First Part

DESIGN OF THE STUDY FOR MBA MAJOR PROJECT WORK

CUSTOMER PREFERENCE TOWARDS

“THANIMA” COCONUT OILA STUDY WITH SPECIAL REFERNCE TO MAJOR

SUPERMARKETS IN THRISSUR CITY

SUBMITTED BY

ASWATHY VELAYUDHAN

(2008-31-117)

MBA 4th SEMESTER

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

DR. A.T. FRANCIS

ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN

COLLEGE OF HORTICULTURE, KAU

COLLEGE OF CO-OPERATION, BANKING AND MANAGEMENT

KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

VELLANIKKARA, THRISSUR

CHAPTER 1

DESIGN OF THE STUDY

Introduction

Marketing is the process used by an organization to develop an overall product

market strategy. Modern marketing concept lies in the fact that the business should be

directed towards the satisfaction of the consumers. Now the consumer has become the

key factor that determines the success or failure of any organization. A satisfied

customer is the biggest asset of the organization. The success or failure of the product

in the market often depends on the ability of the markets to correctly perceive and

predict the dynamic nature of the consumers. So modern marketing requires a

thorough understanding of consumer behavior and buying motivations.

Consumer behavior reflects the totality of consumer decision with respect to

acquisition, consumption, and disposition of goods, services, time and ideas by

decision -making units. It also include whether, why, when, were, how, how much

and how often and how long consumer will use or dispose of an offering. To

understand the consumers are not early jobs as his behavior is mostly unique and

unpredictable. This has made the terms to step in to the shoes of the consumers and

understand from the point of view selection and purchase of products and services.

Marketers need to identify the end-users of the product, services and frame marketing

plans than considering the wholesalers and retailers who actually are the

intermediaries in the process of purchase. Marketers therefore should consider the

consumers and then develop their plans of action. Here lies the essence of marketing.

Consumer is the king and all actions should start with this notion in mind.

Sterling Coconut Oils & Cakes (P) Ltd. Thrissur, popularly known as

‘Thanima’ is a private enterprise. Thanima was established with an objective to

produce, supply and export fresh and pure coconut oil. The company strictly follows

the quality standards prescribed by AGMARK and ISO 9001:2000 Certification to

take on the challenges of globalization and international quality standards. Thanima

focused on a stable and reasonable return to their produce by integrating the activities

of production, processing and marketing. They converted coconut, into value added

products like copra and coconut oil and marketed it. There is better satisfaction

emphasis is that better the marketing, better the return to the company to consumers.

Coconut oil is extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconut harvested

from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). It has various applications in food, medicine,

and industry. What make coconut oil different from most of other dietary oils are the

basic building blocks or fatty acids making up the oil. Being one of the healthiest oils

on earth, it is used to treat a wide variety of health problems. Coconut oil improves

immune system and energy level, stabilize blood sugar, improve thyroid function and

it tastes great, too.

Statement of the problem

In today’s competitive environment companies are realizing that marketing is

not only the voice of the company but also tool with which information feedback can

be collected from the consumers for the marketers. It is important to recognize why

and how individuals make their consumption decisions, Thanima is facing stiff

competition from other major brands such as KPL Shudhi oil, Kera etc. Hence in

order to adopt new marketing techniques for increasing sale it is desirable to study the

preference of customers towards coconut oil.

The changing food habits and consumer preference of Keralities have opened

a new opportunity for the marketing of coconut oil in the Kerala state. People may not

think much about branded coconut oil vs. unbranded one as they are not aware of it or

they feel that it’s of high price. But once they experience the quality of the branded

product, they will be converted. There are many advantages the branded coconut oil

have over unbranded one – good quality, better packing, healthier, avoiding refined

carbohydrates, increased keeping quality and consuming whole foods etc.

The household consumers of Kerala are not only health conscious but also

price sensitive. The propensity among the consumers to shift from the consumption of

coconut oil to other edible oils is high when coconut oil price rise above the price of

other edible oils. Being a product of Kerala itself, Sterling Coconut Oil Cakes & Mills

(P) Ltd., have the responsibility to take adequate measures to sustain and promote the

household consumption of coconut oil. The study explored the product related

attributes (fragrance, flavor, durability etc) and market related attributes (price, size,

package, availability, etc) of coconut oil in order to provide adequate insight for

taking future decisions by Thanima.

However the marketing of coconut oil in the state still remains less studied.

Some case studies are mentioned here.

“Price behavior of major edible oils consumed in the households of Kerala

and promotional strategies of Coconut Development Board”. The study found that

there are fluctuations in the prices of coconut oil, palm oil, and sunflower oil. Due to

various external factors like changes in the world production and demand of these

oils, changes in the climatic conditions in the producing countries and internal

factors namely import duty charged by the government, production of oil seeds etc.

“Consumer’s preference towards branded coconut oil”. The study has

identified that the consumers give more importance to the quality of coconut oil,

which is the main reason why they prefer branded one. Brand awareness among the

consumer were also found fairly high, but limited to the geographical availability

level.

Objectives To study the customer preference towards Thanima coconut oil

To examine the factors influencing customer preference

Methodology

Sample design

The supermarkets in Thrissur City area can be grouped as:

(i). Small and medium Super Markets having floor area of less than 2000

square feet; and

(ii) Large Super Markets having floor area of more than 3000 square feet.

There are total 60 super markets in Thrissur District (Source

http://www.thrissurkerala.com/). Out of this, 10 supermarkets are coming in the group

of large/major supermarkets. This study was carried out in all these 10 major

supermarkets in the Thrissur City area.

Data collection   

Both primary and secondary data were collected for the study. 

Primary data

Primary data for the study was collected through interview with the help of

prestructued schedule. Data on family details, income, education status, coconut oil

consumption, purchase pattern of oil, etc. were collected.

Observations made

Socioeconomic profile of respondents

Expenditure pattern

Brand awareness

Impact of Thanima’s promotional efforts on consumer’s demand.

Quality, Price of coconut oil

Brand loyalty and switching

Product attributes.

Currently used brand

Reference groups like, friends, peers, relatives, etc.

Segmentation of consumers into each income group

Purpose wise use of the coconut oil

Study period

The study is based on primary data collected from sample respondents using a

prestructured schedule. The study was carried out during the period of October to

December 2010.

Study area and sampling procedure

For the purpose of study, all major supermarkets (10 numbers) were identified from

Thrissur City area. The service time of the supermarkets was divided into four time

zones as follows:

i. 9.00am to 12 noon

ii. 12 noon to 3.00pm

iii. 3.00pm to 6.00pm

iv. 6.00pm to 9.00pm

Five customers from each time zone, that is, total 20 customers, were identified from

each super market and collected data. The sample size comprised of 20 respondents

each from the 10 supermarkets constituting a total of 200 respondents.

Secondary data

The secondary data was collected from the published sources such as reports,

journals, periodicals, Internet and other Medias.

Analysis of data             

The collected data were tabulated and analysed with the help of statistical tools such

as averages, scores, percentages, etc. To analyse the costumer preference towards

Thanima coconut oil and the factors influencing customer’s preference, questions

were graded on a five point scale. Response choices were given weightage in the

following manner.

Response score

Response Choice Scoring Weight

Strongly Agree 5

Agree 4

No opinion 3

Disagree 2

Strongly Disagree 1

The formula used for calculating the index (Kerlinger, 1970) is given below:

Total score of the statement

Index = x 100

Max. Score of the statement

Each respondent was asked to indicate the description that most suited feeling towards

the statements. The individual’s total attitude score is represented by the algebraic

summation of scores assigned to each statement. The objective was to make a

comparative evaluation of responses of different statements and to find out for which

all attributes the respondents have favorable opinion and for which all attributes the

respondents had unfavorable opinion.

Scope of the study

The findings of the study will help M/s Sterling Coconut Oils, Cakes and Mills (P)

Ltd. as well as its dealers to develop and expand their operational problems and to

take appropriate steps to improve their marketing activities by considering customer

tastes and preferences. This study will also help the organization to improve their

profit position. It is relevant to examine the consumption pattern of coconut oil in a

distinctive market to evaluate the present market activities of Thanima and the

essential measures to be taken to penetrate these markets. Hence the subject of study

brings out a key to forward planning for the next operating period.

The marketers can use the result of the study for improving the brand

awareness as well as brand image among customers. Based on that, they can adopt

better marketing strategies for making themselves competitive. The study of customer

preference is important for its marketing developments. The findings of the study can

be used to improve the oil sales of the company by adopting appropriate marketing

measures either by penetrating the existing market of its branded sales or by

exploiting new markets. In addition, helps to identify the market potential of coconut

oil over the other brands.

The customer preference towards branded oils, buying motives, their loyalty

towards a particular brand and switching from one brand to another would be taken

into account. The analysis based on the needs and wants will help to add value to

existing products and also to measure customer satisfaction. Thus marketers can

utilize the results of the study by positioning the attributes according to the

consumers’ as well as customers’ preference.

Limitations of the study

The following limitations have happened in the study:

The time constraint stands as a barrier to cover a much larger sample,

hence the result of the study cannot be generalized

Unavailability of accurate information from the customers

The study included only major supermarkets in Thrissur city and so

customers of minor and medium supermarkets could not be included in the

study.

The findings of the study are only indicative and hence cannot be

generalized for the district or state as a whole.

