. According to AI media consulting data, the size of China's coffee market in 2021 was 222.7 billion billion yuan, an increase of 12.3 percent over the same period last year, and the market size is expected to reach 340 billion billion yuan in 2025. The structure of the coffee market is mainly composed of three major sectors, namely coffee chain stores, coffee self-service machines and coffee retail products. Among them, coffee chain stores occupy a dominant position in the market, accounting for about 60%. The characteristics of the coffee market are mainly manifested in the younger, urbanized, diversified and personalized aspects of consumers. Consumers' demand and preferences for coffee are constantly changing and improving, and they have the quality, taste, service, and experience of coffee. Higher requirements. The competition in the coffee market mainly comes from the competition between international brands and domestic brands. The international brands are represented by Starbucks, which has strong brand influence and loyal customers. The domestic brands are represented by Luckin Coffee, which is low-cost, efficient and convenient. At the same time, there are many small and medium-sized coffee brands and independent coffee shops to attract consumers in an innovative, personalized and differentiated way.

The brand has low awareness, good evaluation, high loyalty and weak recommend intention. Consumers' awareness of the brand mainly comes from online social media and offline word-of-mouth communication, but the brand's popularity and influence are still insufficient. Only about 30% of consumers said they knew the brand, and only about 10% of them said they had consumed the brand's coffee. Consumers' evaluation of the brand is mainly positive. They think that the coffee quality of the brand is good, the price is affordable, the order is convenient, and the self-promotion is fast. It is a coffee brand with high cost performance. The brand has 85% satisfaction and 80% loyalty, both higher than the industry average. However, the brand's willingness to recommend is weak. Only about 60% of consumers expressed their willingness to recommend the brand to others. The main reason is that the brand's brand image and reputation are not prominent enough, lack of characteristics and attractiveness.

The advantage of the brand lies in its price, channel, promotion and other aspects, the disadvantage lies in its products, services, brands and so on. Compared with competing products, the price of this brand of coffee is lower, with an average price of 15 yuan per cup of coffee, while the average price of competing products is 25 yuan. The brand has obvious price advantages and can attract consumers to buy. The brand's channels are also relatively convenient, mainly through online orders and offline self-promotion, to provide consumers with a fast and convenient coffee consumption experience. The brand's stores are mainly distributed in business districts, office buildings, schools and other crowded places. It is convenient for consumers to pick up goods. The promotion of the brand is also more frequent, mainly through discounts, full reductions, gifts, exchanges and other ways to attract consumers to buy and re-purchase. However, the brand's products are relatively weak, and its coffee quality, taste, innovation and other aspects are not as good as competing products. Consumers are less satisfied with the brand's coffee, with only about 60% of consumers expressing satisfaction with the brand's coffee, while the average satisfaction with competing products is 85%. The service of the brand also needs to be improved. There are certain problems in the production, distribution, and after-sales of its coffee. Consumers' satisfaction with the brand's service is also low. Only about 65% of consumers said they are satisfied with the brand's service, while the average satisfaction of competing products is 90%. The brand is also relatively weak, its brand image, culture, value and other aspects are not prominent and distinct, consumers' cognition and feelings of the brand are relatively weak, lack of loyalty and recommend willingness.

research value

According to the results of the survey, Champu Consulting put forward the following suggestions for the brand:

Improve the quality and taste of products, increase product innovation and personality, meet consumer needs and preferences, and increase product differentiation and competitiveness. The quality and taste of coffee can be improved by introducing high-quality coffee beans, superb coffee technology, diverse coffee categories, novel coffee flavors, etc., to meet different consumer needs, and at the same time pay attention to the health, environmental protection, and social responsibility of coffee. To satisfy consumers' sense of responsibility and conscience.

Improve the quality and efficiency of services, increase the interaction and experience of services, increase consumer satisfaction and loyalty, and increase consumer repeat consumption and recommend. By optimizing the process of coffee production, distribution and after-sales, the quality and efficiency of service can be improved, and the waiting and dissatisfaction of consumers can be reduced. At the same time, the interaction and experience of service can be increased, such as the production process of coffee, the story of coffee, and the knowledge of coffee, so as to increase the participation and fun of consumers and enhance the satisfaction and loyalty of consumers.

Shape the brand's image and reputation, spread the brand's culture and value, improve brand awareness and influence, and increase brand loyalty and recommend willingness. Through the formulation of clear brand positioning and concept, we can create distinctive brand culture and value, carry out creative brand publicity and promotion, stimulate consumers' emotion and recognition, and establish brand image and reputation.

The market research provides valuable information and suggestions for the brand, helps the brand understand the current situation and trend of the coffee market, analyzes its own advantages and disadvantages, and formulates future development strategies and marketing plans.