Preferences for commercial strawberry drinkable yogurts among African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic consumers in the United States

The drinkable yogurt marketplace is a competitive and growing category in the dairy industry. Understanding sensory differences is critical for understanding the product, and ultimately, consumer preference. The objective of this study was to identify and define the sensory characteristics of commercial drinkable yogurts and link these specific sensory attributes to consumer preferences among Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic consumers in the United States. Focus groups with each ethnic group (n = 10 for each group) were conducted to gain insights into perceptions of drinkable yogurts. A descriptive sensory language was identified to document the sensory properties (visual, flavor, and mouthfeel) of drinkable yogurts. Thirteen commercial drinkable yogurts (strawberry flavor) were subsequently evaluated by a trained sensory panel using the developed sensory language. Five representative yogurts were chosen for consumer testing by each ethnic group (minimum of 75 consumers per group). Both internal and external preference mapping was conducted to identify key drivers of liking. Drinkable yogurts were differentiated by descriptive analysis in visual, flavor, and mouthfeel attributes. Variability was observed in consumer acceptability across the 3 ethnic groups, but these differences were small compared with differences observed among 3 identified consumer preference clusters regardless of ethnicity. Key drivers for all 3 clusters were natural strawberry flavor/aroma and sweet taste. The influence of intensity changes in these 3 drivers along with the presence or absence of other attributes differentiated the 3 clusters. Acceptability varies widely among consumers, and drinkable yogurts with specific flavor and physical properties could be marketed to specific target market segments. The results indicate that these consumer clusters are not defined solely by ethnicity.