CHAPTER 2

Review of Literature

1) Amit P. Pratab argued that coconut oil is primarily used for edible purpose and

also for hair oil. It is an important source of intermediates like fatty acids.

Glycerol and fatty acids, which are used for the manufacture of wide range of

chemicals such as surfactants, emulsifiers, foam booster etc. These intermediates

are used in the formulation of several finished products like soaps, detergents, and

shampoos. Glycerol is used in lot of cosmetics formulations. Palm kernel oil is

also has a similar fatty acid profile. It could be used for the manufacture of all the

coco based chemicals. However, the coco based products are preferred due to their

characteristic odour and mind set of people (Pratab, 2009).

2) Bhattacharya in their study on “Putting the customer trust” observed that given the

rising demand of customer as well as increasing competition, the need of the hour

is to gear itself positively to the needs of its customers. This would mean

vendering the service in an efficient and effective manner. (Bhattacharya, 1991).

3) According to Balachandran, S in his study on “Customer driven services and

management”, for the same level of service rendered, some customers may be

very satisfied depending upon perception of experience and expectations.

Expectations are based on what one has heared from others, seen in

advertisements, its external appearance or what one has been made to believe by

the sales man. (Balachandran, 1999)

4) Bal Subramanian and Sathyanarayanan explained in their study that the success of

any business lies in maintaining a strong base of loyal costumer. The organization

exists for the customers and the customers are the deciding forces behind the

success or failure of a business organization. (Bal Subramanian and

Sathyanarayanan, 2008)

5) Carlo Lovatelli, in his study on “Good potential for using vegetable oils as bio

fuels” stated that the potential for using vegetable oils such as Palm oil, and soya

oil as biofuels is increasing considerably as the petroleum crude price will

continue to rule high. “Petroleum price increase tendency is a strong indication

that biodiesel should become more competitive over the next few years” said

Lovatelli in his presentation on “Vision 2020 - Soya”. Various countries such as

Malaysia, USA and Brazil are investing heavily in research to gradually make this

bio fuel as an alternative to crude oils. (Lovatelli, 2005).

6) Davish Janin argued that, in a short span of 30 years, India has emerged as the

world’s fourth largest oil seeds economy next only to USA, Brazil and China. The

note is that the Indian oil seeds ad edible oil sector performed well last year. The

seed processors of soya been, sunflower, cotton seed etc have had reasonably

good margins .The oil processor also had good processing margins as price went

up (Janin, 2000).

7) Devendra Arora and Loveleon Gavr stated that customer relationship management

is a business strategy to acquire and retain the most valuable customer

relationship. It is estimated that the cost of acquiring a new customer is four times

the cost of retaining the existing one. The core concept behind marketing is the

role of exchange. Exchange can take place between buyer and seller and also not

limited to money. (Devendra Arora and Loveleon Gavr 2006)

8) Dipak Kr Ghosh and Arpitha Ghosh suggested that coconut oil is more beneficial

to human body as a dietary fat than the natural or hydrogenated form of

unsaturated vegetable oil. The incidence of coronary heart disease could be better

linked with the consumption of cholesterol rich food of animal origin and the

sedentary habits associated with a tension ridden mechanical society. (Dipak Kr

Ghosh,and Arpitha Ghosh, 2008)

9) Elumalai pointed out that Brand strategy is an intimate aspect of product

planning. A marketer has to decide which products to be branded, how to brand

them and how to manage the Brands. In developing a brand the manufacturer has

to establish the Brands quality levels and other attributes that will support the

brands together position in the market place. (Elumalai, 2003)

10) Windisch opined that the last two decades have seen a substantial increase in the

use of aromatic herbs and essential oils as feed additives in animal nutrition. One

of the main reasons for this trend is to substitute antibiotic growth promoters,

which have been completely banned as feed additives in the European Union since

2006 because they are suspected of contributing substantially to increasing

resistance among human pathogens. Recent investigations have shown significant

antimicrobial effects of several essential oils and essential oil compounds against

enter pathogenic organisms in farm animals. Porcine proliferative enteropathy

caused by specific Escherichia coli strains could be controlled by in-feed

application of carvacrol-rich essential oils, and the effect of some essential oil

components against Clostridium perfringens and necrotic enteritis was confirmed

in poultry. In ruminants, an improvement of the digestion was observed, resulting

in reduced methanogenesis and nitrogen excretion. In addition, the anti oxidative

activity of aromatic plants and essential oil compounds contributes to the stability

and palatability of animal feed and has, moreover, resulted in an improved shelf-

life and quality of animal products, due to reduced oxidation. The 'growth-

promoting effect' of essential oils (feed conversion rate, daily weight gain, etc.) is

not as evident, since a large number of publications are (commercial) product-

driven, lacking data on the starting material. (Windisch, 2010).

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11) According to Singh and Singhal a well designed packing, act as a main

identifying feature for quality and quantity and makes the consumers more

informative and choosy. It further informs the consumers as to what quality,

quantity and price, the package is worth off. (Singh and Singhal,1980)

12) Sing Prabhakar stated that one of the basis of consumer perception, a customer

would take the purchase decision and a particular brand was getting priority

over other brands. They also observed that the marketers realized the

importance of consumer perception and attempted to create a unique image for

their products, which enable to achieve an advantage over their competitors’

products. (Sing Prabhakar ,1989)

13) Thampan has observed that the demand for coconut oil in both the edible and

non edible and user has suffered erosion as a result of technical and economic

substitutuions, which have been taken place over a period of time. He has also

suggested measure to b be taken to regulate and maintain stability in the supplies

of coconut oil and to control its prices within a range, which will be beneficial to

both the producers and consumers. This objective could be achieved by operating

a supply management scheme for coconut oil in Kerala state which would, in the

long run, strengthen the existing market demands and develop new markets for

coconut oil to take care of the possible future increase in production.

(Thampan ,1995)

14) Manoj Kumar Ambashta stated that customer orientation comprises two mutely

related factors such as customer satisfaction and the efforts to fulfill those needs

up to the levels of their satisfaction. To put it in the modern

technologies,custumor satisfaction in the present era may be complicated mix of

hardware (Technology ,Product,Price,Quandity)and software

(Attitude ,responsiveness,deleverness,andcommemorations).

(ManojkumarAmbastha,1997)

15) Sanjiv Phansalkar argued that the misconception is that high edible oil prices was

the only technique of demand management. Eliminating imports and creating

demand for conventional minor oils, allowing blending and mass and large-scale

availability of pure oil, conveniently packed were all part of the policy. The earlier

reliance on canalization and the directed use of imported oils had let to massive

vested interests particularly in the vanaspathi industry and the public distribution

system. (Sanjiv Phansalkar,1998)

16) Subramanian identified that for the development of coconut industry

strengthening of marketing promotion and market intelligence is necessary. He

opined that market promotion programme intends to create market and capture

market information. Market intelligence services gather information of the market

arrivals, wholesale prices for analysing the market trends for various coconut

products inside and out side the country. (Subramanian ,1998)

17) Maheswarappa.Hp opined in his study that a field experiment was conducted

to study the response of agronomic practices on galangal grown as intercrop in

coconut garden during 1995-1998.Growth,yield characters and yield were

superior when mother rhizome was used as planting material, where as quality

characters like oil and oleoresin contents did not differ. Significantly among

mother rhizome treatment. Plant population level of 500000 per hectare

(20*10cm) recorded significantly superior rhizome yield as compared to

333000 population levels. The percent reduction in the yield due to lower

density population was 6-7 percent. Growth, yield characters and yield were

superior with farm yard manure TNPK combination followed by farm yard

manures vermicomposts applied alone. Oil and oleoresin contents were

significantly higher with farmyard manure TNPK, framyardmanure and

vermicompost applied alone compared to composted coir pith application and

control. (Maheswarappa,2000)

18) Markose and Thomas categorically stated that in spite of the interference of the

Government machineries for the procurement of copra under the price support

scheme. The market price off copra and coconut oil ruled below the minimum

support price (MSP).Therefore announcement of MSP and procurement of

coconut industry in the country. (Markose and Thomas ,2000)

19) D.PS Varma and Heama Israneny conducted a study to find the consumer

attitude towards advertisement messages. Most of the consumers (52%) used

the information from advertisements to make their purchase decisions. As

much as 70 % of the consumers’ believed that some advertisements actually

mislead them by presenting false and exaggerated feature of the product. The

vast majority of 80 percent of consumers agreed that the cost of

advertisements increased the total cost of products. Only a slim majority of

consumers (58%) have a favorable attitude towards advertisemenrts.38 % of

consumers reported unfavorable attitude towards advertisements. (D.PS

Varma, and Heama Israneny, 2000)

20) Wilson stated that information behavior is a broad term encompassing the

ways individuals articulate their information,needs,seeek,evaluate,select and

use information.Inotherwords information seeking behavior is purposive in

nature is a consequence of a need in to satisfy some goal. In the course of

seeking the individuals may interact with people, manual information system

with computer oriented information system. (Wilson,2000)

21) Vimal sukumar remarked that in the new economy, producing more, however

efficiently, is not necessarily better. The realistic is to capture the customer under

certain circumstances for a period of time. The goal should be to build limited

loyalty to have as much of the customers’ attention of realistically possible.(Vimal

sukumar,2000)

