Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

Choosing a segment:

For this assignment, I chose a segment of college students. All three of my interviews were with people who are currently in college or grad school and are health-conscious in some way. One studies Health Science here at UF. She attends weekly Crossfit classes and teaches tennis lessons every weekday. Another is a grad student studying Marketing here at UF. She suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), so she has to be extra cautious about the food she eats. The third, studies Applied Physiology and Kinesiology here at UF. She goes to Southwest Rec every day to workout and she enjoys cooking and experimenting with plant-based foods, like tofu, tempeh, and other meat substitutes. 

Interviews: 

Interview #1: 

• When she needs a quick lunch on campus she typically goes to Chick-fil-a.  
• She usually has about an hour to grab food when she's on campus. 
• Her biggest considerations when deciding where to grab food on campus are nutrition and value. Croutons is too expensive for how much food they give, but Papa Johns is too unhealthy.
• She buys food on campus about once a week
• She typically spends $10 max when she orders fast food or when she gets food on campus. 
• She looks for healthy options, but the only two relatively healthy options are Croutons and Pollo Tropical. Croutons doesn't keep her full and the line at Pollo Tropical is usually too long and the food is usually it's too expensive.
• When grabbing food on campus, health is a consideration for her every time. However, speed and saving money are usually more important. 
• She does think there is a need for more healthy options on campus. 
• She has not tried plant-based meat alternatives before, but she would try plant-based food if it were an option. 
• She is not very aware of the devastating environmental impacts of fast food. 
• She does believe that her decisions and the decisions of those around her make an impact on the environment. 
• It is very important to her that she make a conscious decision to be better to the environment,  but she doesn't have a real job yet, and therefore she doesn't always have the means to spend extra money on better options.

Interview #2: 

• If she has to grab food on campus, she typically goes to Chick-Fil-A or Rising Roll in Heavener Hall. 
• She usually has about 45 minutes to an hour to grab food. 
• When she's on campus she usually prioritizes whatever is closest. But if she has the option, she prefers to go for non-fried options. That's why she likes Rising Roll. 
• Her biggest considerations when deciding where to grab food on campus are proximity to where she is and degree of healthiness. 
• She buys food on campus about once a week, max. However, when she was a full-time student, she would buy food on campus about 3 times a week.
• She typically spends about $12 when she orders fast food.
• She is willing to spend about $14 for food on campus.
• She tries her best to look for healthy options, but she feels that there aren't any healthy options here on campus. For this reason, she has started prioritizing eating at home, even if it means walking back in the middle of the day. 
• When she wants to grab something healthy on campus she usually goes to Rising Roll or Au'Bon Pain (the place in Newell). 
• Healthy is almost always a consideration for her when grabbing food on campus. Her mood and overall well-being are heavily affected by the quality of food she eats, so she tries her best to only eat what makes her feel good - which excludes fried/unhealthy food. 
• She 100% agrees that there is a need for more healthy options on campus. However, she also believes that it may be difficult to succeed on campus if prices are too high or wait times are too long for students. 
• She would consider trying plant-based food. She just had a vegetarian-substitute for chicken the other day and didn't even realize it wasn't real chicken. She thinks most people have just never tried or been exposed to plant-based alternatives. She thinks many meat substitutes can be tasty if well-cooked. 
• She is generally aware of the devastating environmental impacts of fast food. Primarily, she has heard how processing meat requires massive amounts of water. She has also heard that feeding the animals is a huge investment in resources and can be detrimental to the land. 
• She believes that everyone should do their part and take personal responsibility for the plant. However, she also believes that realistically, positive change is going to require political action on a much larger scale. 
• Making the conscious decision to be better to the environment is certainly something she think about often. While she is not 100% green, she makes small changes, such using as reusable bags, chemical free cleaners, and bamboo-based paper towels. She hopes to see others continue to make these changes as well. If nothing else, it makes her own conscience feel better about the way she is living. 

Interview #3: 

• She usually goes to Starbucks for a quick lunch on campus since they provide good quality food and most of the time coffee is sufficient for her. 
• She usually doesn't grab food on campus because she brings her own food or eats before. But if she does need something on campus, she will grab coffee or something small. 
• She usually prefers an almond milk latte, pretzels, or a bagel with cream cheese. 
• Her biggest considerations include whether the food is healthy, whether it will provide enough nutrients and energy to keep her full until she is finished with classes, and whether it is worth the money. 
• She doesn't really buy food on campus too often. If she really needs something, she will just get something small like coffee or pretzels. She usually just brings her own food. 
• She doesn't really order fast food, but when she does, she usually spends less than $10. She is willing to spend anything less than $10 for food on campus. 
• She always looks for healthy options first anywhere she goes, but sometimes it's hard to get the best healthy option. 
• Starbucks or vending machines have a few healthy options, but she usually prefers not to grab food on campus. 
• When or if she grabs food, healthy is always a consideration for her. 
• She agrees that there is a need for more healthy options because as college students who have commitments and need something quick, it's easy to find ourselves gravitating towards fast food. But if there were more healthy options on campus, she thinks students would utilize it a lot, herself included. 
• She is actually very into eating plant-based food because it fills her up and she feels good about what she is putting in her body, plus it helps the environment as well. 
• She really likes eating plant-based and she enjoys the taste of plant-based foods. There are so many alternatives nowadays and she loves being able to try new plant-based options. 
• She is familiar with the impacts of fast food and how it impacts our environment negatively. She believes people in our society have started to become more conscious about the environment, grocery shopping instead of going through a drive thru, working out, taking care of themselves, and being more conscious about what they eat
• She believes that her decisions make an impact on the environment. She tries to use any type of reusable bag, straw, water bottle to cut down plastic waste and reduce her ecological footprint. 
• It's important to her that she make conscious decisions to help the environment. She sees so much trash around many cities and its usually some type of fast food trash. She really enjoys seeing others use reusable bags at the store and using water bottles that are easily refilled. 

What I learned: 

I learned that the demand for quick and healthy food options on campus is actually very high. Every student I have talked to so far believes that there aren't enough healthy options on campus. Everyone I have talked to so far has said that it's important to them that they take care of their bodies, and they are actively seeking out healthier options. They prefer to fuel their bodies with healthy, nourishing foods, but because there aren't many options on campus, most health-conscious students prefer to just make their own food at home. The healthfulness of food is always one of the most important considerations when choosing where to eat on campus, along with convenience and cost. I learned from the interviews that students prefer to spend under $10 on food when they are on campus. This is important to note as I continue to pursue this business idea. I was surprised by how many people have tried plant-based options and would be excited to try more plant-based options and meat alternatives. These interviews reinforced my idea that people will still be down to try plant-based food even if they don't consider themselves vegans or vegetarians. As long as the food is delicious, quick, and inexpensive, people will be able to get behind it. I was also somewhat surprised by how many students are passionate about being environmentally conscious. Students were much more aware of the environmental effects of fast food than I was expecting. I think making this a core focus of this business idea will make it stand out to the target market. Supporting a fast food restaurant that is working to limit their ecological footprint is something these students can feel proud of. 

How I would describe this segment: 

I think there are a lot of students who are focused on eating healthier and could benefit from having more quick, healthy options on campus. This segment would be willing to try a plant-based fast food restaurant if it were conveniently located on campus, offered a range of prices no higher than $15, and served food just as speedily as Chick-fil-a or Starbucks. This segment believes in caring for the environment and would support a business that is making a positive impact on the environment rather than a negative one.