Ocean Spray’s Crunchy Cranberries, launched last fall, have been well received by German consumers. This is confirmed by a representative survey of 400 test persons. The ingredients were tasted pure, as well as in two Bösch Boden Spies product concepts. Overall, the participants rated both the taste and the consistency very positively. They were able to imagine various areas of using the product innovation and would be willing to buy the new cranberry variant.
The product test was conducted on behalf of Ocean Spray by the independent IFAK Institute for Market and Social Research at Discounters, Supermarkets and Drugstores in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, and Nuremberg. Women and men aged between 18 and 75 who don’t have a general aversion to cranberries and crispy snacks were interviewed. They tasted the Crunchy Cranberries pure, in a trail mix, and chocolate-coated. Afterwards they rated the whole experience according to various criteria.
82 percent of the test persons said the taste of the pure Crunchy Cranberries was good to excellent. The fruity and sour note and the crunchy consistency went down particularly well among millennials and test persons aged under 50. 77 percent of the respondents also felt positive about the fact that it is a new product. The new cranberry variant also got outstanding scores as an ingredient in the product concepts created by Bösch Boden Spies: 83 percent rated its taste in a trail mix as good to excellent; 82 percent did so for the chocolate-coated version. Both variants were especially praised for the combination of the different flavours.
After the tasting, the test persons indicated that they saw possible uses for Crunchy Cranberries especially in the area of snacks: A large proportion of all testers could imagine the new cranberry variant as a snack to be eaten between meals (79 percent) or on the go (57 percent). 57 percent would also use it in muesli, cornflakes, or oatmeal. More than half (53 percent) see the crunchy berry as an alternative to sweets. 49 percent of the respondents could imagine the product in combination with yoghurt, quark dishes, or pudding.
New berry scores high on taste, texture, and naturalness
On closer inspection, the intensive, natural taste was particularly noteworthy: 80 percent felt the intensity was just right; 86 percent of the testers found that the Crunchy Cranberries tasted natural. In addition, more than three-quarters of the respondents rated the sweetness (81 percent), sourness (85 percent), and bitterness (86 percent) as just right. They also liked the new cranberry variant’s texture: 82 percent of the test persons found it to be excellent to good. And finally, the berries looked very good to the test persons, too: 94 percent of respondents rated their appearance as good, their color (87 percent), and size (92 percent) as just right. All in all, this led 71 percent of respondents to indicate that they would definitely or probably buy the new product.
These results establish the product innovation as a complete success. Many other possible uses are conceivable.