22) Srivastava said that in view of competition from other edible oils, the future of

coconut as source of oil is not promising. To increase the utilization of

coconuts, dependence on coconut oil has to laid on product diversification and

by product utilization of coconuts and market promotion. He pointed out that

the price of coconut and coconut products could not be improved in spite of

huge investment by Govt of India for procurement of copra by NAFED under

minimum support prize scheme. (Srivastava ,2000)

23) Gaur S.S and Vahed K.A observed that consumers buying behavior normally

should include the less observable decision process that accompany

consumption including where, how often, and under what condition consumer

make their purchase of desired goods and services.(Gaur S.S and Vahed K.A,

2002)

24) Lt.col.T Koteswara Rao (Retd),argued that the benefits of oil therapy, physically

the process of oil therapy cleans the teeth, mouth and makes the oral cavity

hygienic and free from bacteria and foreign particles. During the oil therapy the

metabolism is increase and keeps the body in a persistent state of health. How

long it takes to cure a disease depend upon the age, state of health, disease, habits,

food etc of each person. Oil therapy heals

headaches,bronchitis,toothpain,thrombosis,eczema,ulcers and diseases of stomach

,intestines,heart,blood,kidney,liver,lungs,and women’s diseases .It prevents the

growth of Malignant tumors heals them. Chronic sleepiness is cured. (Lt.col.T

Koteswara Rao (Retd) ,2002)

25) Thomas Mathew M argued that the small and medium farmers who form the

backbone of the coconut economy of the country have often been pushed towards

a situation of an economic deterioration during the recent past. Among the major

vegetable oils, the growth in the production was significantly pronounced in the

case of Palm kernel oil, Palm oil, rap seed oil, and soya been oil, Palm kernel oil

and Palm oil had the highest rate of growth in production. The coconut oil in the

world has become minor oil with other source of oils and fats. The coconut

industry in the world is always susceptible to the pressure from low oil seed price

and increased availability of cheap oils like Palm oil, soya bean oil. Due to the

opening of the Indian vegetable oil markets to the world players, the domestic

coconut industry was dawned in a market glooms. The boarders initiates in

moving the coconut sector independent of oil driven market has resulted dynamic

push in the market. (Thomas Mathew M ,2004)

26) Ramaswamy K Kalaivannan G and Sukumar, S revealed that easy perception,

good taste, savings in time, buying economy nutritional value as the motivational

facts .They also pointed out that the product feature such as quality of the product,

price, packaging and shelf life are considered as the most important determinants

that shape the post purchase behavior. (Kalaivannan G and Sukumar S, 2005)

27) Dr T Raj Mohan, presented a paper on” Coconut and health” in his address he

stated that there is no cholesterol in coconut oil. It is generally believed that

saturated fatty acids increase blood cholesterol. Coconut oil is made up of 90

percent saturated fats, but the saturated fatty acids present in coconut oil are

mostly short and medium chain fatty acids. These fatty acids are easily digested,

absorbed and utilized by the organs and not deposited in the body. The

characteristic feature of Kerala diet is the use of fresh coconut kernel in most

culinary preperatios,apart from the use of free coconut oil .Coconut kernel

contains several biologically active components which can modify the effect of

coconut oil in blood cholesterol (Dr T Raj Mohan ,2005)

28) Jeintha argued that to overcome the problems of coconut some suggestions were

recommended.Groweres organization and self help groups at the village level for

undertaking the processing of coconut into copra manufacturing unit in this area.

Diversification can be done even at the farm level which helps the farmers to earn

additional income. The diversified use of coconut oil may be promoted in

cosmetics, and toiletries, pharmaceuticals, medicinal products and chemical

sector.Decleration of support price by the Govt of India well in advance

(December-July) for the main harvest season (February-May) will get help to get a

reasonable price to the coconut growers during the peack forest. Farming co-

operative sectors will help the farmers in getting reasonable price for the products.

Most of the growers are unaware of the current market price. In this circumstance,

communication medias can provide market information of various coconut

products. High yielding hybrid varieties should be planted in the coconut garden.

(Jeintha ,2005)

29) Mathew and Thomas Mathew observed from the analysis of the recent fall in

copra and coconut oil prices in India that the need for the domestic coconut

industry to effectively compete with other vegetable oils and fats in the

international markets has become greater than ever before due to globalization

effects of India’s domestic market. The recent fall in the price of copra and

coconut oil is a combination of various factors such demand supply imbalance,

availability of cheaper vegetable oils, import of coconut oil and cake during the

crucial month adulteration etc. (Mathew and Thomas Mathew,2007)

30) Thomas Mathew stated that coconut is an important cash crop in the Indian

economy which provides food and livelihood security to more than 10 million

people in the country. The advantage of coconut growing under varied agro

climatic zones in the country has made possible an uninterrupted supply of nuts in

tune with the domestic requirements. Serious incidences of pests and diseases,

adverse climatic conditions etc, retard the growth of industry. Consequent to

Indian became a signatory to the world trade organization (WTO) the domestic

coconut market has been opened to international market players and hence the

prices of coconut and coconut products are recommended by the market forces

which are influenced by the availability of cheap substitutes. The growing

diminution in the size of operational holdings, lack of scale unproductive palms

and indiscriminative planting of tree species in the coconut gardens casting, shade

and occupying more space in ground and compete for water, light and nutrient are

the hindrances in achieving profitablity.Many of the coconut gardens in the

traditional states are characterized by diminishing rate of returns despite the fact

that the gardens received average care and management. (Thomas Mathew,2007)

31) Morpheus Chen argued that “The coconut mosaic used to produce the tiles helps

to attain the feeling of simple and pure tropical life within modern building

interiors. With a textured surface that alternates brown and white co lour and

sophisticated surface finish of every single chip, these mosaic tiles create an

ambiance of pure nature within a closed room. China based Zaijian mosaic,

among the largest mosaic suppliers in the world and not a popular brand in the

gulf, has launched an innovative product known as ‘Tropical Life’ which is

coconut mosaic. (Morpheus Chen, 2008)

32) Ram Sant,et al has examined the change in the nature of food demand in India the

last 20 yrs.Their study has identified two distinct stages of diet transition

associated with the period of economic growth. The impact of globalization has

implications for food supply systems. Liberalization has meant that large food

chains have a strong incentive to enter the very large Indian market but given their

relative bargaining’s power this could have adverse effects on Indian suppliers

(Ram Sant,et al, 2008)

33) G.Nagaraja said that coconut water should be taken daily and preferably on an

empty stomach. It helps to clear the toxins from the body. It is an ideal drink and

gives a feeling of fullness especially for a person on a weight loss diet. Drinking

coconut water has no side effects. It can be consumed 2-3 times a day. It is an

ideal beverage for the summer season. It is better than any canned juice, aerated

drinks and flavored sodas. A clash of salt and sugar added to tender coconut water

helps to relax an upset stomach. It prevents cramping caused due to stomach

infection. The best way to serve coconut water is to add rose petals in it and serve

it in its kernel itself with a straw. (G.Nagaraja, 2010)

34) Rengannathan in his study entitled “Consumer Market and Buying Behavior”

stated that ever since the marketing concept was developed, buying behavior of

consumers has been pivotal point of marketing theory and parctises.The emphasis

on buying behavior of consumers gained renewed strength following the adoption

of modern marketing practices in 21 st century. (Rengannathan ,2009)

35) Rethinam argued with special reference to value added products from coconut is

with the impression that coconut oil is good coco butter substitute having specially

fats based on Lauric oils and fats and hence coconut oil and its parts have a

greater role to play in the fast developing functional foods, particularly baby

foods, nutrecuticals, phrmmaceuticals,etc.He ha got evidence that virgin coconut

oil from coconut meat and coconut milk is getting more popularity as healthy and

nutritive edible oil. He is of the opinion that natural virgin coconut oil can be sold

in niche market to get premium price and large number of small scale units of

virgin coconut oil have been set up in many countries. (Rethinam,2009)

36) Rajiv Faldu in his study entitled” Measuring Brand Recall In Print Media

Advertisement” A study of selected brands of personal care industry observed that

advertising plays vital role in boosting the sales through brand

recoganition.Advetisement needs to be evaluated for its effeciveness.He also

stated that increasing number of firms go for combination of print advertising as

well as television advertising. While designing advertisement certain variables

like age, sex, occupation and education needs to be taken into consideration.

(Rajiv Faldu ,2009)

37) Shanmugha priya.P O stated that in most industries providing quality services is

no longer a sample option. The quick pull of developing technologies and

increasing competition makes it difficult to gain strategic competititive advantage

through physical products alone. Plus, customers are more demanding. They not

only expect excellent, high quality goods, they also expect high levels f services

along with them. Therefore many firms jumped on the services. Bandwagon,

investing in service initiative and promoting service quality as ways to

differentiate themselves and create competitive advantage. (Shanmugha

priya.PO ,2010)

CHAPTER 3

Coconut-A   History

The English name coconut, first mentioned in English print in 1555, comes from

the Spanish and Portuguese word coco, which means "monkey face." Spanish and

Portuguese explorers found a resemblance to a monkey's face in the three round

indented markings or "eyes" found at the base of the coconut. On the Nicobar Islands

of the Indian Ocean, whole coconuts were used as currency for the purchase of goods

until the early part of the twentieth century.

