IMPORTANCE OF PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES IN SUCCESSFUL BRANDING OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Abstract

The objective of this study was to establish the importance of specific product attributes in the successful branding of fresh fruits and vegetables (FFV). The population of study consisted of 213 commercial farmers of FFV in Kiambu County. The study adopted stratified random sampling in which 140 farmers were sampled from the seven sub-counties in Kiambu County. The study adopted a descriptive cross sectional survey design. Data was collected using a semi structured questionnaire and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study established that among the seven identified product attributes; longer shelf life had the highest contribution followed by special taste/colour while unique place of origin had the least contribution followed by special medical value. It was observed that since the branding of FFV had low adoption, the average contribution of the attributes to successful branding of FFV was low. The generalizability of the study findings was limited by the limited number of respondent farmers engaging in branding of FFV and lack of corroborative secondary data. The study recommends that farmers should establish available attributes for their products and utilize them in the branding of FFV as a means of adding value to their products. The government should identify and protect special product attributes of the FFV grown in various parts of the country and avail them to only farmers from these areas for branding purposes. Future studies should focus on product attributes of other fresh agricultural products and also target other counties with differing social economic and climatic conditions. A study should be done to establish why branding of FFV has low adoption despite availability of requisite product attributes. A study with collaborative secondary evidence would increase objectivity in the collected data. The study recommends exporting of branded FFV to Europe, Asian and USA markets to boast social economic status of FFV farmers in Kiambu County and Kenya in general.