Consumer affinity for frozen traditional cakes in Selangor
(Kecenderungan pengguna terhadap kuih-muih tradisional sejuk beku di Selangor)
Mohd Tarmizi Haimid*, Mohd Amirul Mukmin Abdul Wahab*, Rozhan Abu Dardak*, Hairazi Rahim*, Sharina Shamsudin** and Mohd Nizam Mohd Nizat**
Keywords: frozen traditional cakes, consumer affinity, product purchase

Abstract
A study was carried out in 2014 on the demands and consumptions of frozen traditional cakes in Selangor. It involved 406 respondents, and face-to-face interviews were undertaken with them. The study looked into the affinity of consumers for frozen traditional cakes and their purchasing behaviour in the acquirement of these cakes. The results of the study indicated that there are four main factors that influenced consumer behaviour. These include quality of products, price and physical aspects, marketing strategies of local producers and nature of the products. The quality of products includes the existence of halal logo, high quality, nutritional contents, ingredients used and product safety, cleanliness and expiry dates. The second factor comprised the lowest cost and discounted price offered for the products, a free offer if any, and their size as well as packaging. The third factor included products that were local, branded, manufactured by a bumiputera company and the shape or form they were sold. Imported products, commercial branding and products of non-bumiputera companies made up the fourth factor of the consumer preference. It was worthy of note that appropriateness of product prices had a unanimous agreement amongst respondents and it was taken to be universal among them.

Abstrak
Satu kajian telah dijalankan pada 2014 untuk melihat permintaan dan penggunaan kuih tradisional sejuk beku di Selangor. Kajian ini melibatkan 406 responden dengan menggunakan kaedah temu bual muka-ke-muka pada setiap responden. Artikel ini melihat kecenderungan pengguna terhadap kuih tradisional sejuk beku dan tabiat pembelian. Keputusan kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa terdapat empat faktor utama yang mempengaruhi tingkah laku pengguna. Ini termasuk kualiti produk, harga dan aspek fizikal, strategi pemasaran pengeluar tempatan dan sifat produk itu sendiri. Kualiti produk termasuk kewujudan logo halal, berkualiti tinggi, kandungan nutrien dan bahan-bahan yang digunakan, keselamatan produk, kebersihan dan tarikh luput. Faktor kedua terdiri daripada kos terendah dan harga diskaun yang ditawarkan untuk produk, tawaran percuma jika ada dan saiz serta pembungkusan. Faktor ketiga termasuklah produk tempatan, berjenama dan produk yang dikeluarkan oleh syarikat bumiputera. Produk import, penjenamaan komersial dan produk syarikat bukan bumiputera adalah komponen terakhir keutamaan pengguna. Dapat diperhatikan bahawa kesesuaian harga produk mempunyai hubungan terus dalam kalangan responden dan ia diambil sebagai kesamaan/kesetujuan dalam kalangan mereka.