Coconuts are the fruit of the coconut palm, botanically known as ‘cocos

nucifera’, with nucifera meaning "nut-bearing." The fruit-bearing palms are native to

Malaysia, Polynesia and southern Asia, and are now also prolific in South America,

India, the Pacific Islands, Hawaii and Florida. The light, fibrous husk allowed it to

easily drift on the oceans to other areas to propagate. In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is

known as kalpa vriksha, meaning "tree which gives all that is necessary for living,"

because nearly all parts of the tree can be used in some manner or another.

The coconut palm can be found as far as Norway in the north, where the

people have for centuries ensured that the seed germinates under the right, 'created'

conditions. It is believed that the fruit and palm made their way into Hawaii on

account of the deliberate efforts made by Polynesian voyagers. The name 'coconut', it

is believed, was awarded to the palm and fruit by Spanish and Portuguese explorers.

The name was derived from the Iberian 'El Coco', which referred to a mythical hairy

monster. The kernel and hair around the fruit probably generated the connection. The

suffix 'nut' was added to refer to the seed-bearing palm, as most other tree seeds are

referred to in the English language. The name stuck, and today the whole world

benefits from the presence of the palmand fruit.

The coconut fruit has many food uses for its water, milk, meat, sugar, and oil.

It also functions as its own dish and cup. The husk was burned for fuel by natives, but

today a seed fibre called coir is taken from the husk and used to make brushes, mats,

fishnets, and rope. A very potent fermented toddy or drink is also made from the

coconut palm's sap.

Coconut oil, a saturated fat made from dried coconut meat, is used for

commercial frying and in candies and margarines, as well as in non-edible products

such as soaps and cosmetics. Although it takes up to a year for coconuts to mature, the

trees bloom up to thirteen times a year. Fruit is constantly forming, thus yielding a

continuous harvest year-round. An average harvest from one tree runs about 60

coconuts, with some trees yielding three times that amount. The coconut's name is a

bit of a misnomer, since it is botanically classified as a drupe and not a nut. It is the

largest seed known.

Ideal Climatic Conditions:

The coconut palm basically thrives in the world's tropical regions. The coconut palm

requires warm climatic conditions for successful growth. The natural conditions that

best suit the growth of the coconut palm are:

Sandy soil, with a high salinity tolerance.

Abundant sunlight, with a mean annual temperature of 27°C.

Regular rainfall of approximately 150 - 200 cm, annually.

High humidity.

Absence of an overhead 'canopy' growth.

Multiple Uses Of Coconut Palm

Leaves

Coconut leaves are plaited and used for thatching houses, for covering retting

pits, making partition.

Walls in separating different lots of husks retted in linear trenches, for making

baskets, etc.

Plaited leaves are also made into several types of head-gear and are worn by

poor men and women while out in the field.

Unplaited coconut leaves are also used for shading seedlings, mulching

nursery beds and for fencing, etc.

The dry leaflets are tied into small bundles and used in villages as country

torch in the night.

Midribs of leaves

The midribs of leaves are utilised for making brooms, baskets, fish traps, etc.

Petioles, bunch stalks, spathes, stipules, etc. These are mostly used as fuel.

Trunk

The trunks of old coconut trees are utilised as timber for house-construction.

The quality of the timber is improved if it is soaked in saline water for some

time.

Edible parts

The apple or cotyledon developing during germination and the tender bud are

delicacies.

The tender husks of some varieties are edible and are sometimes pickled.

Coconuts and coconut products in medicine

Several coconut products and parts of the palm are used for medicinal

purposes.

1. Life of tree - 80 - 100 Years

2. Age at first flowering - 7-10 Years

3. Number of leaves in the crown - 30

4. Fresh number of leaves that open per month - one

5. Period for which the leaf remains on the tree - 30 months

6. Number of bunches on crown - 12

7. Number of bunches that open every month - one

8. Number of nuts harvested per year - 60

9. Interval between opening of female flower and harvest of the nuts - 12 months

10. Time taken for seed nut to germinate - 3-4 months

11. Quantity of kernel per nut - 12 oz.

12. Weight of copra per nut - 5 oz.

13. Oil in copra (Solvent). 72%

14. Weight of cake from 100 nuts 12 lb

15. Quantity of sap from tree per day - 50 oz.

16. Sugar in sweet toddy - 14-16%

17. .Weight of fibre from one nut - 21/2 oz.

Processing

After harvesting the nuts and removing the coconut water, workers shell the nuts by

hand. The inner skin, a thin brown layer, is cut away leaving pure white balls of

coconut meat. The coconut ball is cut open, then washed and pasteurized. Next it

enters a shredding machine that has adjustments for creating different size shreds for

different customer needs. A confectioner may prefer a finer or shorter shred than a

baker. Hot-air ovens or kilns dry the shredded coconut meat that is then packaged into

large sacks. When the coconut is finally packaged for retail sale, some moisture is

added along with sugar and propylene glycol, a mold retardant.

Growing

The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is considered a "three generation tree," supporting

a farmer, his children, and his grandchildren. Some trees, which can grow to a height

of 60 to 100 feet, even survive all three generations. Cocos nucifera, nucifera

meaning nut-bearing, has only one species that includes both the tall and the dwarf

coconut tree, but many varieties exist within the species.

Though the coconut is commonly considered a nut, botanically it is classified as a

drupe and is the largest of all fruit seeds. The coconut consists of the thin, strong outer

layer or skin called the epicarp, the thick fibrous layer called mesocarp, and the dark

brown hard shell called the endocarp that encases the coconut flesh. Just beneath the

endocarp is the testa, the thin deep brown layer that clings to the white coconut meat.

The coconut palm is a striking tree with a tall slender trunk that keeps its same

diameter from the base to the top. Beautiful, lacy fronds, about 25 to 35 of them, form

an umbrella-like structure at the tree's zenith. The tree grows taller by forming new

fronds that sprout from the top of the tree as the lower fronds die off. Coconuts grow

from the center of the fronds, close to the trunk. Unique to the coconut palm, each tree

blooms thirteen times a year and produces all stages of growth at the same time, from

tiny new green nuts to fully ripened brown nuts that are ready to fall from the tree.

Coconuts are cannot survive cold climates, and do poorly in temperate zones.

Coconuts require the hot, humid weather of the tropical regions that stretch 25 degrees

north to 25 degrees south of the equator all around the globe. There the sun shines

steadily with plenty of rainfall to nurture the slow-growing coconut palm. To begin

the growing process, purchase a coconut with its husk completely intact. Just like

sprouting any seeds and legumes, the coconut must be soaked in water, only longer,

two or three days.

Next, prepare a pot that is large enough and deep enough for the coconut by putting

big pieces of gravel or stones in the bottom to allow for good drainage. Add about two

inches of sandy soil, then set the coconut on the soil with the pointed or bud end up.

Add more soil until it covers about half the coconut. Then set the pot in a warm place

such as a sunny window, near a warm oven, or on a radiator.

The next step requires patience and diligence. Pour warm water over the coconut husk

every day, making sure it does not dry out. The sprouting process is very slow,

sometimes taking six months or longer. Until the sprout appears, the coconut is

receiving its nourishment from the white meat inside. The coconut water within

provides the nut with all of its moisture requirements.

For a sprout to appear it must first pierce through one of the soft spots, often called

eyes, of the coconut's hard inner shell and finally emerge from the large fibrous outer

shell. When white roots begin to grow out, in about a year, the coconut can be planted

in a large tub. Coconuts planted at home are unlikely to thrive or produce a coconut.

Today the nuts are a highly cultivated crop, where once they were a source of survival

for natives of the tropics, providing the family's support with only a few trees.

Since commercially planted coconut palms are grown for maximum yield, some

farmers use commercial fertilizer while others use a different method. With

intercropping, an effective method of fertilization and land use, the farmer plants

banana trees or other large crops among the coconut trees. After producing its crop,

the banana trees are left to disintegrate, producing ideal compost to fertilize the soil.

Coconuts come in many varieties. Some are grown for their higher oil content, while

others are favored for their higher sugar content. Many growers prefer the dwarf

varieties. Though they lack the dramatic appearance of the tall trees, they are far

easier to harvest. The dwarfs, who have a shorter lifespan, about 40 to 60 years, are

also less vulnerable to a yellowing disease that kills many of the tall trees.

In agriculture, nothing is without its challenges. With all its advantages, the dwarf

coconut palm also faces destruction from rodents. The creatures climb up the tree

trunks and form communities under the protection of the feathery fronds, often

putting a considerable dent in a farmer's crop. The farmers have tried to outwit the

rats by putting metal bands around the tree trunks, but these have no effect on the rats

that are already colonized in the trees.

Nutritional Benefits

Young coconuts are considered highly nutritious. One whole coconut has only 140

calories and provides 17% of the RDA for calcium. The total fat content is 3 grams,

all saturated. With a zero content of cholesterol, the young coconut has 50 mg

sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrate, 2 grams of fiber,15 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of

protein.

Mature Coconut:

The raw grated meat of a mature coconut has 283 calories and 2.7 grams of protein

for 1 cup. For the carb counters, that 1 cup contains 12.2 grams of carbohydrates. The

sodium content is low at 16 mg. Coconut is a high fiber food that delivers 7.2 grams

for 1 cup of freshly grated meat. The sticky point of coconut consumption is the fat.

That 1 cup of grated coconut packs 26.8 grams of total fat with 23.8 grams saturated

which means that it is 80% fat. Our 1 cup of grated fresh coconut contains a good

range of B vitamins except B12, with 21.1 mcg of folic acid and 2.6 mg of vitamin C.

Coconut is a good source of minerals with 11.2 mg of calcium, 1.9 mg. of iron, 15.6

mg of magnesium, 285 mg. of potassium, and 0.9 mg. of zinc.

Canned Coconut Cream:

A 1-cup measure contains 568 calories, 8 grams protein, and 25 grams of

carbohydrate. The fiber content totals 7 grams, while the total fat is 52.5 grams, the

saturated fat 46.5 grams. The numbers for fresh coconut cream are a little higher in

calories, protein, and fat, but lower in carbs, sodium, and fiber. Canned coconut cream

has a good range of B vitamins except B12, with 42.3 mcg of folic acid and 5.3 mg of

vitamin C. A full range of minerals produce 3 mg of calcium, 1.5 mg. of iron, 50.3 mg

of magnesium, 299 mg potassium, and 1.8 mg. of zinc. Figures for fresh coconut

cream are higher with an exceptional 2.1 mg of niacin, 55.2 mcg of folic acid, 26.4

mg of calcium, and 2.3 mg. of zinc.

Coconut Milk:

For the same measure, canned coconut milk contains 445 calories, 5 grams protein,

and 6 grams of carbohydrate. Total fat is 48.2 grams, with 42.7 grams saturated.

Canned coconut milk lacks vitamin B2 and B12 but has a good range of other B

vitamins including 30 mcg of folic acid. Vitamin C content is 2.3 mg. For the

minerals our coconut milk contains 40.7 mg of calcium, 7.5 mg. of iron, 104.0 mg. of

magnesium, 497 mg. of potassium, and 1.3 mg. of zinc. Fresh coconut milk is slightly

higher in the B vitamins, zinc, and potassium, but slightly lower in calcium, iron, and

magnesium.

Coconut Water:

On the average 1 cup contains about 46 calories and 2 grams of protein. The sodium

content is surprisingly high with 252 mg. and so is the fiber at 3 grams. The total fat is

exceptionally low at 0.5 grams with 0.4 grams saturated. Coconut water contains a

full range of B vitamins with the exception of vitamin B6 and B12. There are 6.00

mcg of folic acid and 5.8 mg of vitamin C. Rating the minerals that 1 cup contains

57.6 mg of calcium, 0.7 mg. of iron, 60 mg of magnesium, 600 mg of potassium, and

0.2 mg of zinc.

Coconut Oil:

Coconut oil has 120 calories for 1 tablespoon and 14 grams of total fat. These figures

are the same for almost any kind of oil from extra virgin olive oil to soybean oil. The

difference is that coconut oil contains 11 to 12 grams saturated fat. Coconut oil, like

other oils, does not contain significant vitamins and minerals.

Mature coconut:

Most coconuts reach market with the outer fibrous husk removed, a practice that

shortens their shelf life but makes them easier to open. Start the selection process by

lifting and shaking the coconut to make sure it is heavy with plenty of water inside.

Carefully inspect the outer shell and the eyes to make sure there are no cracks or

punctures. A damaged coconut will rot quickly once air reaches the inside of the nut.

Examine the three eyes to be sure there is no mold forming there. If the coconut

seems too light and cannot hear water inside when shake it, the nut may have a thin

crack, has lost a great deal of its water, and may have begun to mold. The ideal

coconut has plenty of liquid. Can feel its weight and hear it swoosh when give the

coconut a good shake.

A fully mature coconut will be dark brown in color. Those with a lighter brown

have not yet reached their full ripeness but will still taste quite good. Coconut milk

pressed from the lighter colored coconuts will not be as thick and creamy as the

darker coconuts, but can lend itself to tasty soups and curries. A mature coconut,

unopened, can be stored at room temperature for about three or four months. Once

opened, fresh coconut can be stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for only a few

days. Freeze the coconut for longer storage. A medium-sized coconut will contain

about 1 cup of coconut juice. When grated, the coconut will yield about 3 to 4 cups of

nutmeat.

Young coconut:

Young coconuts are sold still in the husk. Young coconut by its pale, almost ivory

color and by its conical shape at the top. Look for these in the refrigerated section or

produce section of some health food and Asian markets. Young coconuts are valued

for their juice, but the coconut meat inside, which is often sweeter than that of the

mature coconut, is completely edible and has a softer, more delicate consistency than

a mature coconut. The very young coconut meat is almost jelly-like and can be eaten

with a spoon. Store young coconuts in the refrigerator.

Dried coconut:

Coconut comes in dried forms as well as fresh. Most chain supermarkets have the

sweetened variety only. Look for the unsweetened grated or shredded coconut meat in

a health food market or Asian market. Both forms may also be found in the freezer in

Asian groceries. Dried coconut can keep at room temperature for several months if

sealed in plastic bags.

Coconut milk:

Canned coconut milk is available in most grocery stores; however, Asian markets

offer several brands from which to choose. Notice that the total fat content can vary

considerably from 2 grams to 17 grams. The cans with 2 grams of fat will be quite

watery and taste diluted. For good flavor, choose a coconut milk with 8 to 9 grams of

fat for its excellent consistency and richness in taste. Those with the highest fat are

actually coconut cream from the first pressing that offers a thicker and creamier

liquid. Once opened, canned coconut milk must be stored in the refrigerator and will

keep only a few days.

Coconut oil:

Coconut oil is an edible oil that has been consumed in tropical places for thousands of

years. Studies done on native diets high in coconut consumption show that these

populations are generally in good health, and don't suffer as much from many of the

modern diseases of western nations.

Let us now explore the benefits of coconut oil in detail:

Hair Care: Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. It helps in healthy

growth of hair providing them a shiny complexion. Regular massage of the head with

coconut oil ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff, lice, and lice eggs, even if your

scalp is dry. Coconut oil is extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care.

It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also

provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair. It is therefore

used as hair care oil and used in manufacturing various conditioners, and dandruff

relief creams. Coconut oil is normally applied topically for hair care.

Stress Relief: Coconut oil is very soothing and hence it helps in removing stress.

Applying coconut oil to the head followed with a gentle massage helps in removing

mental fatigue.

Skin Care: Coconut oil is excellent massage oil for the skin as well. It acts as an

effective moisturizer on all types of skins including dry skin. The benefit of coconut

oil on the skin is comparable to that of mineral oil. Further, unlike mineral oil, there is

no chance of having any adverse side effects on the skin with the application of

coconut oil. Coconut oil therefore is a safe solution for preventing dryness and flaking

of skin. It also delays wrinkles, and sagging of skin which normally become

prominent with age. Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems

including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. Therefore coconut

oil forms the basic ingredient of various body care products such as soaps, lotions,

creams, etc., used for skin care.

Premature Aging: Coconut oil helps in preventing premature aging and degenerative

diseases due to its antioxidant properties.

Heart Diseases: There is a misconception spread among many people that coconut oil

is not good for the heart. This is because it contains a large quantity of saturated fats.

However, coconut oil is beneficial for the heart. It contains about 50% lauric acid,

which helps in preventing various heart problems including high cholesterol levels

and high blood pressure. The saturated fats present in coconut oil are not harmful as it

happens in case of other vegetables oils. It does not lead to increase in LDL levels. It

also reduces the incidence of injury in arteries and therefore helps in preventing

atherosclerosis.

Weight Loss: Coconut oil is very useful in reducing weight. It contains short and

medium-chain fatty acids that help in taking off excessive weight. It is also easy to

digest and it helps in healthy functioning of the thyroid and enzymes systems. Further,

it increases the body metabolism by removing stress on pancreases, thereby burning

out more energy and helping obese and overweight people reduce their weight.

Hence, people living in tropical coastal areas, who eat coconut oil daily as their

primary cooking oil, are normally not fat, obese or overweight.

Pancreatitis: Coconut oil is also believed to be useful in treating pancreatitis.

Digestion: Internal use of coconut oil occurs primarily as cooking oil. Coconut oil

helps in improving the digestive system and thus prevents various stomach and

digestion related problems including irritable bowel syndrome. The saturated fats

present in coconut oil have anti microbial properties and help in dealing with various

bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc., that cause indigestion. Coconut oil also helps in

absorption of other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Immunity: Coconut oil is also good for the immune system. It strengthens the

immune system as it contains antimicrobial lipids, lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic

acid which have antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties. The human body

converts lauric acid into monolaurin which is claimed to help in dealing with viruses

and bacteria causing diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even

HIV. It helps in fighting harmful bacteria such as listeria monocytogenes and

heliobacter pylori, and harmful protozoa such as giardia lamblia.

Healing: When applied on infections, it forms a chemical layer which protects the

infected body part from external dust, air, fungi, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil is

most effective on bruises as it speeds up the healing process by repairing damaged

tissues.

Infections: Coconut oil is very effective against a variety of infections due to its

antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. According to the Coconut Research

Center, coconut oil kills viruses that cause influenza, measles, hepatitis, herpes,

SARS, etc. It also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract

infections, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, etc. Coconut oil is also effective on fungi and

yeast that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, etc.

Liver: The presence of medium chain triglycerides and fatty acids helps in preventing

liver diseases as they substances are easily converted into energy when they reach the

liver, thus reducing work load on the liver and also preventing accumulation of fat.

Kidney: Coconut oil helps in preventing kidney and gall bladder diseases. It also

helps in dissolving kidney stones.

Diabetes: Coconut oil helps in controlling blood sugar, and improves the secretion of

insulin. It also helps in effective utilization of blood glucose, thereby preventing and

treating diabetes.

Bones: As mentioned earlier, coconut oil improves the ability of our body to absorb

important minerals. These include calcium and magnesium which are necessary for

development of bones. Thus coconut oil is very useful to women who are prone to

osteoporosis after middle age.

Dental Care: Calcium is an important element present in teeth. Since coconut oil

facilitates absorption of calcium by the body, it helps in getting strong teeth. Coconut

oil also stops tooth decay.

HIV and Cancer: It is believed that coconut oil plays an instrumental role in

reducing viral susceptibility of HIV and cancer patients. Preliminary research has

shown indications of the effect of coconut oil on reducing the viral load of HIV

patients (Reference).

Finally, coconut oil is often preferred by athletes and body builders and by those who

are dieting. The reason behind this being that coconut oil contains lesser calories than

other oils, its fat content is easily converted into energy and it does not lead to

accumulation of fat in the heart and arteries. Coconut oil helps in boosting energy and

endurance, and enhances the performance of athletes.

Supermarket: A History

A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety

of food and household merchandise, organized into departments. It is larger in size

and has a wider selection than a traditional grocery store and it is smaller than a

hypermarket or superstore.

The supermarket typically comprises meat, fresh produce, dairy, and baked goods

departments, along with shelf space reserved for canned and packaged goods as well

as for various non-food items such as household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet

supplies. Most supermarkets also sell a variety of other household products that are

consumed regularly, such as alcohol (where permitted), medicine, and clothes, and

some stores sell a much wider range of non-food products.

The traditional suburban supermarket occupies a large amount of floor space, usually

on a single level. It is usually situated near a residential area in order to be convenient

to consumers. Its basic appeal is the availability of a broad selection of goods under a

single roof, at relatively low prices. Other advantages include ease of parking and

frequently the convenience of shopping hours that extend far into the evening or even

24 hours a day. Supermarkets usually allocate large budgets to advertising, typically

through newspapers. They also present elaborate in-store displays of products. The

stores are usually part of corporate chains that own or control (sometimes by

franchise) other supermarkets located nearby—even transnationally—thus increasing

opportunities for economies of scale.

Supermarkets typically are supplied by the distribution centers of their parent

companies, such as Loblaw Companies in Canada, which operates thousands of

supermarkets across the nation. Loblaw operates a distribution centre in every

province—usually in the largest city in the province.

Supermarkets usually offer products at low prices by reducing their economic

margins. Certain products (typically staple foods such as bread, milk and sugar) are

occasionally sold as loss leaders, that is, with negative profit margins. To maintain a

profit, supermarkets attempt to make up for the lower margins by a higher overall

volume of sales, and with the sale of higher-margin items. Customers usually shop by

placing their selected merchandise into shopping carts (trolleys) or baskets (self-

service) and pay for the merchandise at the check-out. At present, many supermarket

chains are attempting to further reduce labor costs by shifting to self-service check-

out machines, where a single employee can oversee a group of four or five machines

at once, assisting multiple customers at a time.

List of Supermarkets in Thrissur

1. Margin free market,Tripayar,P.o Nattiaka, Thrissur

2. A one supermarket, puuayurkulam, Thrissur

3. Gift palace,Pavartty,Thrissur

4. Hyper point, Center point Mg Road, Thrissur

5. Gulf Trades, Ambika Arcade, Thrissur

6. Chaithram Hypermarket, smart center,Mala,Thrissur

7. City Supermarket, Round west, Thrissur

8. Gulf traders,Ambika Arcade G Road, Thrissur

9. Varkeys Supermarket, Round south, Thrissur

10. Elite Supermarket, ,Round North, Thrissur

11. Kunnathu supermarket-Venkidangu ,Thrisur

12. Karthika supermarket- Moonu peedika, Prinnanam, Irinjaalakuda,Thrissur

13. KNP supermarket- Muthuvara, Mundur, Thrisur

14. Mahima Super Bazar, Nadathara, , Thrisur

15. Malabar supermarket,Nadathara,Thrissur

16. Margin free market- Venkidangu Thrissur

17. Kanjanas supermarket, Main road Chalakudy Thrissur

18. Margin free market,Vatanappilly ,kandassankadavu, Thrissur

19. Geetha supermarket-,kandassankadavu, Thrissur

20. Margin free market- Suntower,Eastfort,Thrissur

21. Jose’s Margin free Bazar, Congress bavanam, Ollur, Thrisur

22. KNP Supermarket,Mundur,Thrissur

23. Margin free Supermarket, Northnada, kodungallur, Thrissur

24. Golden Lilies Supermarket,Mala,Irinjalalkuda, Thrissur

25. Margin free market,Thahani junction,Guruvayur,

26. EVU Supermarket,Kannara,Pattiikaadu, Thrissur

27. E Mas Supermarket, Katoor, Irinjalalkuda ,Thrissur

28. Chandrika margin free market, police station road,Chalakudy

29. Bonny Supermarket, , Katoor, Irinjalalkuda ,Thrissur

30. Aparna Supermarket,Mannuthy, Thrissur

31. Anupama Margin free consumer market,Mala,Irinjalakuda

32. Amma Supermarket,Alagappanagar, Thrissur

33. A1 mass Supermarket,Chenthrappinny, Irinjalakuda

34. Indoor shopping bakery & Supermarket,Thykkad,Guruvayur

35. Soumyas super shop, Koratty junction,Thrissur

36. Winners supershop,Chalakudy, Thrissur

37. Vellanikaaran Supermarket, Chalakudy, Thrissur

38. Varkeys bakery and supermarket,Civilline,Thrissur

39. Total supermarket,Edamuttam,Thrisur

40. Teeces supermarket,Punkunnam,Thrissur

41. Surya supermarket,kodakara,Thrissur

42. Surabhi supermarket Ayyanthole, Thrissur

43. Surabhi supermarket, Kuttanellur, Thrissur

44. Supreme bakery & supermarket, Koorkanchery, Thrissur

45. Supreme bakery & supermarket, Valappadu, Thrissur

46. Margin free Supermarket, kuriachira, Thrissur

47. Sreelakshmi Supermarket, kandassankadavu, Thrissur

48. Margin free Supermarket, Evm complex, Irinjalakuda,Thrissur

49. Siva supermarket,Chazhoor, Thrissur

50. Selection supermarket,Chalakudy, Thrissur

51. Seethal supermarket,Perinnanam, Irinjalakuda,

52. Santhosh supermarket, venkidangu Thrissur

53. Samson margin free ,Katoor, Irinjalalkuda ,Thrissur

54. Rasika supermarket,Vallakunnu, Thrissur

55. Priya supermarket, kandassankadavu, Thrissur

56. Parkway supermarket & bakery ,Civilline,Thrissur

57. Mini supermarket, Katoor, Irinjalalkuda ,Thrissur

58. Margin free Supermarket, Katoor, Irinjalalkuda ,Thrissur

59. Margin free Supermarket, Kanjani road, Irinjalalkuda ,Thrissur

60. Supreme bakery & supermarket, Kodungallur, Thrissur

(Source:http://yellowpages.webindia123.com/dpy/Kerala/Thrissur/Super+Markets/)

Major supermarkets in Thrisur city

The major famous supermarkets are coming under this study are the

following.

1) BigBazar

2) Varkey’s Supermarket

3) Elite Supermarket

4) Omega Hyperpermarket

5) City Super Market

6) Reliance Fresh

7) The Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd.Thrissur –Supplyco

8) West end Super Market

9) Popular combines Super Market

10) Trichur wholesale Coop. Consumers Stores Limited (TWCS)

1) Bigbazar

2)Varkey’s supermarket

Name Varkey’s Supermarket

Category Supermarket

Website www.varkeysindia.com

Number of employees 10

Working time 9am - 10pm

Area 5000

Location West Fort, Civil Line Road,

Thrissur - 680 004

Name BigBazar

Category Supermarket

Website wwwbigbazaar.com

Number of employees 20

Working time 8.30am – 10pm

Area 15000

Location Karunakaran Nambiar Road, Opp Ashwini Hospital,

Thrisur,

3)Elite Supermarket

4) The Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd

Name SUPPLYCO-The Kerala State Civil Supplies

Corporation Ltd._Thrissur

Category Supermarket

Website www.supplycokerala.com

Number of employees 12

Working time 10am – 9pm

Area 3500

LocationRound North,Thrisur Central, Thrisur

5) City Super Market

Name City Super Market

Category Supermarket

Website www.citysupermarket.co.in

Number of employees 15

Working time 9am - 10pm

Name Elite Supermarket

Category Supermarket

Website [email protected]

Number of employees 12

Working time 9am – 10pm

Area 6000

LocationRound North,Thrisur Central, Thrisur

Area 8000

LocationCity Centre, Round West, Thrissur – 680001

6) Reliance Fresh

Name Reliance Fresh

Category Supermarket

Website www. reliancefresh.info

Number of employees 12

Working time 9am - 9.30pm

Area 5000

Location Reliance Fresh, Round East, Thrissur –

680001

7) Omega Hyperpermarket

Name Omegha hypermarket

Category Hypermarket

Website www.omegha.org

Number of employees 12

Working time 8.30am- 10pm

Area 5000

LocationOmegha hypermarket, poomkunnam,

Thrissur – 680001

8) West end Super Market,

Name West end Super Market

Category Supermarket

Website www.atwestend.com

Number of employees 10

Working time 10am - 8.30pm

Area 3000 Square feet

LocationWest end Super Market, Poomkunnam,

Thrissur – 680001

9) Popular combines margin free Super Market

Name Popular combines margin free Super Market

Category Supermarket

Website --

Number of employees 9

Working time 9am – 9pm

Area 3000 Square feet

Location Margin free Super Market, West fort,

Thrissur - 680001

10) Trichur wholesale Coop. Consumers Stores Limited

Name TWCS

Category Supermarket

Website www.twcskerala.com

Number of employees 6

Working time 9.30am-7.30pm

Area 3000 square feet

Location Trichur wholesale Coop: consumers stores

limited, M.O. Road Thrisur,

CHAPTER 4

STERLING COCONUT OILS & CAKES (P) LIMITED

(THANIMA)

A   PROFILE

Sterling Coconut Oil & Cakes (P) Ltd was established in the year 1953 with an

objective to produce, supply and export of fresh and pure coconut oil. The founder

store for the company laid at Cherpu, a total remote area in Thrissur District, Kerala.

Sine its inception the company has marked unparalleled growth that has definitely

helped us to emerge as one of the leading and most reputed companies in the field of

extraction and purification of Coconut oil. The company originally was established in

the year 1983as a partnership firm popularly known as “United Oil Mills” with an

objective to produce supply and export fresh and pure coconut oil in bulk quantities.

Subsequently it was transformed as private Limited Company as is known at present –

Sterling Coconut Oils and Cakes (P) Limited. Sterling coconut oils & Cakes (P) Ltd,

is the creation of an ancestral business family-vallachirakkaran (house) at cherpu. The

family business title is “Raphael and company “,since its inception the company has

earned unparalleled growth that has definitely helped to emerge as one of the leading

and most reputed companies in coconut Oil industry under the Brand name

“THANIMA.

The company strictly follows the quality standards defined by AGMARK

and ISO 9001:2000 Certification to take on the challenges of globalization and

international quality standards. By establishing and implementing a high

Quality Management System, the company is striving hard to achieve excellence

at all levels. Backed by professional management experts and strong network,

the marketing of company's products is channeled through distributors and

retailers appointed in all the key locations of South India. The silver Jubilee of

Sterling was celebrated by spreading the unique fragrance of their prestigious

coconut oil 'THANIMA' to Northern, Eastern, Western and Southern parts of

India. The company has started a new division to take care of exports and begun

to accept the export orders from different parts of world.  THANIMA is now

available in Europe and Gulf Countries. Presently the management of Sterling is

engaged in working out a strategic plan that aims an ambitious expansion

programme to diversify and enter into the wide market of cosmetic products like

baby oil and soaps.

Objectives

Thanima’s Quality Policy starts and ends with the customer as a focal point,

understanding the customer's requirements, building systems and processes in place to

ensure quality at every stage, and achieving our commitments on delivering the

quality products. It is their endeavor to create a culture of Total Quality where

continuous improvement of people, processes and products become a way of life.

Believe that the foundation of their success is the satisfaction of customers.

Vision

“Our endeavor is to create a culture of Total Quality where continuous

improvement of our people, our processes and our products become a way of life. We

believe that the foundation of our success is the satisfaction of our customers”. “Our

aim is to serve the best quality product (free from all sorts of adulteration) to their

distinguished customers.”

Branches of Thanima

Thanima does not have any branches, its corporate office is situated inCherpu,

Thrissur

Features

Thanima Coconut Oil is extracted and filtered using latest modern techniques,

each bottle before packing is tested by Agmark Authorities.Tested in laboratory set up

under Agmark standards to ensure the superior quality of the product and packed in

various types of food grade containers and pouches under highly hygienic conditions.

As it give high priority for quality standards. This help to focus on high quality

extraction and ensure the purest form coconut oil. In spite of the success and growth

of this unique product, still continue the same strategy. To avoid any sort of

adulteration of the product, the Company has introduced 'Holograms' on each and

every item of THANIMA COCONUT OIL sold in the market. 'Thanima' the silver

jubilant in the edible oil market and coconut oil exporters, enjoys appreciation from

wide range of customers from national and international level for its purity, smell,

taste and freshness. Being the first and best among the edible oil and coconut oil

Thanima complements a real taste to the food.

Studies reveal that consumption of Coconut oil is one of the reasons that help

Asians and people from the tropics (whose traditional diet includes coconut oil)

maintain their natural health and body weight. The key to weight loss and vibrant

health is in eating the right kind of fats (like those contained in coconut oil), avoiding

refined carbohydrates, and consuming whole foods. The secret to weight loss is in the

chain of molecules that makes up the fat of the coconut oil. Its fatty acids are known

as medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which burn up quickly in the body. They're a

lot like adding kindling to a fire, rather than a big, damp log.

Coconut oil improves immune system and energy level, stabilize blood sugar,

improve thyroid function and it tastes great, too! Apart from that, using the oil in its

purest form is good for the hair and skin. In the coastal regions most babies are

massaged with the coconut oil in its organic form. This is also being considered as

holistic oil. More and more nations are adopting this oil as part of their lifestyle

because of more healthy.

Processing of Coconut Oil

Coconut palms are grown widely in the coastal tracts of Kerala. Copra, the

dried kernel is the chief commercial product from coconut, which is mainly used for

oil extraction. Copra normally has an oil content varying from 65 to 72 per cent. The

quality of an ISO certified coconut oil is related to the quality of copra for use. Oil can

be extracted by: smoke drying, sun drying, or kiln drying, or derivatives or a

combination of these three. Then use most modern technology and machineries for

this purpose. It is well purified, by filtering process and perfectly refined coconut oil

is obtained. It is left for natural settling and then filtered in a filter press and then

again subjected to micro filtering and thereafter transferred to storage tanks for

packing. It is then packed in various types of food grade containers and pouches under

highly hygienic conditions. To avoid any sort of adulteration of the product, the

Company has introduced 'Holograms' on each and every item of "THANIMA" made

available in the market. The oil cake obtained as a by-product will find a ready market

as a cattle feed and in the manufacture of mixed cattle feeds or as a raw material for

the extraction of remaining oil by solvent extraction method.

For health reasons nutritionists and dieticians unanimously promote a best

coconut oil diets. They recommend foods fried in this oil, rather than the usual

cooking oil. In fact, in Kerala food is commonly cooked in oil from the coconuts.

Researchers from the medical field are studying the benefits of the organic form of

unrefined coconut oil. Initial trials have confirmed that unrefined coconut oil or

monolaurin has an anti-viral effect. A minimum of 50ml of unrefined coconut oil

would contain 20 to 25 grams of lauric acid, which indicates that the oil is

metabolized in the body to release monolaurin which is an antibiotic and an antiviral

agent. Among the saturated fatty acids, lauric acid has the maximum antiviral activity.

Thanima coconut oil is a quality product of an ISO certified coconut oil

suppliers with Agmark standards. Each bottle is tested by Agmark Authorities before

packing. It is tested in laboratory set up under Agmark standards to ensure the

superior quality of the product and packed under highly hygienic conditions. As it

give high priority for quality standards. This helps Thanima to focus on high quality

extraction and ensure the purest form coconut oil.

Rhythm of Process

The process starts with the selection of copra from vendors from reputed

areas best known for the quality and percentage of yield. The copra from

unripe fruits is handpicked before being fed into the drier to eliminate the

moisture content to the maximum extent possible so as to give the product

maximum shelf life.It is then automatically fed into the cutter for

bre4aking into small pieces to be crushed in the expellers for extracting oil

using best modern technology and machineries.

The extracted oil then transferred to tanks for filtration process. The oil is

then again stored in tanks for further elimination of unwanted particles if

any by natural setting.

Then undergoes filtering in a high frequency centrifugal filter and

transferred to tanks ready for packing.

The most significant factor in the whole process is that from the point of

extraction to packing is wholly automatic and untouched so as to avoid any

sort of contamination of the product.

Production Capacity

The unit is having a production capacity of 60 Mt per day and storage tanks

can hold up to about 250Mt of oil. Every care is taken by their lab our force keeping

the product, factory and surroundings neat, clean and hygenic.Thanima play a vital

part in our activities of all sorts and contribute their might for smooth running of all

day to day activicties.The administrative wing also deserves special mention for their

contribution in all fields of production, packing and distribution of the product.

Quality Control Lab

Quality control, lab is located inside the Thanima, This Lab is started

functioning from 1963. The Lab function starts with quality assurance of

incoming raw materials, assurance finished product quality considering

customers needs. The department lab equipped with latest and most

modern analytical instrument for analyzing the samples of raw material in

process product and finished product.

Quality Policy

THANIMA s quality policy is to produce and distribute good quality coconut

oil in fresh from, and distribute materials through a quality system, which registers

continual improvement by setting and reviewing functional quality objectives aimed

to create enhanced customer satisfaction. The quality policy is communicated to all

and is viewed periodically for continual suitably. The management and staff are

determined and committed to achieve this quality policy and try to work for achieve

the goal.

AGMARK Standard

The AGMARK standard was set up by the Directorate of Marketing and

Inspection of the Government of India by introducing an Agricultural produce Act in

1937. The word 'AGMARK' seal ensures quality and purity. AgMark is an acronym

for Agricultural Marketing. This organization used to certify the food products for

their quality. This has been superceded or dominated by other quality standards

including the non manufacturing standard ISO 9000.

The Department of Agriculture Marketing and Agri Business has the

facilities available at its laboratories for testing food items mainly for the convenience

of food and edible oil manufacturers and exporters. THANIMA coconut oil is packed

in various types of food grade containers and pouches under highly hygienic

conditions. THANIMA the silver jubilant in the edible oil market enjoys appreciation

from wide range of customers from national and international level for purity, smell,

taste and freshness.

Marketing Mix

Product

Price

Place

Promotion

The company has adopted a planned approach for implementing in product,

promotion programs based on the market department follows a scientific approach

and customers are taken into confidence before implementing any changes in this

field.

Product

The company has designed the product is such a variety that it differentiated

from its competitors products. The quality that the company is following is according

to the ISI standard i.e. ISO 90001-2000 standard type 1, Agmark standards. The

company maintains the standard from the raw materials up to the finished products

standard.

Product profile

Product Catalogue

1 Litre Pet Bottle 1 Litre Pouch 1 Litre HDPE Bottle 5 Litre Can

500 ml. Pet Bottle 200 ml. Pouch 500 ml. HDPE Bottle 2 Litre Can

200 ml. Pet Bottle 500 ml. Pouch 200 ml. HDPE Bottle 1 Litre Can

ISO 9001-2000 certified management with Agmark quality products

1 Litre Bottle(Pet Bottle) 500 ml. Bottle(Pet Bottle) 200 ml Bottle(Pet Bottle)

Net Contents - 1 Litre Size Of Net Contents - 500 ml. Size Of Net Contents - 200 ml. Size Of

Two Types Cartons Carton Carton

Length : 480 | 320 mm Length : 410 mm Length : 340 mm

Breadth : 320 | 240 mm Breadth : 280 mm Breadth : 225 mm

Height : 290 | 290 Height : 240 mm Height : 295 mm

Each Carton Contain 24 nos. |

12 nos of Bottles

Each Carton Contain 24 nos. of

Bottle

Each Carton Contain 48 nos. of

Bottles

1 Litre Pouch 200 ml. Pouch 500 ml.Pouch

Net Contents - 1 Litre Size Of

Carton

Net Contents - 200 ml.Size Of

Carton

Net Contents - 500 ml. Size Of

Carton

Length : 450 mm Length : 340 mm Length : 325 mm

Breadth : 330 mm Breadth : 200 mm Breadth : 200 mm

Height : 190 mm Height : 205 mm Height : 205 mm

Each Carton Contain 20 nos. of

Pouches

Each Carton Contain 50 nos. of

Pouches

Each Carton Contain 20 nos. of

Pouches

1  Litre Bottle (HDPE) 500 ml. Bottle(HDPE) 200 ml. Bottle(HDPE)

Net Contents - 1 Litre ,Size Of

Carton

Net Contents - 500 ml. Size Of

Carton

Net Contents - 200 ml. Size Of

Carton

Length : 505 mm Length : 445 mm Length : 335 mm

Breadth : 430 mm Breadth : 300mm Breadth : 235 mm

Height : 303 mm Height : 205 mm Height : 300 mm

Each Carton Contain 24 nos. of

Bottles

Each Carton Contain 24 nos. of

Bottles

Each Carton Contain 48 nos. of

Bottles

5 Litre Can 2 Litre Can 1 Litre Can

Net Contents - 5 Litre Size Of

Carton

Net Contents - 2 Litre Size Of

Carton

Net Contents - 1 Litre Size Of

Carton

Length : 370 mm Length : 560 mm Length : 465 mm

Breadth : 290 mm Breadth : 280 mm Breadth : 235 mm

Height : 285 mm Height : 210 mm Height : 340 mm

Each Carton Contain 4 nos. of

Cans

Each Carton Contain 10

nos. of Cans

Each Carton Contain 20

nos. of Cans

Price

The company has followed a unique pricing policy in the industry. The company

is fixing their price also analyzing the wholesale price of coconut .After fixing the

prices the firm compares the price of medicines to the competitors’ price and then

makes necessary modifications.

Place

The company has a unique distribution channels to distribute its

products to the customers. In 1953 when it started it has only very few dealers all over

Kerala. Now it has became around 500 all over Kerala. Beyond Kerala it is exporting

it products to foreign countries.

Promotion

The company has different varieties of promotional activities as a

part of the marketing. They had enough advertisements through radios and other

Medias prevailing in the society. They promote the product through theatre slides,

balloons, scooter stepping covers, and advertising boards etc. Every dealer will be

getting the dealer boards, posters, stickers, banners, brochures etc. from the company.

   Some of the most common promotional methods are using in

Thanima

BOGOF (Buy One Get One Free)

Price discounting

Prize contest

What makes Thanima Different from other oils

• Manufacturing, Filtering 7 packing in own factory.

• Hollow mark on every pack

• Agmark certified

• Aluminum cork to prevent adulteration

• Quality control Serial Numbering on every Pack

• Micro filtering Technology to Ensure pure Sedimentation free coconut oil

Markets Marketing is social and material process by which individuals and groups

obtain that they need and want through crating and exchanging products and value

with others. Kerala is the one of the important area of selling Thanima Coconut Oil

major markets are;-

Supermarkets.

Private Dealers.

Retail outlets

Direct selling and Other

Marketing and Distribution Network

At present “THANIMA COCONUTOIL” is available all throughout Kerala from one

end to the other. The marketing procedure is through distribution spread all over

Kerala and other neighboring states. The product is available also in some parts of

UAE, Saudi Arabia, turkey, etc, to name a few. Apart from packed products, this also

sells oil in bulk quantities in tankers and barrels. Within short span of few years have

achieved a remarkable reputation as one of the leading brands.

Marketing Functions

The four functions of the marketing department such as product,

price, place and promotion are fulfilled through the activities of various personnel

engaged at different levels in the department. Each of them has different authorities

and responsibilities to achieve the over all objective of this department.

Marketing of products within and outside Kerala State.

Building up of brand image and corporate image.

Maintain both consumer and dealer satisfaction giving adequate importance

to improve the level of satisfaction continuously.

Decision regarding proposals for new product line based on the consumer

need.

The marketing activities of Thanima have helped to record a continuous

growth in sales, both annual and monthly average growth in channels of

distribution, dealership as per dealer sales.

Accounting Functions

Accounting functions involves day today accounting of several

transactions namely receipts and disbursement of money, transactions relating to

purchases, inventories (both input materials and finished goods), Production, Sales,

other income, fixed assets, salaries, and wages and other expenses such as

manufacturing, administration, selling and distribution.

Finance Functions

Finance functions involve procurement of funds and effective

utilization of the same in the business. Control over expenses is ensured by comparing

actual expenses with that of budgeted figures. By constantly monitoring various

operational activities cost control and cost reduction are facilitated.

Purchase functions

THANIMA ensures that purchased raw materials meets specified purchase

requirements by implementing proper inspection and the test activities by quality

control departments incase of raw materials. Ensuring mutually beneficial

supplier relationship, ensuring the supply of right quality material at right time, at

right place. Fix the material quality and rate to be purchased.

Production functions

The function of production is to convert raw materials in to finished products. It

begins from brining the raw materials in to factory to the packing of waste. The role

of production finishes only when finished goods are properly packed and kept ready

dispatch.

Functional Departments

Functioning of Organisation is done by grouping all the work in to major functional

Departments. All related and similar works are done in one Department under one

executives. The company is headed by the Managing Director and supported by

Directors. All these Departments work in Co-ordination for achieving objectives. Out

of these Departments first and last is situated at Thrissur and other three are situated at

Cherpu, All these developments are interdependent and interrelated. They work as a

team. Their team spirit co-operation ,integration and group efforts helps in the

efficient and smooth running of the business, optimum utilization of resources, more

economic results and thus provides opportunities for future growth and

development.   

Organizational chart

Managing Director/chairman

Administrative Director Marketing Director

Production Manager

(PRO)Public Relation Officer

Staff Manager

Office in charge

Accountant Chemist

Working Supervisor

Clerk

Cashier

Peon

Workers Workers Workers Workers Workers

Competitors of the in the coconut industry  

Nirmal Coconut oil

KPL shudhi

Lakshmi

Kera

Parachute

Kerala Agricultural University oil

Green valley 

Mile Stones & Recognitions

1953 - Company Established

1994 - (Renovation), Introduction of new technology

1998 - entered outside the Kerala Market

2001 -Brand name Thanima got registered, Entered into consumer packs as

Thanima

2002 - Received Agmark certification from the Central Govt. of India

2004 - The first company in India to receive ISO 9001:2000 certification for

production and supply of coconut oil.